Airman Certification Standards - What’s New and What’s Next - Presented by Susan Parson, FAA

Sep 25, 2026

Uploaded by Stanford

Presentation on Airman Certification Standards (ACS) focusing on what has changed and what lies ahead in FAA certification testing. It outlines the overview of the ACS project, including why changes were needed due to longstanding systemic flaws in knowledge testing standards and outdated, irrelevant, and disconnected questions. It describes how ACS integrates aeronautical knowledge, risk management, and skill with clearer coding, standards guidance, and links to test questions and practical/oral testing. Concludes with resources and next steps for roles such as instructors, ATPs, and aircraft mechanics.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Overview – ACS Project

Why Change?

What is the ACS?

Recap-What is the ACS?

Airman Certification Standards What’s New and What’s Next? Presented to: ATEC – Washington Fly-in By: Susan Parson, FAA Date: September 5, 2017 Federal Aviation Administration Overview – ACS Project • Why, What, Who? • What’s new in 2017? – Private Pilot Airplane – revised – Instrument Airplane rating – revised – Commercial Pilot Airplane – new • How do I use the ACS? • What’s next? – Instructor, ATP – Aircraft Mechanic – Other….? • Resources Federal Aviation 2 Administration Houston, we have a problem… 2011 Explosion Ill-advised changes to Fundamentals of Instructing knowledge exam led to skyrocketing failure rate. Aviation training community demanded action to address fundamental flaws in FAA certification testing, which drives the way industry conducts aviation training Federal Aviation 3 Administration Why Change? Longstanding systemic flaws For each airman certificate or rating, 14 CFR lists required areas of aeronautical knowledge and flight proficiency. • FAA developed the PTS to provide practical test performance metrics for flight proficiency in each Area of Operation and Task. • Each PTS includes a lengthy list of largely undefined “special emphasis” areas. There has never been a corresponding set of defined “KTS”(knowledge test standards) metrics for the aeronautical knowledge elements tested via “the written” exam. Federal Aviation 4 Administration Why Change? Longstanding systemic flaws Lack of “KTS” allowed the accumulation of too many FAA knowledge test questions that were: • Out-of-date (e.g. , lots of wood, dope and fabric, not much composites) • Irrelevant (e.g. , two types of human failure) • Disconnected from “real” skills and knowledge required for safe maintenance of today’s equipment. Also, PTS did not evolve in a systematic way – results include redundant and conflicting tasks. Federal Aviation 4 Administration Why change? • ACS started as a way to fix knowledge testing. • FAA and industry partners determined the need for a systematic approach that would: • Provide clear standards for aeronautical knowledge • List specific behaviors for risk management and ADM • Consolidate overlapping tasks in the PTS • Tie the many “special emphasis” items to knowledge and skill • Connect the standards for knowledge, risk management, and skill to guidance (H-series handbooks), to knowledge test questions, and the practical test Federal Aviation 5 Administration What is the ACS? Definition & integration of elements = comprehensive standard Aeronautical knowledge Aeronautical decision-making PTS-based proficiency Know Consider Do Federal Aviation 6 Administration What is the ACS? ACS coding system The ACS assigns a unique code to each element of knowledge, risk management, & skill AM = Aviation Mechanic (applicable ACS) II = Airframe Structures ( Section ) A = Metallic Structures (Subject) K1 = Inspection/testing of sheet metal structures (Subject Element Knowledge) Federal Aviation 7 Administration Recap-What is the ACS? ACS is single-source set of standards for knowledge exam & oral and practical test. ACS integrates and connects certification standards for: Knowledge Risk Management Skill Which statement is correct when made in reference to a parallel circuit? A)The current is equal in all portions of the circuit. B)The total current is equal to the sum of the currents through the individual branches of the circuit. C)The current in amperes can be found by dividing the EMF in volts by the sum of the resistors in ohms. Standards Guidance Test questions ACS coding connects standards to guidance and test questions. Federal Aviation 8 Administration

FAQs

How does the ACS coding system work?

Each ACS knowledge, risk management, and skill element is assigned a unique code, illustrated with examples such as AM for Aviation Mechanic and K1 for inspection/testing of sheet metal structures.

Sep 25, 2026

Uploaded by Stanford