U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT
AND AIRCRAFT TYPE RATING Practical Test Standards for
AIRPLANE February 2001
FLIGHT STANDARDS SERVICE Washington, DC 20591 FAA-S-8081-5D with change 1
AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT
AND AIRCRAFT TYPE RATING Practical Test Standards for
AIRPLANE 2001
FLIGHT STANDARDS SERVICE WASHINGTON, DC 20591
FAA-S-8081-5D NOTE Examiners may use the practical test standards, dated August 1998, to evaluate airline transport pilot and type rating applicants, until February 1, 2001.
Material in FAA-S-8081-5D will be effective February 1, 2001. All previous editions of the Airline Transport Pilot and Aircraft Type Rating—Airplane Practical Test Standards will be obsolete as of this date.
RECORD OF CHANGES FAA-S-8081-5D Change 1: 02/07/01 Reason: To correct omissions and errors in the original.
V. AREA OF OPERATION: INSTRUMENT PROCEDURES TASK C: PRECISION INSTRUMENT APPROACHES TASK E: CIRCLING APPROACH
FAA-S-8081-5D
FOREWORD The Airline Transport Pilot and Aircraft Type Rating—Airplane Practical Test Standards (PTS) book has been published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish the standards for airline transport pilot and aircraft type rating practical tests for airplanes. FAA inspectors, designated pilot examiners, and check airmen (referred to as examiners throughout the remaining practical test standard) shall conduct practical tests in compliance with these standards. Flight instructors and applicants should find these standards helpful in practical test preparation.
_______________________________ Joseph K. Tintera, Manager Regulatory Support Division, AFS-600 Flight Standards Service
FAA-S-8081-5Di
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION1
General Information1
Practical Test Standard Concept2
Practical Test Description3
Use of the Practical Test Standards5
Special Emphasis Areas6
Practical Test Prerequisites: Airline Transport Pilot6
Practical Test Prerequisites: Aircraft Type Rating7
Seaplane Class Rating8
Aircraft Type Ratings Limited to VFR9
Removal of the “Limited to Center Thrust” Limitation10
Aircraft and Equipment Requirements for the Practical Test.. 11 Use of FAA-Approved Flight Simulator or Flight Training
Device11
Examiner Responsibility12
Satisfactory Performance13
Unsatisfactory Performance13
Recording Unsatisfactory Performance15
Crew Resource Management (CRM)15
How the Examiner Applies CRM16
Applicant’s Use of Checklists17
Use of Distractions During Practical Tests17
Metric Conversion Initiative17
SECTION 1: PREFLIGHT PREPARATION
CONTENTS1-i
AREA OF OPERATION:
I. PREFLIGHT PREPARATION1-1
SECTION 2: PREFLIGHT PROCEDURES, INFLIGHT MANEUVERS,
AND POSTFLIGHT PROCEDURES
CONTENTS2-i
AREAS OF OPERATION:
II. PREFLIGHT PROCEDURES2-1
III. TAKEOFF AND DEPARTURE PHASE2-5
IV. INFLIGHT MANEUVERS2-10
V. INSTRUMENT PROCEDURES2-15
FAA-S-8081-5D ii
VI. LANDINGS AND APPROACHES TO LANDINGS2-23
VII. NORMAL AND ABNORMAL PROCEDURES2-29
VIII. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES2-30
IX. POSTFLIGHT PROCEDURES2-31
APPENDIX 1—TASK VS. SIMULATION DEVICE CREDIT TASK VS. SIMULATION DEVICE CREDIT........... Appendix 1-1 USE OF CHART................................ ................ Appendix 1-1 FLIGHT SIMULATION DEVICE LEVEL................ Appendix 1-2
FAA-S-8081-5D1
INTRODUCTION General Information The Flight Standards Service of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has developed this practical test standard (PTS) to be used by examiners when conducting airline transport pilot and aircraft type rating practical tests (knowledge of the equipment and flight tasks) in airplanes. Instructors are expected to use this book when preparing applicants for practical tests. Applicants should refer to these standards during their training.
Information considered directive in nature is described in this practical test standard in terms, such as “shall” and “must” indicating the actions are mandatory. Guidance information is described in terms, such as “should” and “may” indicating the actions are desirable or permissive but not mandatory.
The FAA gratefully acknowledges the valuable assistance provided by many individuals and companies who contributed their time and talent in assisting with the development of this practical test standard.
This practical test standard may be downloaded from the Regulatory Support Division’s, AFS-600, web site at http://afs600.faa.gov.
Subsequent changes to this standard, in accordance with AC 60-27, Announcement of Availability: Changes to Practical Test Standards, will also be available on AFS-600’s web site and then later incorporated into a printed revision.
This publication may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
Comments regarding this publication should be sent to:
U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards Service Airman Testing Standards Branch, AFS-630 P.O. Box 25082 Oklahoma City, OK 73125
FAA-S-8081-5D 2 Practical Test Standard Concept Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61 specifies the areas in which knowledge and skills must be demonstrated by the applicant before the issuance of an airline transport pilot certificate and/ or a type rating in airplanes. The CFRs provide the flexibility to permit the FAA to publish practical test standards (PTSs) containing specific TASKS in which pilot competency must be demonstrated. The FAA will revise this book whenever it is determined that changes are needed in the interest of safety. Adherence to provisions of the regulations and the PTS is mandatory for the evaluation of pilot applicants. For some aircraft types, provisions of FAA Flight Standardization Board (FSB) Reports may specify details as to how 14 CFR part 61 and this PTS apply to certain maneuvers, TASKS, procedures or knowledge areas.
Flight proficiency for certification of airmen employed by 14 CFR part 121 and 135 operators and FAA personnel assigned to part 121 and 135 certificates, is demonstrated when the maneuvers and procedures required for the issuance of a type rating for a specific airplane are accomplished satisfactorily. Type rating requirements may be determined through SFAR 58, advisory circular (AC) 120-53, FSB Reports, and Flight Manual. Further, successful completion of a proficiency check under part 121 or the successful completion of both a competency check and a pilot-in-command instrument proficiency check under part 135, satisfy the requirements for the appropriate aircraft rating. Unless the Administrator requires certain or all TASKS to be performed, the examiner who conducts the practical test for an airline transport pilot certificate or added rating may waive any of the TASKS for which the Administrator approves waiver authority.
For those crewmembers employed by 14 CFR parts 121 and 135 operators, and those FAA personnel assigned to part 121 and 135 certificates, the Administrator provides waiver discretion to the check airman (also a qualified examiner), or the FAA inspector conducting the check, for the following maneuvers/procedures.
1. Area arrival or area departure, but not both.
2. Two of three stalls. (One demonstrated in a turn, with a bank of 15 to 30°)
3. Holding.
4. Second nonprecision approach.
5. Steep turns.
6. Specific flight characteristics.
FAA-S-8081-5D3 Waiver authority requires that the applicant is trained to proficiency in all six maneuvers/procedures in the operator’s FAA-approved training program.
NOTE: Pilots employed by an air carrier certificate holder, operating under part 121, whose manual prohibits a circling approach when the weather is below 1,000 feet and 3 miles’ visibility are not required to be checked on the circling approach and landing from a circling approach. Airline transport pilot and aircraft type rating certificates issued without training and checking in the circling maneuver will be annotated “CIRC. APCH. VMC ONLY.” This restriction may be removed when the circling approach is satisfactorily demonstrated to a designated examiner (also a check airman), or FAA inspector, in the appropriate type airplane.
Practical Test Description This practical test contains the Airline Transport Pilot and Aircraft Type Rating Practical Test Standards—Airplane.
The Airline Transport Pilot and Aircraft Type Rating Practical Test Standards—Airplane includes AREAS OF OPERATION and TASKS for the initial issuance of an airline transport pilot certificate and for the addition of category, class, and aircraft type ratings to that certificate.
The AREAS OF OPERATION are divided into two sections. The first AREA OF OPERATION in each section is conducted on the ground to determine the applicant’s knowledge of the aircraft, equipment, performance, and limitations. The eight AREAS OF OPERATION in the second section are considered to be in flight. All eight AREAS OF OPERATION in the second section test the applicant’s skill and knowledge. If all TASKS, of the practical test, are not completed on one date, all remaining TASKS of the test must be satisfactorily completed not more than 60 calendar days after the date on which the applicant began the test.
AREAS OF OPERATION are phases of the practical test arranged in a logical sequence within each standard. They begin with preflight preparation and end with postflight procedures. The examiner may combine TASKS with similar objectives and conduct the practical test in any sequence that will result in a complete and efficient test.
TASKS are titles of knowledge areas, flight procedures, or maneuvers appropriate to an AREA OF OPERATION.
FAA-S-8081-5D 4 NOTE is used to emphasize special considerations required in the AREA OF OPERATION.
The Objective lists the important ELEMENTS that must be satisfactorily performed to demonstrate competency in a TASK. The Objective includes:
1. specifically what the applicant should be able to do;
2. the conditions under which the TASK is to be performed; and
3. the acceptable standards of performance.
The REFERENCE identifies the publication(s) that describe(s) the TASK. Descriptions of TASKS are not included in the practical test standards because this information can be found in the listed references, as amended. Publications other than those listed may be used for references if their content conveys substantially the same meaning as the referenced publications.
This practical test standard is based on the following references.
14 CFR part 1 Definitions and Abbreviations 14 CFR part 61 Certification: Pilots and Flight Instructors 14 CFR part 91 General Operating and Flight Rules SFAR 58 Advanced Qualification Program FAA-H-8083-3 Airplane Flying Handbook AC 00-6 Aviation Weather AC 00-45 Aviation Weather Services AC 60-22 Aeronautical Decision Making AC 60-28 English Language Skill Standards AC 61-27 Instrument Flying Handbook AC 61-84 Role of Preflight Preparation AC 120-28 Criteria for Approval of Category III Landing Weather Minima AC 120-29 Criteria for Approving Category I and Category II Landing Minima for part 121 Operators AC 120-40 Airplane Simulator Qualification AC 120-45 Airplane Flight Training Device Qualification AC 120-46 Use of Advanced Training Devices AC 120-51 Crew Resource Management Training AC 120-53 Crew Qualification and Pilot Type Rating Requirements for Transport Category Aircraft Operated Under part 121 AC 120-54 Advanced Qualification Program AC 120-62 Takeoff Safety Training Aid FSB Reports Flight Standardization Board Reports