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Practical Test Standards
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<h2 id="airman-certification-standards">Airman Certification Standards</h2> <p>Beginning in 2011, the FAA began an effort to supersede the Practical Test Standards with the Airman Certification Standards. These would add "task-specific knowledge and risk management elements." This took effect for PAR and IRA in June 2016, with revisions (such as slow flight proficiency and testing of the initiation of a stall) and the addition of CAX in June 2017. The ACS not only replaced PTS but also combined or integrated the Knowledge Test Guide, Learning Statement Reference Guide, and Knowledge Exam Testing Matrix into a single standard.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> Several ratings, notably those for helicopter, and balloon, as well as flight instructor and aircraft mechanic certificates are still tested to the PTS. </p> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Airman Certification Standards: What's New and What's Next?" (PDF). faa.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2022. <a href="https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs/media/acs_briefing.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs/media/acs_briefing.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Airman Certification Standards (ACS) Frequently Asked Questions for Applicants, Instructors, and Evaluators rev 171001" (PDF). faa.gov. Retrieved 30 December 2021. <a href="https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs/media/acs_faq.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs/media/acs_faq.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"ACS briefing" (PDF). faa.gov. Retrieved 30 December 2021. <a href="https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs/media/acs_briefing.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs/media/acs_briefing.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>