Commercial Pilot ACS · Area VIII
CA.VIII High-Altitude Operations
2 tasks and 29 knowledge, risk management and skill elements. Each code below is a link target: a code from your test report, such as CA.VIII.A.K1, lands on its own line.
Commercial Pilot Airman Certification Standards, FAA-S-ACS-7B (November 2023 edition), effective May 31, 2024 and incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 61.14. Text from the FAA’s ACS page, checked on 11 November 2026. If the FAA has published a newer edition since, the codes and wording may differ: the FAA document is the authority.
CA.VIII.A Supplemental Oxygen
To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with flight at higher altitudes where supplemental oxygen is required or recommended.
- CA.VIII.A.K1Knowledge
- Regulatory requirements for supplemental oxygen use by flight crew and passengers.
- CA.VIII.A.K2Knowledge
- Physiological factors, including:
- CA.VIII.A.K2aKnowledge
- Impairment
- CA.VIII.A.K2bKnowledge
- Symptoms of hypoxia
- CA.VIII.A.K2cKnowledge
- Time of useful consciousness (TUC)
- CA.VIII.A.K3Knowledge
- Operational factors, including:
- CA.VIII.A.K3aKnowledge
- Characteristics, limitations, and applicability of continuous flow, demand, and pressure- demand oxygen systems
- CA.VIII.A.K3bKnowledge
- Differences between and identification of "aviator's breathing oxygen" and other types of oxygen
- CA.VIII.A.K3cKnowledge
- Precautions when using supplemental oxygen systems
- CA.VIII.A.R1Risk management
- High altitude flight.
- CA.VIII.A.R2Risk management
- Use of supplemental oxygen.
- CA.VIII.A.R3Risk management
- Management of compressed gas containers.
- CA.VIII.A.R4Risk management
- Combustion hazards in an oxygen-rich environment.
- CA.VIII.A.S1Skill
- Determine the quantity of supplemental oxygen required in a scenario given by the evaluator.
- CA.VIII.A.S2Skill
- Operate or simulate operation of the installed or portable oxygen equipment in the airplane, if installed or available.
- CA.VIII.A.S3Skill
- Brief passengers on use of supplemental oxygen equipment in a scenario given by the evaluator.
- CA.VIII.A.S4Skill
- Use single-pilot resource management (SRM) or crew resource management (CRM), as appropriate.
CA.VIII.B Pressurization
To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with flight in pressurized aircraft at high altitudes.
- CA.VIII.B.K1Knowledge
- Fundamental concepts of aircraft pressurization system, including failure modes.
- CA.VIII.B.K2Knowledge
- Physiological factors, including:
- CA.VIII.B.K2aKnowledge
- Impairment
- CA.VIII.B.K2bKnowledge
- Symptoms of hypoxia
- CA.VIII.B.K2cKnowledge
- Time of useful consciousness (TUC)
- CA.VIII.B.K2dKnowledge
- Effects of rapid decompression on crew and passengers
- CA.VIII.B.R1Risk management
- High altitude flight.
- CA.VIII.B.R2Risk management
- Malfunction of pressurization system, if equipment is installed.
- CA.VIII.B.S1Skill
- Operate the pressurization system, if equipment is installed.
- CA.VIII.B.S2Skill
- Respond appropriately to simulated pressurization malfunctions, if equipment is installed.
- CA.VIII.B.S3Skill
- Brief passengers on use of supplemental oxygen in the case of pressurization malfunction, if equipment is installed.
- CA.VIII.B.S4Skill
- Use single-pilot resource management (SRM) or crew resource management (CRM), as appropriate.
Other areas in this standard
Keeping a flying club current
FlightWay is flying club software. It tracks each member’s flight review and medical expiry and can refuse a booking that would break the club’s currency rules, alongside scheduling, billing and the club’s books.
Last updated 11 November 2026.