Flight Instructor ACS · Area III

AI.III Preflight Preparation

3 tasks and 57 knowledge, risk management and skill elements. Each code below is a link target: a code from your test report, such as AI.III.A.K1, lands on its own line.

Written by the FlightWay team. Regulations checked against the eCFR and faa.gov on 11 November 2026. Not a substitute for the regulation itself or your instructor.

AI.III.A Pilot Qualifications

To determine the applicant understands pilot training and qualification requirements for different levels of pilot certificate including student pilot, sport pilot, recreational pilot, private pilot, commercial pilot, and flight instructor; can apply that knowledge, manage associated risks, demonstrate appropriate skills, and provide effective instruction.

AI.III.A.K1Knowledge

Certification, currency, and recordkeeping requirements, including training and logbook entries.

AI.III.A.K2Knowledge

Privileges and limitations of pilot certificates and ratings at student pilot, sport, recreational, private, commercial, and flight instructor levels.

AI.III.A.K3Knowledge

Medical certificates: class, expiration, privileges, temporary disqualifications, and operations under BasicMed.

AI.III.A.K4Knowledge

Documents pilots must possess to exercise privileges of the specified certificate(s) and rating(s).

AI.III.A.R1Risk management

Proficiency versus currency.

AI.III.A.R2Risk management

Flying unfamiliar aircraft or operating with unfamiliar flight display systems and avionics.

AI.III.A.S1Skill

Deliver instruction on at least two of the elements specified in K1 through K4.

AI.III.B Airworthiness Requirements

To determine the applicant understands airworthiness requirements, including aircraft certificates, can apply that knowledge, manage associated risks, demonstrate appropriate skills, and provide effective instruction.

AI.III.B.K1Knowledge

General airworthiness requirements and compliance for airplanes, including:

AI.III.B.K1aKnowledge

Location and expiration dates of required aircraft certificates

AI.III.B.K1bKnowledge

Required inspections and aircraft logbook documentation

AI.III.B.K1cKnowledge

Airworthiness Directives and Special Airworthiness Information Bulletins

AI.III.B.K1dKnowledge

Purpose and procedure for obtaining a special flight permit

AI.III.B.K2Knowledge

Pilot-performed preventive maintenance.

AI.III.B.K3Knowledge

Equipment requirements for day and night VFR flight, including:

AI.III.B.K3aKnowledge

Flying with inoperative equipment

AI.III.B.K3bKnowledge

Using an approved Minimum Equipment List (MEL)

AI.III.B.K3cKnowledge

Kinds of Operation Equipment List (KOEL)

AI.III.B.K3dKnowledge

Required discrepancy records or placards

AI.III.B.K4Knowledge

Standard and special airworthiness certificates and their associated operational limitations.

AI.III.B.R1Risk management

Inoperative equipment discovered prior to flight.

AI.III.B.S1Skill

Locate and describe airplane airworthiness and registration information.

AI.III.B.S2Skill

Determine the airplane is airworthy in the scenario given by the evaluator.

AI.III.B.S3Skill

Apply appropriate procedures for operating with inoperative equipment in a scenario given by the evaluator.

AI.III.C Weather Information

To determine the applicant understands weather information, can apply that knowledge, manage associated risks, demonstrate appropriate skills, and provide effective instruction.

AI.III.C.K1Knowledge

Sources of weather data (e.g., National Weather Service, Flight Service) for flight planning purposes.

AI.III.C.K2Knowledge

Acceptable weather products and resources required for preflight planning, current and forecast weather for departure, en route, and arrival phases of flight such as:

AI.III.C.K2aKnowledge

Airport Observations (METAR and SPECI) and Pilot Observations (PIREP)

AI.III.C.K2bKnowledge

Surface Analysis Chart, Ceiling and Visibility Chart (CVA)

AI.III.C.K2cKnowledge

Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAF)

AI.III.C.K2dKnowledge

Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA)

AI.III.C.K2eKnowledge

Wind and Temperature Aloft Forecast (FB)

AI.III.C.K2fKnowledge

Convective Outlook (AC)

AI.III.C.K2gKnowledge

Inflight Aviation Weather Advisories including Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMET), Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET), and Convective SIGMET

AI.III.C.K3Knowledge

Meteorology applicable to the departure, en route, alternate, and destination under visual flight rules (VFR) in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC), including expected climate and hazardous conditions such as:

AI.III.C.K3aKnowledge

Atmospheric composition and stability

AI.III.C.K3bKnowledge

Wind (e.g., windshear, mountain wave, factors affecting wind, etc.)

AI.III.C.K3cKnowledge

Temperature and heat exchange

AI.III.C.K3dKnowledge

Moisture/precipitation

AI.III.C.K3eKnowledge

Weather system formation, including air masses and fronts

AI.III.C.K3fKnowledge

Clouds

AI.III.C.K3gKnowledge

Turbulence

AI.III.C.K3hKnowledge

Thunderstorms and microbursts

AI.III.C.K3iKnowledge

Icing and freezing level information

AI.III.C.K3jKnowledge

Fog/mist

AI.III.C.K3kKnowledge

Frost

AI.III.C.K3lKnowledge

Obstructions to visibility (e.g., smoke, haze, volcanic ash, etc.)

AI.III.C.K4Knowledge

Flight deck instrument displays of digital weather and aeronautical information.

AI.III.C.R1Risk management

Making the go/no-go and continue/divert decisions, including:

AI.III.C.R1aRisk management

Circumstances that would make diversion prudent

AI.III.C.R1bRisk management

Personal weather minimums

AI.III.C.R1cRisk management

Hazardous weather conditions, including known or forecast icing or turbulence aloft

AI.III.C.R2Risk management

Use and limitations of:

AI.III.C.R2aRisk management

Installed onboard weather equipment

AI.III.C.R2bRisk management

Aviation weather reports and forecasts

AI.III.C.R2cRisk management

Inflight weather resources

AI.III.C.S1Skill

Use available aviation weather resources to obtain an adequate weather briefing.

AI.III.C.S2Skill

Analyze the implications of at least three of the conditions listed in K3a through K3l, using actual weather or weather conditions provided by the evaluator.

AI.III.C.S3Skill

Correlate weather information to make a go/no-go decision.

Other areas in this standard

Last updated 11 November 2026.