Question: I just inherited a bunch of old aviation books from a friend. He gave me copies of the Practical Test Standards (PTS) for private pilot, instrument, and commercial ticket. My instructor said I’d be better off using the Airman Certification Standards (ACS) to prepare for my check rides, but aren’t they pretty much the same thing?
Answer: According to the FAA, the ACS are an updated, modernized version of the PTS.
The PTS focuses primarily on the tasks the pilot must perform during the check ride—for example slow flight. The ACS is a more encompassing document as it includes aeronautical knowledge, risk management, and flying skills.
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For best results, savvy flight instructors introduce the ACS at the beginning of training. The syllabus used during training (please tell me you are using one) is written from the metrics established in the ACS—for example, “holds heading +/- 10 degrees.” The syllabi written from the ACS tends to include more scenario-based training, designed to expose the pilot to situations they may encounter during their aviation career such as a loss of engine power on takeoff.
As the training environment has evolved over the past 20 years, the Practical Test Standards have been slowly phased out and replaced by the ACS as aviation stakeholders worked together to develop the new ACS to embrace the changes like the use of glass cockpit technology.
Pro tip: Make sure you have the most recent version of the ACS as you begin flight training. Train to the standards from day one. There is no such thing as it being “too early” to apply the standards for training.
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