FAA-G-ACS-2

Airman Certification Standards Companion Guide (ACS Companion Guide)

The ACS Companion Guide (FAA-G-ACS-2) explains how to use the Airman Certification Standards effectively. It is a meta-document that helps applicants, instructors, and evaluators understand the ACS format, coding system, and how knowledge, risk management, and skill elements are integrated into practical tests. It does not contain test standards itself but explains how to read and apply the ACS documents.

Download Free PDF View on FAA.gov

Why This Document Matters

If the ACS documents are the rulebook, this companion guide is the instructions for reading the rulebook. It explains the three-column ACS format (knowledge, risk management, skills), how to decode ACS task codes, what the evaluator is looking for during each element, and how the knowledge test maps to specific ACS codes. For CFI candidates, this guide is especially valuable because it explains how to use the ACS as a teaching framework and how to interpret Learning Statement Codes from knowledge test results.

Study This Document in One Loop

What is the Study Loop?

A 30-60 minute scenario-first session that replaces hours of passive reading.

Stage 1

Scenario

You just took the Private Pilot knowledge test and scored 78% (passed). Your report lists these Learning Statement Codes: PLT089, PLT192, PLT271, PLT410. Your oral exam is in 6 weeks and your DPE will focus on your weak areas. You have no idea what those codes mean until you pull up this guide.

Stage 2

Decision

For each LSC: what ACS element does it map to? Which PHAK/AFH chapter do you re-study? Which Task will the DPE target in your oral?

Write your answer before you open the handbook. That exposes the gap.

Stage 3

Targeted Learning

Open only these sections of the ACS Companion Guide:

Section on LSC Format (PLT prefix, number structure)
Section on LSC-to-ACS Mapping (cross-reference table)
Section on ACS Task-to-Handbook Chapter Mapping (where in PHAK/AFH/AIM to study)
Section on Remediation Planning (connecting wrong answers to DPE targeting)

Stage 4

Debrief

Compare your Decision to what the handbook says:

?For each LSC code: can you name the ACS Task and the handbook chapter in under 60 seconds?
?DPE strategy: your weak LSCs become the targeted oral questions. Are you actively remediating, or hoping it's forgotten?
?Some LSCs cluster in one knowledge area (e.g., weather). Does yours? If so, that's your concentrated study target.
?Once you identify a weak Task, is the fix more reading or more practice? Different LSCs need different fixes.

Stage 5

Reinforcement

Turn your biggest miss into fast-recall rules:

LSC = specific knowledge area you missed. DPE will target these in the oral. Remediate BEFORE the checkride.
LSC → ACS Task → Handbook chapter is the remediation chain.
Clustered LSCs = concentrated weakness. Fix the root subject, not each LSC individually.

What Order to Read the ACS Companion Guide

Don't read by chapter number. Work the four phases. Start with whichever you're weakest in.

Survival Thinking

“What can hurt me?”

•Without LSC remediation, DPE questions about your weak areas become a fail hazard

Interpretation

“What am I looking at?”

•Decoding LSCs (format, mapping, meaning)

Prediction

“What will happen?”

•Which Tasks the DPE is most likely to probe based on your LSCs

Checkride Mode

“Can I explain it under pressure?”

•Have a written remediation plan for every LSC on your test report
•Bring it to your DPE — it shows you took the results seriously

Chapter-by-Chapter Guide

What each section covers and the key topics to study

Understanding the ACS Format

How to read ACS documents including the three-column format and task coding system.

Key Topics

Three-column format (knowledge, risk management, skills)Task code structureElement numberingApplicability statements

Using the ACS for Training and Testing

How instructors and applicants should use the ACS throughout training and test preparation.

Key Topics

Training syllabus alignment with ACSKnowledge test code correlationPractical test preparation using ACSPost-test remediation using Learning Statement Codes

Study Tips

Read this guide before diving into any ACS document — it saves time by explaining the structure and coding system so you know exactly what each element means.
Use the knowledge test code correlation to understand which ACS areas your knowledge test missed questions map to. This helps target your study for weak areas before the checkride.
CFI candidates: understand how the DPE uses the ACS to structure the checkride. Each task has specific knowledge, risk management, and skill elements that must be evaluated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the ACS Companion Guide a testing standard?

No. The companion guide explains how to use the ACS documents — it does not contain test standards itself. The actual standards are in the certificate-specific ACS documents (Private Pilot ACS, Instrument Rating ACS, Commercial Pilot ACS, CFI ACS).

What are Learning Statement Codes?

Learning Statement Codes (LSCs) appear on your knowledge test report and correspond to specific ACS elements. They tell you exactly which knowledge areas you missed, allowing you to focus your study on weak areas before the practical test. The ACS Companion Guide explains how to decode these codes.

Quick Facts

Document ID: FAA-G-ACS-2
Last Updated: 2023
Cost: Free
Publisher: FAA

Applies To

StudentPrivateInstrumentCommercialCFI

Download PDF

Study Smarter

Get AI-powered study tools that turn the ACS Companion Guide into interactive flashcards, practice questions, and personalized study plans.

Try VectoredOps Free

No credit card required

Master These Documents with AI-Powered Learning

VectoredOps turns FAA handbooks into interactive study tools. AI-generated flashcards, practice oral exams, and spaced repetition help you retain what you read.