Remote Pilot Airman Certification Standards

Book excerpt: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published the Remote Pilot - small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Airman Certification Standard (ACS) document to communicate the aeronautical knowledge standards for a Remote Pilot Certificate with an sUAS rating. The FAA views the ACS as the foundation to an integrated and systematic approach to airman certification. The ACS is part of the safety management system (SMS) framework that the FAA uses to mitigate risks associated with airman certification training and testing. Specifically, the ACS, associated guidance, and test question components of the airman certification system are constructed around the four functional components of an SMS: 1. Safety Policy that defines and describes aeronautical knowledge and risk management as integrated components of the airman certification system; 2. Safety Risk Management processes through which internal stakeholders identify and evaluate regulatory changes, safety recommendations, or other factors that require modification of airman testing and training materials; 3. Safety Assurance processes to ensure the prompt and appropriate incorporation of changes arising from new regulations and safety recommendations; and 4. Safety Promotion in the form of ongoing engagement with both external stakeholders and FAA policy divisions. The FAA has developed the ACS with the goal to drive a systematic approach to all components of the airman certification system which includes the knowledge test question development, course development, and guidance material. The FAA acknowledges and appreciates the many hours that these aviation experts have contributed toward this goal. This level of collaboration, a hallmark of a robust safety culture, strengthens and enhances aviation safety at every level of the airman certification system.