FAA ACS Test Code Decoder
ACS and PLT Code Lookup
The tool below can be used to lookup the ACS and PLT codes for questions you answered incorrectly on an FAA knowledge exam. Refer to your printed Airmen Knowledge Test Report (AKTR) provided to you at the completion of your test and enter the ACS or PLT codes listed on it in the field below to see a description of the code’s meaning. You can enter multiple codes at once, each separated by a comma.
EXAMPLE: Enter “PA.I.A.K1” to learn it means “Certification requirements, recent flight experience, and recordkeeping.”
What is an ACS code?
The Airman Certification Standards (ACS) are the FAA’s official set of standards that applicants are held to on the knowledge exams and practical tests. The FAA has been moving away from the old “PLT” codes that used to be listed on Airmen Knowledge Test Reports (AKTRs) to associating test questions with a specific item on the ACS.
When you answer a question on an FAA knowledge test incorrectly, the associated ACS code will appear on your AKTR.
What does an ACS code mean?
An ACS code is broken into four separate parts. Each part is delineated with a period.
- The first element indicates the applicable ACS
- The second element tells you the area of operation
- The third element indicates a task area pertaining to that area of operation
- The fourth element indicates a specific task element within a task area. Tasks are grouped according to type:
- Knowledge (K) – “The applicant demonstrates understanding of: [task]”
- Risk Management (R) – “The applicant demonstrates the ability to identify, assess and mitigate risks, encompassing: [task]”
- Skills (S) – “The applicant demonstrates the ability to: [task]”
With that knowledge, let’s decode an example: PA.I.D.K5.
- PA. Private Pilot – Airplane
- I. Preflight Preparation
- D. Cross-Country Flight Planning
- K4. Procedures for activating and closing a VFR flight plan.
What about Learning Statement Codes (PLT codes)?
The old Learning Statement Codes are being phased out but still appear on some AKTRs that have not converted to using the ACS codes instead. An example is the Fundamentals of Instruction (FOI) exam. Our decoder above will decode these PLT codes but you can also reference the FAA document below.
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