FAA Airman Certification Standards Code
CA.III.B — Traffic Patterns
Commercial Pilot Airplane · Area of Operation III: Airport and Seaplane Base Operations · Standard: FAA-S-ACS-7B
What does ACS code CA.III.B cover?
ACS Code CA.III.B covers "Traffic Patterns" under Area of Operation III (Airport and Seaplane Base Operations) for the FAA Commercial Pilot Airplane certificate (FAA-S-ACS-7B). Candidates are tested on knowledge elements and risk management factors defined in 14 CFR regulations and FAA handbooks (PHAK / AFH).
Task Specification & Required References
- ACS Document: FAA-S-ACS-7B (Commercial Pilot Airplane)
- Area of Operation: Area III — Airport and Seaplane Base Operations
- Task: Task B — Traffic Patterns
- Primary FAA Sources: Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25), Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3) / Helicopter Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-21), Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28), 14 CFR Parts 61, 91 & 107, Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM).
Airman Certification Standards Elements
Knowledge Elements
- CA.III.B.K1: Towered and nontowered airport operations.
- CA.III.B.K2: Traffic pattern selection for the current conditions.
- CA.III.B.K3: Right-of-way rules.
- CA.III.B.K4: Use of automated weather and airport information.
Risk Management Elements
- CA.III.B.R1: Collision hazards.
- CA.III.B.R2: Distractions, task prioritization, loss of situational awareness, or disorientation.
- CA.III.B.R3: Windshear and wake turbulence.
How do I study CA.III.B?
- Read each element for CA.III.B in FAA-S-ACS-7B and note any you cannot explain in your own words.
- Study each one in the FAA source it points to: the handbook chapter, the 14 CFR section or the AIM paragraph.
- Practice with questions tagged CA.III.B, and read the explanation for every miss.
- Retest, then review the ACS codes you still miss on your practice test report.
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