Regulation Text
§ 61.14 Incorporation by Reference.
Certain material is incorporated by reference into this part with the approval of the Director of the Federal Register under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. All approved incorporation by reference (IBR) material is available for inspection at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Contact FAA, Training and Certification Group, 202-267-1100, ACSPTSinquiries@faa.gov. For information on the availability of this material at NARA, visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations or email fr.inspection@nara.gov. The material may be obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington DC 20591, 866-835-5322, www.faa.gov/training_testing.
(a) Practical Test Standards. (1) FAA-S-8081-3B, Recreational Pilot Practical Test Standards for Airplane Category and Rotorcraft Category, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(2) FAA-S-8081-7C, Flight Instructor Practical Test Standards for Rotorcraft Category Gyroplane Rating, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(3) FAA-S-8081-8C, Flight Instructor Practical Test Standards for Glider Category, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(4) FAA-S-8081-9E, Flight Instructor Instrument Practical Test Standards for Airplane Rating and Helicopter Rating, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(5) FAA-S-8081-15B, Private Pilot Practical Test Standards for Rotorcraft Category Gyroplane Rating, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(6) FAA-S-8081-16C, Commercial Pilot Practical Test Standards for Rotorcraft Category Gyroplane Rating, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(7) FAA-S-8081-17A, Private Pilot Practical Test Standards for Lighter-Than-Air Category, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(8) FAA-S-8081-18A, Commercial Pilot Practical Test Standards for Lighter-Than-Air Category, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(9) FAA-S-8081-20A, Airline Transport Pilot and Aircraft Type Rating Practical Test Standards for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter Rating, November 2023; IBR approved for §§ 61.43 and 61.58, and appendix A to this part.
(10) FAA-S-8081-22A, Private Pilot Practical Test Standards for Glider Category, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(11) FAA-S-8081-23B, Commercial Pilot Practical Test Standards for Glider Category, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(12) FAA-S-8081-29A, Sport Pilot and Sport Pilot Flight Instructor Rating Practical Test Standards for Airplane Category, Rotorcraft Category, and Glider Category, November 2023; IBR approved for §§ 61.43, 61.321, and 61.419, and appendix A to this part.
(13) FAA-S-8081-30A, Sport Pilot and Sport Pilot Flight Instructor Rating Practical Test Standards for Lighter-Than-Air Category, November 2023; IBR approved for §§ 61.43, 61.321, and 61.419, and appendix A to this part.
(14) FAA-S-8081-31A, Sport Pilot and Sport Pilot Flight Instructor Practical Test Standards for Powered Parachute Category and Weight-Shift-Control Aircraft Category, November 2023; IBR approved for §§ 61.43, 61.321, and 61.419, and appendix A to this part.
(15) FAA-S-8081-32A Private Pilot Practical Test Standards for Powered Parachute Category and Weight-Shift-Control Aircraft Category, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(b) Airman Certification Standards. (1) FAA-S-ACS-2, Commercial Pilot for Powered-Lift Category Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(2) FAA-S-ACS-3, Instrument Rating—Powered-Lift Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for §§ 61.43 and 61.57, and appendix A to this part.
(3) FAA-S-ACS-6C, Private Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(4) FAA-S-ACS-7B, Commercial Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(5) FAA-S-ACS-8C, Instrument Rating—Airplane Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for §§ 61.43 and 61.57, and appendix A to this part.
(6) FAA-S-ACS-11A, Airline Transport Pilot and Type Rating for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for §§ 61.43 and 61.58, and appendix A to this part.
(7) FAA-S-ACS-13, Private Pilot for Powered-Lift Category Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(8) FAA-S-ACS-14, Instrument Rating—Helicopter Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for §§ 61.43 and 61.57, and appendix A to this part.
(9) FAA-S-ACS-15, Private Pilot for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter Rating Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(10) FAA-S-ACS-16, Commercial Pilot for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter Rating Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(11) FAA-S-ACS-17, Airline Transport Pilot and Type Rating for Powered-Lift Category Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for §§ 61.43 and 61.58, and appendix A to this part.
(12) FAA-S-ACS-25, Flight Instructor for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(13) FAA-S-ACS-26, Sport Pilot for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter—Simplified Flight Controls Privilege Airman Certification Standards, July 2025, IBR approved for §§ 61.43, 61.321, and appendix A to this part.
(14) FAA-S-ACS-27, Flight Instructor for Powered-Lift Category Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(15) FAA-S-ACS-28, Flight Instructor—Instrument Rating Powered-Lift Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(16) FAA-S-ACS-29, Flight Instructor for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter Rating Airman Certification Standards, November 2023; IBR approved for § 61.43 and appendix A to this part.
(17) FAA-S-ACS-31, Flight Instructor with a Sport Pilot Rating for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter—Simplified Flight Controls Privilege Airman Certification Standards, July 2025, IBR approved for §§ 61.43, 61.419, and appendix A to this part.
Research Notes
What Incorporation by Reference Means
Section 61.14 lists all documents incorporated by reference into Part 61 — meaning those documents have the legal force of regulation even though they're not printed in the Code of Federal Regulations itself. For pilots, the most significant incorporated documents are the Practical Test Standards (PTS) and Airman Certification Standards (ACS), which define exactly what you must demonstrate on a checkride.
Key regulatory distinction: PTS documents (FAA-S-8081 series) are being replaced by ACS documents (FAA-S-ACS series). The ACS integrates the PTS with the Instrument Rating and Commercial Pilot knowledge test areas of operation. Where an ACS exists for a certificate or rating, it supersedes the PTS for that certificate. Always use the most current edition.
Current ACS documents for the most common checkrides:
- Private Pilot ACS: FAA-S-ACS-6B — governs private pilot checkrides for airplane category
- Instrument Rating ACS: FAA-S-ACS-8C — governs instrument rating checkrides
- Commercial Pilot ACS: FAA-S-ACS-7B — governs commercial pilot checkrides
- CFI ACS: FAA-S-ACS-25 — governs initial CFI checkrides
All currently approved PTS and ACS documents are available at: FAA Airman Certification Standards and Practical Test Standards.
Why IBR Matters Practically
When a DPE (Designated Pilot Examiner) conducts your checkride, they are legally bound to evaluate you against the incorporated PTS or ACS. If the document referenced in § 61.14 has changed since you started training, the current version governs your checkride. Always verify you and your instructor are training to the current edition — both the document number and the edition date matter.
Amendment History
AOA Notes
These notes correspond to the highlighted phrases in the regulation text above. Each one flags something worth knowing — a common misread, a checkride gotcha, or a practical pro tip.
CFI Commentary
Highlighted phrases in the regulation text above link to instructor notes at the bottom of this page. Look for the amber or blue highlights — each one flags a gotcha or a pro tip worth knowing.