AA.VI.B.S2
Departure Procedures
What does AA.VI.B.S2 mean?
Program the FMS prior to departure and set avionics, including flight director and autopilot controls, as appropriate, for the departure, if applicable..
- Area of Operation
- VI. Instrument Procedures
- Task
- B. Departure Procedures
- Element type
- A Skill element — something you must physically demonstrate to your examiner on the practical test (checkride), not the written.
What you need to know
An ODP or SID exists to keep you clear of obstacles and traffic in the departure environment, so you must brief and fly it exactly as charted (or as amended by ATC), including any published climb gradient — obstacle clearance depends on meeting that gradient, not just a standard climb rate. Even with TCAS/traffic advisory equipment in the cockpit, remember it has limitations (it doesn't detect all traffic and gives no vertical guidance for avoidance below certain altitudes), so see-and-avoid remains an active duty, especially in visual conditions during initial climb. Good automation management means programming the FMS and setting up the flight director/autopilot for the correct departure before takeoff, then continuing to monitor and cross-check the automation against raw data and ATC clearances rather than blindly trusting it. Finally, this task is graded like a normal flight segment: use current charts/databases, communicate and comply with ATC promptly using correct phraseology, coordinate checklist flow with the crew, and keep the airplane within standard tolerances for airspeed, heading, altitude, and course tracking all the way to a stabilized transition into the en route structure.
Why students miss this
Students often assume a standard climb gradient always applies and forget that ODPs and SIDs can specify non-standard climb gradients that must be verified against the aircraft's actual performance capability, not just briefed and forgotten. Another common trap is treating the FMS-loaded procedure as automatically correct, when crosschecking the charted textual departure instructions against what's programmed is what catches database or sequencing errors.
Focus on: Practice cross-verifying charted climb gradient and route requirements against both aircraft performance and FMS programming before every departure briefing.
Drill this area until it sticks
AA.VI.B.S2 came from a question you missed on the FAA Airline Transport Pilot Multiengine Airplane knowledge test. Drill ACS-aligned practice questions with AI explanations and the cited FAA handbook reference behind every answer — free to start.
Missing it isn't a verdict on you — it's a sign your prep skipped the why behind it. Memorizing answer letters is exactly what leaves gaps like this. Here, every answer explains the reasoning and cites the FAA source it comes from, so the concept holds on test day and at the checkride oral.
Study this concept
Plain-English explanations of the key ideas behind AA.VI.B.S2, grounded in the FAA handbooks.
Related ACS codes in B. Departure Procedures
Other elements the FAA tests under this same Task — review them together.
- AA.VI.B.R1Following published procedures and required climb gradients or ATC Instructions.
- AA.VI.B.R2Limitations of air traffic avoidance equipment and use of see and avoid techniques.
- AA.VI.B.R3Automation management.
- AA.VI.B.S1Select the appropriate instrument departure procedure. Then select, identify (as necessary), an…
- AA.VI.B.S3Coordinate with crew, if applicable, and complete the appropriate checklist(s) in a timely mann…
- AA.VI.B.S4Use current and appropriate navigation publications or databases for the proposed flight.
- AA.VI.B.S5Establish two-way communications with the proper controlling agency, use proper phraseology, co…
- AA.VI.B.S6Intercept all courses, radials, and bearings appropriate to the procedure, route, clearance, or…
+ 3 more elements in this Task.
Common question
Do I need to brief an ODP even if ATC gives me radar vectors after departure?
Yes—you should still know the ODP and any climb gradient requirements since you may need to fly it if radio or radar contact is lost, and it informs your obstacle clearance planning regardless of expected vectors.
What is an FAA ACS code?
The FAA's Airman Certification Standards (ACS) break each certificate into Areas of Operation, Tasks, and specific Knowledge (K), Risk Management (R), and Skill (S) elements. Every knowledge-test question maps to one code like AA.VI.B.S2. When you miss a question, your Airman Knowledge Test Report lists its code so you know exactly what to review.
Have a whole list of codes from your report? Paste them all into our free ACS code lookup to see every weak area at once — or browse the aviation glossary for plain-English definitions.