Airworthy Prep

Instrument Rating Airplane test code

IR.IV.B.K3Flight by Reference to Instruments: Recovery from Unusual Flight Attitudes

Instrument Rating Airplane test standard, area of operation IV, task B

Written as ir.iv.b.k3 or IR.IV.B.K3 on your score report.

The FAA's wording

Procedures available to safely regain visual meteorological conditions (VMC) after flight into inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions or unintended instrument meteorological conditions (IIMC)/(UIMC).

FAA-S-ACS-8C, Instrument Rating - Airplane ACS (November 2023, effective May 31, 2024), IV. Flight by Reference to Instruments, Task B. Recovery from Unusual Flight Attitudes

What it means

IR.IV.B.K3 is a knowledge element in the Flight by Reference to Instruments area of operation of the Instrument Rating Airplane test standard. A knowledge element is something the FAA expects you to know, and the written test asks questions on it.

IR
Instrument Rating Airplane ACS
IV
Area of operation IV: Flight by Reference to Instruments
B
Task B: Recovery from Unusual Flight Attitudes
K3
Knowledge element 3

Seeing it on your score report

Your Airman Knowledge Test Report lists a code for each area where you missed a question. Seeing IR.IV.B.K3 there means at least one of your wrong answers was on this element. If you are taking the practical test next, expect the examiner to ask about it. Retaking the written? Start with this code and the others on your report.

Sources: FAA-S-ACS-8C, Instrument Rating - Airplane ACS (November 2023, effective May 31, 2024); FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix (revised 9/25/26), p. 2.

Can be printed on 5 tests
  • Instrument Rating Airplane Canadian Conversion (ICP)
  • Instrument Rating Airplane EU Part-FCL Conversion (IEP)
  • Instrument Rating Foreign Pilot via BASA (61.71) (IFB)
  • Instrument Rating Foreign Pilot via Non-BASA (61.75) (IFP)
  • Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA)

Got more than one code on your report?

Paste them all into the free study planner and it groups them by subject, most missed first.