ACS Alignment

FAA-S-ACS-29 — Flight Instructor, Rotorcraft–Helicopter · Area of Operation VI. Airport and Heliport Operations · Task: A, B & C — Signs/Markings/Lighting; Communications & Light Signals; Traffic Patterns

HI.VI.A.K1 — teaching signs, markings & lighting HI.VI.B.K1 — teaching radio phraseology & light-gun signals HI.VI.C.S1 — teaching the helicopter traffic pattern HI.VI.C.R1 — teaching wake-turbulence & incursion avoidance

⚑ FLAG (Walter): combines Airport/Heliport Tasks A, B, C — confirm HI. codes against the current FAA-S-ACS-29.

Teaching Airport/Heliport Operations & Traffic Patterns

Teach the student to read the airport, talk clearly, fly the helicopter pattern, and avoid wake and incursions.

By the end of this lesson you can:

Teach signs, markings, lighting, and heliport markings.
Teach correct radio phraseology and the ATC light-gun signals.
Teach the lower/tighter helicopter pattern and how it deconflicts with fixed-wing.
Teach wake-turbulence avoidance and incursion prevention as habits.

1 · Reading the airport & talking

Teach signs (mandatory/location/direction), runway/taxiway markings, lighting, and heliport ‘H’/touchdown markings, plus standard phraseology and the full light-gun table. Have the student self-announce and read back clearly; correct sloppy or non-standard calls.

2 · The helicopter pattern

Teach the lower, tighter pattern that often terminates to a spot and is offset/opposite from airplane traffic, and how to sequence with see-and-avoid and clear calls. Use the field’s published procedures.

3 · Wake & incursions

Teach staying above and upwind of heavier traffic’s wake, being mindful of the helicopter’s own downwash, and incursion-avoidance discipline (verbatim hold-short readbacks, current diagram). These are habits you model every flight.

4 · Watch

Curated reference clip — “Learning to Fly Traffic Patterns in a Helicopter” · Anthelion Helicopters (YouTube), verified via oEmbed. Embedded with the creator’s player; we don’t host or alter it.

5 · Reference sources

Use the authoritative references

📄 AIM — Airport Operations, Light Signals, Patterns (Chapter 4) 📄 Helicopter Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-21) — Airport Operations

Your aircraft: pattern speeds are technique-/aircraft-specific — teach the R44 pattern airspeed and local pattern altitude/direction.

✍️ Fill in for the aircraft you fly the R44 pattern airspeed and your field’s helicopter pattern altitude/direction and frequencies — verify in the Chart Supplement and confirm with your CFII.

⚑ FLAG (Walter): the R44 is VFR-certificated; confirm any aircraft-specific values you teach from the current R44 POH, and confirm all endorsement wording against AC 61-65 and 14 CFR Part 61.

Risk management (the “Consider”): the teaching risk is a student who flies a non-standard pattern or steps on radio calls and conflicts with traffic. Teach clear, standard communication, the published helicopter pattern, continuous see-and-avoid, and wake/incursion discipline.