Sources: FAA-H-8083-31B — rotorcraft material is spread across chapters 1, 2 and 13 rather than gathered into a chapter of its own — and FAA-H-8083-21B, the Helicopter Flying Handbook, for rotorcraft aerodynamics. Public domain. Pointers only.
Chapter and section verified against FAA-H-8083-31B, 2023 edition, on 28 August 2026. Page numbers are deliberately not cited: they move between printings, and a citation that rots silently is worse than a coarser one that stays true. Checked by our handbook citation check against our index of the handbook's chapters and sections.
FAA-H-8083-21B, not FAA-H-8083-21. The FAA marks the older handbook "to be used for gyroplane information only"; the helicopter material is in the Helicopter Flying Handbook, which supersedes -21A. This page named the superseded document. Verified against the FAA's copy on 28 August 2026.
All four skills in this unit are Locate. You are examined on the knowledge and asked to find the procedures. No rotorcraft is required.
| Elements | The ACS asks for | Where in FAA-H-8083-31B | Where in FAA-H-8083-21B | Read it for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
K1, K5, K7 |
Rotorcraft aerodynamics; rotor system design, type and operation; blade function and construction | Ch. 1 — Rotor System; Articulated Rotor System; Fully Articulated Rotor System; Semirigid Rotor System; Rigid Rotor System; Main Rotor System; Helicopter Structures · Ch. 2 — Forces Acting on the Helicopter; Helicopter Flight Conditions | Ch. 2 — Airfoil; Airfoil Terminology and Definitions; Dissymmetry of Lift; Translational Lift; Effective Translational Lift (ETL); Autorotation · Ch. 1 — Rotor System; Rotor Configurations | Why a rotor needs hinges. AF-N Concepts §1 |
K2, K4, S1, S3 |
Flight controls; rigging requirements; locating rotor components and control rigging procedures | Ch. 2 — Rotorcraft Controls; Collective Pitch Control; Cyclic Pitch Control; Rotary-Wing Aircraft Assembly & Rigging | Ch. 3 — Collective Pitch Control; Cyclic Pitch Control | The cyclic, collective and anti-torque chain |
K3, K9 |
Transmissions; drive system vibration and inspection | Ch. 1 — Powerplant & Transmission · Ch. 2 — Main Rotor Transmission; Transmission System; Helicopter Power Systems; Helicopter Inspections | Ch. 4 — Main Rotor Transmission; Transmission System; Antitorque Drive Systems | Vibration as the primary diagnostic. AF-N Concepts §2 |
K6 |
Skid shoe and tube inspection | Ch. 1 — Landing Gear or Skids | — | Wear limits are the manufacturer's |
K8, S2, S4 |
Rotor vibration, track and balance, and locating those procedures | Ch. 2 — Helicopter Vibration; Low Frequency Vibration; Medium Frequency Vibration; High Frequency Vibration; Rotor Blade Tracking; Electronic Blade Tracker; Tail Rotor Tracking | Ch. 2 — Retreating Blade | AF-N Concepts §2 |
R1–R4 |
Working around blades; ground handling; ground operations and functional tests; maintenance and inspection | Ch. 2 — Helicopter Inspections | — | AF-N Concepts §3 |
The operative sources
The rotorcraft's own maintenance manual for every procedure in S1–S4. That is what a
Locate element means: find it, read it, explain it.
License
CC BY-SA 4.0 (Licensing).