The power-off 180 is the commercial pilot accuracy landing: on the downwind leg you close the throttle abeam your touchdown point, then glide through 180° of turn to land on that point or no more than 200 feet beyond it, with no side drift and the airplane aligned with the centerline (FAA-S-ACS-7B, Area IV, Task M). It builds the judgment of glide distance you would need to land safely after an engine failure.
Part of our Flight Maneuvers guide. This page is educational and is not a substitute for instruction from a certificated flight instructor.
What the power-off 180 is
The ACS calls it the Power-Off 180° Accuracy Approach and Landing, and it applies to single-engine airplanes, land and sea. In the FAA’s Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C) it is one of the power-off accuracy approaches: gliding to a touchdown at a given point, or within a specified distance beyond it, using a specific pattern with the engine idling. The 180° version starts from a point on the downwind leg, so you fly the base turn without power and must arrive at the base-leg position at the right altitude to finish it like a 90° power-off approach. The AFH says it requires more planning and judgment than the 90° version.
The handbook is clear about the purpose: to instill the judgment and procedures needed to fly the airplane without power to a safe landing. It calls the ability to estimate gliding distance the real basis of all power-off accuracy approaches and landings.
The ACS standard
Task M in Area of Operation IV of the Commercial Pilot for Airplane Category ACS, FAA-S-ACS-7B, the current edition, asks you to:
- Complete the appropriate checklists and make radio calls as appropriate.
- Plan and follow a flight path to the selected landing area considering altitude, wind, terrain and obstructions.
- Select the most suitable touchdown point based on wind, landing surface, obstructions and aircraft limitations.
- Position the airplane on the downwind leg, parallel to the landing runway, and configure it correctly.
- As necessary, correlate crosswind with the direction of a forward slip and transition to a sideslip before touchdown.
- Touch down at a proper pitch attitude, within 200 feet beyond or on the specified point, with no side drift and the longitudinal axis aligned with and over the runway centerline or landing path.
Two details are easy to miss. First, the 200 feet is all beyond the point: touching down short of it does not meet the standard. Second, ACS Appendix 3 says that a go-around initiated because you cannot complete the task within tolerance is unsatisfactory, while a go-around forced by runway safety concerns beyond your control or the examiner’s is not. It also says neither of you may sacrifice safety and force a landing to complete the task.
For comparison, the private pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C) uses the same Task M slot for a forward slip to a landing, with a 400-foot window. The commercial task cuts that to 200 feet and requires the approach to be flown power-off. The ACS also lists forward slip risks (fuel flowage, tail stalls with flaps and airspeed control), so check your POH for any limitations on slips.
How to fly a power-off 180
- Set up on downwind. Fly the downwind leg parallel to the runway at your normal pattern distance and complete the before-landing checklist, including the landing gear if it is retractable. The AFH says the starting altitude varies with the airplane but should usually not exceed 1,000 feet above the ground, except in large airplanes.
- Pick the point. Choose the touchdown point, or use the one your examiner specifies. The AFH notes that the runway numbers leave no safety cushion for a mechanical problem or misjudgment, and that a point farther down the runway adds margin.
- Close the throttle abeam the point. When you are abreast of the touchdown point (the downwind key position), close the throttle and hold altitude while the airplane slows to the manufacturer’s recommended glide speed, or 1.4 VSO if none is published. Then lower the nose to hold that speed and trim.
- Turn base with purpose. Make a uniform turn to base with a medium or slightly steeper bank. How much bank and how far you turn depend on the airplane’s glide angle and the wind. Position the base leg to conserve or dissipate altitude: angle toward the runway if you are low, away from it if you are high.
- Reach the base key position. Turn onto base high enough and close enough to glide to what would be the base key position of a 90° power-off approach. Treat that position as a judgment of height and distance, not a fixed landmark. Initial flaps may go out before it if needed.
- Turn final and manage the glide. Plan the base-to-final turn so you roll out aligned with the centerline. Being slightly high in your current configuration assures you of making the point; then use flaps and pitch to set the descent angle and an airspeed of 1.3 VSO. A forward slip steepens the descent without changing airspeed. Delay full flaps until you are sure they will not make you land short.
- Land the airplane, not the spot. On short final, give full attention to a good, safe landing, with the crosswind correction it needs. The AFH puts it bluntly: it is always better to make a good landing away from the spot than a poor landing precisely on or just past it.
Same energy, same picture. The AFH notes that starting with the same energy, airspeed and height, every time you close the throttle makes the maneuver more predictable. Fly the same downwind altitude, distance and speed on every practice approach so you learn what the right picture looks like in your airplane.
Pitch controls airspeed, and the glide does not stretch
With power fixed at idle, pitch controls airspeed, and every pitch change also changes the glide angle. The AFH explains the trap. Above best glide speed, lowering the nose increases airspeed and steepens the descent, while raising it slows you and flattens the glide. Below best glide speed, lowering the nose increases airspeed and flattens the descent, while raising it slows you further and greatly steepens the descent. That is why the handbook says never to try to stretch a glide to reach the landing spot: raise the pitch attitude too high and the airplane slows, loses lift and settles rapidly.
When an approach is not working out, the AFH’s tools are: dog-legging away from or toward the runway on base, S-turns, slips, early or late flap extension, flying slightly below best glide, or slightly above it into a headwind. It rules out two shortcuts: retracting flaps to stretch the glide, and using the throttle to lengthen the glide instead of merely clearing the engine.
Why it matters for engine-out landings
The power-off 180 is a checkride task, but the skill is about survival. For a real engine failure, the AFH describes using whatever gliding maneuvers it takes, from wings-level glides to spirals, to arrive at the key position at a normal traffic pattern altitude over the landing area you have chosen; from that point on, the approach is a normal power-off approach. The same chain runs through the commercial ACS: the steep spiral‘s knowledge elements include its relationship to emergency landing procedures, and the Emergency Approach and Landing (Simulated) task asks you to hold the recommended best glide speed within 10 knots, select a suitable landing area, and plan and follow a flight path to it.
What you'll need
The handbook, standards and test prep for your commercial certificate, from PilotMall.com.
Common errors
The AFH’s list of common errors in power-off accuracy approaches:
- A downwind leg too far from the runway, or overextended by a tailwind.
- Inadequate compensation for wind drift on base, the skill you practiced in ground reference maneuvers.
- Skidding turns in an effort to increase gliding distance, a dangerous habit this close to the ground.
- Failure to lower the landing gear in a retractable-gear airplane.
- Attempting to stretch the glide during an undershoot.
- Premature flap or landing gear extension.
- Using the throttle to increase the glide instead of merely clearing the engine.
- Forcing the airplane onto the runway to avoid overshooting the designated spot.
Where it fits in commercial training
The power-off 180 sits in Area IV (Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds) of the commercial ACS. The flight maneuvers of Area V are steep turns or the steep spiral, chandelles or lazy eights, and eights on pylons. For eligibility and flight experience, see our commercial pilot requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What is a power-off 180?
The power-off 180 is a commercial pilot checkride task, formally the Power-Off 180° Accuracy Approach and Landing. You close the throttle on the downwind leg abeam a chosen touchdown point and glide through about 180° of turn to land on or just beyond that point without adding power.
What is the ACS tolerance for the power-off 180?
FAA-S-ACS-7B requires touchdown at a proper pitch attitude within 200 feet beyond or on the specified point, with no side drift and the longitudinal axis aligned with and over the runway centerline or landing path. Landing short of the point does not meet the standard.
Where do you close the throttle on a power-off 180?
The Airplane Flying Handbook says to close the throttle when abreast of, or opposite, the desired landing spot on the downwind leg, a point called the downwind key position. Then hold altitude until the airplane slows to the recommended glide speed, or 1.4 VSO if none is published.
Can you use flaps and slips on a power-off 180?
Yes. The ACS covers forward slips, and the Airplane Flying Handbook describes using flaps, slips, S-turns and base-leg positioning to manage the glide. Delay full flaps until you are sure of reaching the point, and never retract flaps to stretch the glide.
Is a go-around on a power-off 180 a failure?
It can be. ACS Appendix 3 says a go-around because you cannot complete the task within tolerance is unsatisfactory, while a go-around forced by runway safety concerns beyond your control is not. Never force a landing to make the task work.
Is the power-off 180 on the private pilot checkride?
No. It is a commercial task for single-engine airplanes. The private pilot ACS uses the same task slot for a forward slip to a landing, with a touchdown window of 400 feet beyond the specified point.