432 paragraphs indexed
AIM LIBRARY

The FAA AIM. Plain English.

Search the FAA Aeronautical Information Manual by chapter and paragraph — air navigation, airspace, ATC procedures, emergency operations, weather, charts, and helicopter/UAS operations. Every paragraph explained for student pilots.

FAA source checkLast verified: 2026-08-03

Current FAA AIM online edition

The FAA AIM is the Aeronautical Information Manual. As of 2026-08-03, the FAA online AIM is Basic with Change 1, 2, and 3, effective July 9, 2026 — the third change to the current Basic AIM, and the third issued exactly 168 days after the one before it. This page indexes 432 AIM paragraphs across the FAA's eleven chapters for pilot-friendly study and oral-exam practice.

AIM change history (FAA effective dates)

  • Change 3July 9, 2026Current. Folded into the online Basic with Change 1, 2, and 3 (HTML and PDF).
  • Change 2January 22, 2026The change the FAA Explanation of Changes page still documents in HTML.
  • Change 1August 7, 2025First change to the current Basic AIM.

Those three changes are 168 days apart, so the next AIM change is expected in late December 2026. That date is a GroundScholar estimate from the published spacing, not an FAA-published date — the FAA does not publish a forward AIM change calendar, so verify the effective date on the FAA publications page before a checkride.

Sources: FAA AIM HTML, FAA publications index, and AIM Explanation of Changes; date_retrieved: 2026-08-03.

Current FAA AIM
Basic with Change 1, 2, and 3

The FAA publications page lists the online AIM as Basic with Change 1, 2, and 3, effective July 9, 2026.

Best online source
FAA HTML

Use the FAA HTML manual when you need the live paragraph text, then drill the paragraph here in plain English.

Student pilot shortcut
Ch. 3-8

Most private-pilot AIM study lives in airspace, ATC, traffic procedures, emergencies, weather, and medical facts.

AIM FAQ
Q1What is the FAA AIM Aeronautical Information Manual?
The FAA AIM is the Aeronautical Information Manual: the FAA guide to basic flight information, air traffic control procedures, airport operations, weather services, safety-of-flight practices, and medical facts for pilots. The current FAA online edition is Basic with Change 1, 2, and 3, effective July 9, 2026.
Q2Is the AIM regulatory like the FAR?
The AIM is not the regulation itself; the FARs are the legal rules in Title 14 CFR. Pilots still use the AIM because it explains ATC procedures, services, phraseology, airport operations, weather information, and safety practices that checkrides and real flights expect you to know.
Q3Where can I read the current AIM online?
Read the FAA HTML AIM for the official source text, then use GroundScholar to jump by paragraph and practice the oral-exam version of the same topic. This page indexes the AIM by chapter and paragraph so a search for "AIM 4-2-3" or "AIM Chapter 7" lands on the relevant section.
Q4Which AIM chapters should a student pilot study first?
Start with Chapter 3 airspace, Chapter 4 air traffic control, Chapter 5 traffic procedures, Chapter 6 emergency procedures, Chapter 7 safety of flight and weather, and Chapter 8 medical facts. Those chapters map directly to common private-pilot oral questions.
Q5How often is the FAA AIM updated, and when is the next AIM change?
The FAA issues numbered changes to the AIM rather than a new manual each year. Read off the FAA publications page on 2026-08-03, the three changes to the current Basic AIM took effect August 7, 2025 (Change 1), January 22, 2026 (Change 2), and July 9, 2026 (Change 3) — each exactly 168 days apart. On that spacing the next change would land in late December 2026; that projection is a GroundScholar estimate, not an FAA-published date, so confirm the effective date on the FAA publications page before a checkride.
Q6Which AIM chapter covers airspace, GPS, icing, or radio calls?
Airspace is Chapter 3. GPS, RNAV and PBN are Chapter 1, Air Navigation. Icing, thunderstorms and every other weather subject sit in Chapter 7, Safety of Flight, under Meteorology. Radio phraseology and initial callups are Chapter 4, Air Traffic Control, and lost communications is Chapter 6, Emergency Procedures. The chapter index below lists what each of the eleven chapters covers.
Q7Is there an AIM 2026 PDF, and is the online AIM the same thing?
Yes. The FAA publishes the current AIM as both HTML and PDF under the same label — Basic with Change 1, 2, and 3, effective July 9, 2026 — on the FAA publications page, so the online manual and the 2026 PDF carry identical text. GroundScholar indexes the same paragraphs so you can link or drill a single paragraph instead of scrolling a PDF.
Common AIM cross-references
AIM chapter index

Jump to an AIM chapter, and see what the FAA put in it.

The AIM runs eleven chapters. Each entry links straight to that chapter's indexed paragraphs on this page.

AIM Chapter 124
Air Navigation

Navigation aids, and performance-based navigation (PBN) and area navigation (RNAV).

AIM Chapter 229
Aeronautical Lighting and Other Airport Visual Aids

Airport lighting aids, air navigation and obstruction lighting, airport marking aids and signs.

AIM Chapter 317
Airspace

Controlled airspace, Class G airspace, special use airspace, other airspace areas.

AIM Chapter 427
Air Traffic Control

Services available to pilots, radio phraseology, airport operations, ATC clearances and separation, surveillance systems, RVSM.

AIM Chapter 549
Air Traffic Procedures

Preflight, departure, en route and arrival procedures, pilot/controller roles and responsibilities, national security and interception.

AIM Chapter 69
Emergency Procedures

Emergency services available to pilots, distress and urgency procedures, two-way radio communications failure, ARFF communications.

AIM Chapter 717
Safety of Flight

Meteorology, barometric altimeter and cold-temperature errors, wake turbulence, bird hazards, potential flight hazards, safety and hazard reports.

AIM Chapter 96
Aeronautical Charts and Related Publications

Types of charts available.

AIM Chapter 109
Helicopter Operations

Helicopter IFR operations and special operations.

AIM Chapter 1127
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)

Small UAS (sUAS), large UAS, airspace access for UAS, UAS pilot testing and certification, advanced air mobility, UAS operations on airports.

Chapter 316
Chapter 3
Chapter 481
Chapter 4
Chapter 544
Chapter 5
Chapter 610
Chapter 6
Chapter 759
Chapter 7
Chapter 88
Chapter 8

AIM Chapter 1 — Air Navigation

Navigation aids, and performance-based navigation (PBN) and area navigation (RNAV).

24 paragraphs

AIM Chapter 2 — Aeronautical Lighting and Other Airport Visual Aids

Airport lighting aids, air navigation and obstruction lighting, airport marking aids and signs.

29 paragraphs

AIM Chapter 3 — Airspace

Controlled airspace, Class G airspace, special use airspace, other airspace areas.

17 paragraphs

AIM Chapter 4 — Air Traffic Control

Services available to pilots, radio phraseology, airport operations, ATC clearances and separation, surveillance systems, RVSM.

27 paragraphs

AIM Chapter 5 — Air Traffic Procedures

Preflight, departure, en route and arrival procedures, pilot/controller roles and responsibilities, national security and interception.

49 paragraphs
5-2-1
Pre-Taxi Clearance Procedures
5-2-2
Pre-Departure Clearance Procedures
5-2-3
IFR Clearance Uncontrolled Airports
5-2-4
IFR Taxi Clearance
5-2-5
Line Up and Wait
5-2-6
Abbreviated IFR Departure Clearance
5-2-7
Clearance Void Times
5-2-8
Departure Control
5-2-9
Instrument Departure Procedures
5-3-1
ARTCC Communications
5-3-2
IFR Position Reporting
5-3-3
IFR Additional Reports
5-3-4
Airways and Route Systems
5-3-5
Airway Course Changes
5-3-6
Changeover Points (COPs)
5-3-7
Minimum Turning Altitude
5-3-8
IFR Holding Procedures
5-5-1
Pilot/Controller Responsibilities
5-5-2
Air Traffic Clearance
5-5-3
Contact Approach
5-5-4
Instrument Approach Clearance
5-5-5
Missed Approach Procedures
5-5-6
ATC Radar Vectors
5-5-7
ATC Safety Alerts
5-5-8
See and Avoid
5-5-9
ATC Speed Adjustments
5-5-10
Traffic Advisories
5-5-11
Visual Approach
5-5-12
Visual Separation
5-5-13
VFR-on-Top Clearance
5-5-14
Instrument Departures
5-5-15
Minimum Fuel Advisory
5-5-16
RNAV and RNP Operations
5-6-1
National Security ATC
5-6-2
National Security Requirements
5-6-3
ADIZ Definitions
5-6-4
ADIZ Requirements
5-6-5
Civil Aircraft US Airspace Entry
5-6-6
Civil Aircraft U.S. Airspace
5-6-7
Civil Aircraft Transit Rules
5-6-8
Foreign State Aircraft Operations
5-6-9
FAA/TSA Airspace Waivers
5-6-10
TSA Aviation Security Programs
5-6-11
FAA Flight Routing Authorizations
5-6-12
ESCAT Procedures
5-6-13
Aircraft Interception Procedures
5-6-14
Aircraft Interception Signals
5-6-15
ADIZ Boundaries
5-6-16
Visual Warning System

AIM Chapter 6 — Emergency Procedures

Emergency services available to pilots, distress and urgency procedures, two-way radio communications failure, ARFF communications.

9 paragraphs

AIM Chapter 7 — Safety of Flight

Meteorology, barometric altimeter and cold-temperature errors, wake turbulence, bird hazards, potential flight hazards, safety and hazard reports.

17 paragraphs

AIM Chapter 9 — Aeronautical Charts and Related Publications

Types of charts available.

6 paragraphs

AIM Chapter 10 — Helicopter Operations

Helicopter IFR operations and special operations.

9 paragraphs

AIM Chapter 11 — Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)

Small UAS (sUAS), large UAS, airspace access for UAS, UAS pilot testing and certification, advanced air mobility, UAS operations on airports.

27 paragraphs

Chapter 3

16 paragraphs

Chapter 4

81 paragraphs
4-1-1
Air Route Traffic Control Centers
4-1-2
Control Tower Services
4-1-3
Flight Service Stations
4-1-4
ATC Recording and Monitoring
4-1-5
IFR Release at Non-Towered Airports
4-1-6
Pilot ATC Facility Visits
4-1-7
Operation Rain Check
4-1-8
VFR Approach Control Service
4-1-9
Non-Towered Airport Communications
4-1-10
CTAF IFR Approach Procedures
4-1-11
UNICOM/MULTICOM Frequencies
4-1-12
UNICOM for ATC
4-1-13
ATIS Broadcasts
4-1-14
Alaska AFIS Broadcasts
4-1-15
Radar Traffic Advisories
4-1-16
ATC Safety Alerts
4-1-17
Radar Assistance to VFR
4-1-18
Terminal Radar Services VFR
4-1-19
Tower En Route Control
4-1-20
Transponder & ADS-B Operation
4-1-21
Airport Reservations and STMPs
4-1-22
Certificates of Waiver
4-1-23
Weather Systems Processor
4-2-1
Pilot-Controller Communications
4-2-2
Radio Technique
4-2-3
Radio Contact Procedures
4-2-4
Aircraft Call Signs
4-2-5
Interchange Aircraft Identification
4-2-6
Ground Station Call Signs
4-2-7
ICAO Phonetic Alphabet
4-2-8
Radio Number Pronunciation
4-2-9
Altitude Radio Phraseology
4-2-10
Radio Directions Phraseology
4-2-11
Speed Phraseology
4-2-12
UTC Time Reporting
4-2-13
NORDO Tower Procedures
4-2-14
VFR FSS Communications
4-3-1
Airport Operations Safety
4-3-2
Towered Airport Operations
4-3-3
Airport Traffic Patterns
4-3-4
Segmented Circle Indicators
4-3-5
Unexpected Pattern Maneuvers
4-3-6
Runways and Declared Distances
4-3-7
Wind Shear Detection Systems
4-3-8
Braking Action Reports
4-3-9
Runway Condition Reports
4-3-10
Intersection Takeoffs
4-3-11
LAHSO Pilot Responsibilities
4-3-12
Low Approach Procedures
4-3-13
ATC Light Gun Signals
4-3-14
Tower Ground Communications
4-3-15
Gate Holding Procedures
4-3-16
VFR Terminal Area Practices
4-3-17
VFR Helicopter Operations
4-3-18
Taxi Clearances and Readbacks
4-3-19
Low Visibility Taxi
4-3-20
Standard Taxi Routes
4-3-21
Exiting Runway After Landing
4-3-22
Practice Instrument Approaches
4-3-23
Cleared for the Option
4-3-24
Use of Aircraft Lights
4-3-25
Flight Check Aircraft
4-3-26
Ground Hand Signals
4-3-27
ASOS/AWOS Uncontrolled Airport Ops
4-4-1
ATC Clearance
4-4-2
ATC Clearance Prefix
4-4-3
IFR Clearance Items
4-4-4
Amended IFR Clearances
4-4-5
Coded Departure Routes
4-4-6
Special VFR Clearances
4-4-7
ATC Clearance Readback
4-4-8
VFR-on-Top Clearance
4-4-9
VFR to IFR Clearance
4-4-10
Adherence to ATC Clearance
4-4-11
IFR Separation Standards
4-4-12
ATC Speed Adjustments
4-4-13
Runway Separation
4-4-14
Visual Separation
4-4-15
Visual Clearing & Scanning
4-4-16
TCAS I and II
4-4-17
Traffic Information Service

Chapter 5

44 paragraphs

Chapter 6

10 paragraphs

Chapter 7

59 paragraphs
7-1-1
NWS Aviation Weather Program
7-1-2
FAA Weather Services
7-1-3
Aviation Weather Products
7-1-4
Graphical Forecasts for Aviation
7-1-5
Preflight Weather Briefings
7-1-6
Inflight Weather Advisories
7-1-7
Categorical Ceiling and Visibility
7-1-8
Inflight Weather Advisory Broadcasts
7-1-9
Flight Information Services
7-1-10
Weather Observing Programs
7-1-11
Weather Radar Services
7-1-12
ATC Weather Avoidance
7-1-13
Runway Visual Range
7-1-14
Reporting Cloud Heights
7-1-15
Prevailing Visibility Reporting
7-1-16
Rain and Ice Pellet Intensity
7-1-17
Snow Drizzle Intensity
7-1-18
Pilot Weather Reports (PIREPs)
7-1-19
Airframe Icing PIREPs
7-1-20
Inflight Icing Definitions
7-1-21
Turbulence PIREPs
7-1-22
Wind Shear PIREPs
7-1-23
Clear Air Turbulence PIREPs
7-1-24
Microbursts and Wind Shear
7-1-25
Volcanic Ash PIREPs
7-1-26
Thunderstorm Hazards
7-1-27
Thunderstorm Flying
7-1-28
TAF and METAR Decoding
7-1-29
METAR and TAF Decoding
7-2-1
Altimeter Errors
7-2-2
Barometric Altimeter Errors
7-2-3
Altimeter Errors and Settings
7-4-1
Wake Turbulence Basics
7-4-2
Wake Vortex Generation
7-4-3
Wake Vortex Strength
7-4-4
Wake Vortex Behavior
7-4-5
Wake Turbulence Problem Areas
7-4-6
Wake Turbulence Avoidance
7-4-7
Helicopter Wake Turbulence
7-4-8
Wake Turbulence Pilot Responsibility
7-4-9
ATC Wake Turbulence Separation
7-6-1
GA Accident Causal Factors
7-6-2
Radio Altimeter Anomaly Reporting
7-6-3
VFR Congested Areas
7-6-4
Obstructions To Flight
7-6-5
Unmanned Free Balloons
7-6-6
Unmanned Aircraft Systems
7-6-7
Mountain Flying
7-6-8
Runway Half-way Signs
7-6-9
Seaplane Safety
7-6-10
Volcanic Ash Operations
7-6-11
Emergency Airborne Inspection
7-6-12
Precipitation Static
7-6-13
Laser Illumination Reporting
7-6-14
Flat Light Brownout Whiteout
7-6-15
Ground Icing Operations
7-6-16
Exhaust Plume Hazards
7-6-17
Space Launch Reentry Areas
7-6-18
Automatic Landing Operations

Chapter 8

8 paragraphs
Studying the AIM?
Don't memorize. Practice it.

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