Aerodromes (Law)

Question 1

What is the definition of an aerodrome?

Answer 1

A defined area including buildings, installations and equipment, on land or water, on a fixed or floating structure, intended to be used, either wholly or in part, for the arrival and departure and surface movement of aircraft.

Question 2

What is the difference between a controlled and uncontrolled aerodrome? What would their respective call signs be?

Answer 2

A controlled aerodrome is any aerodrome with a tower with licensed controllers directing movements and giving clearances. Their call sign will be (location) Tower.

An uncontrolled aerodrome is any other aerodrome. If they offer flight information services, their call sign will be (location) Information, and if not, their call sign will be (location) Radio.

Question 3

What is a control zone?

Answer 3

A controlled airspace extending upwards from the ground and/or water a defined distance, located around an aerodrome, within which ATC services are provided and aircraft must be given clearance to operate.

Question 4

What is the apron?

Answer 4

A section of the movements area designated for the purpose of accommodating aircraft while they load or unload passengers, cargo or fuel, or receive maintenance.

Question 5

What is the maneuvering area?

Answer 5

The area in which aircraft take off, land and taxi.

Question 6

What is the movement area?

Answer 6

A combination of the apron and the maneuvering area.

Question 7

What is the landing area?

Answer 7

The area where aircraft land and take off.

Question 8

What is the runway?

Answer 8

A rectangular land area of an aerodrome for the landing and take-off run of fixed wing aircraft.

Question 9

What is the shoulder? When is one mandatory?

Answer 9

The areas to the sides of the runway which are not intended for craft to drive on, but which must be kept clear to prevent wings hitting anything, or anything getting damaged by jets. Mandatory if the runway width is less than 60m.

Question 10

What is the threshold?

Answer 10

The area of the runway suitable for landing (distinct from the area suitable for taking off, due to the fact that takeoff can be much steeper than landing, and therefore something off the end of the runway may constitute an obstacle for landing, where it would not for takeoff).

Question 11

What is the stopway?

Answer 11

The clear area at the end of a runway to give the pilots a little more space in case they need to abort their takeoff.

Question 12

What is the clearway?

Answer 12

The area beyond the stopway which must be kept clear of any obstacles. It is not suitable for driving on, but is intended as space for aircraft to climb in/above.

Question 13

What is the Runway End Safety Area?

Answer 13

A cleared space beyond the end of the clearway, intended to provide safety for any aircraft overshooting or undershooting the runway.

Question 14

What are TORA and ASDA?

Answer 14

TORA is the Take Off Run Available, the length of the runway available for taking off in.
ASDA is the Accelerated Stop Distance Available, which is the length of the runway plus the stopway together.

Question 15

Who controls which part of an aerodrome?

Answer 15

The runway and air around the aerodrome are controlled by the aerodrome controller, the maneuvering area is controlled by the ground controller, and the apron is controlled by the apron controller.

Question 16

What are holding points? What is significant about holding points near runways?

Answer 16

They are locations along taxiways which aircraft can be sent to wait at. All holding points are known to be a safe distance from any runways.

Question 17

Which side of the runway is called the “live side”, and why?

Answer 17

The left hand side, due to the fact that this is the default side for the circuit, due to the fact that the senior pilot sits on the left. Other way is dead side.

Question 18

What are the names for the different parts of the circuit?

Answer 18

Immediately after takeoff is “upwind”. 90 degrees left or right is “crosswind”. 90 degrees further is “downwind”. 90 degrees further is “base” also called “leg”, and finally, another 90 degrees, i.e. facing the back end of the runway now, is called “final”. More than 4 NM away is “long final”.

Question 19

What does a steady green light held from the tower mean?

Answer 19

To air traffic, cleared for landing. To ground traffic, cleared for take-off.

Question 20

What does a steady red light held from the tower mean?

Answer 20

To air traffic, give way to other craft and continue circling, to ground traffic, stop.

Question 21

What does a flashing green light held from the tower mean?

Answer 21

To traffic in the air, return for landing. To ground traffic, cleared for taxi.

Question 22

What does a flashing red light held from the tower mean?

Answer 22

To air traffic, this aerodrome is unsafe, do not land. To ground traffic, it means get clear of the landing area right now.

Question 23

What does a flashing white light held from the tower mean?

Answer 23

To air traffic, land here and then taxi directly to apron. To ground traffic, return to apron starting point on aerodrome.

Question 24

What do red pyrotechnics used by any ground unit at an aerodrome mean?

Answer 24

Overriding all prior clearances, do not land here.

Question 25

How can an aircraft acknowledge a message from TWR if R/T is not available?

Answer 25

They can flash the navigation lights or landing lights twice at night, roll backwards and forwards twice if airborne, or wiggle their control surfaces, if on the ground.

Question 26

What does a red flag with a yellow diagonal cross through the middle mean on an aerodrome?

Answer 26

Landing prohibited, aerodrome not in use.

Question 27

What does a red flag with a wide yellow forward slash across the middle mean on an aerodrome?

Answer 27

Special precautions must be observed in the maneuvering area.

Question 28

What does a grey flag with a white dumbbell imagine in the middle mean?

Answer 28

Aircraft must taxi, take off and land on runways only at this aerodrome.

Question 29

What does a white or yellow cross mean on an aerodrome surface?

Answer 29

This area is unfit for the movement of aircraft.

Question 30

What does a large white capital letter T on an aerodrome mean?

Answer 30

This indicates which way the runway is in use; aircraft should approach from the bottom of the T, landing towards the crossbar end.

Question 31

What does a yellow sign with black numbers on it mean at an aerodrome?

Answer 31

This sign indicates the takeoff direction of a runway.

Question 32

What does a white arrow turning right at a right angle mean on an aerodrome?

Answer 32

Turn right after takeoff/landing.

Question 33

What does a yellow sign with a large black letter C in it mean on an aerodrome?

Answer 33

This is the building where you have to go to file flight plans or pay your landing fees.

Question 34

What does a sign which looks like two white plus signs, joined at the middle, mean on an aerodrome?

Answer 34

Gliders operate from here.