Airspace & Airport Flashcards
Ceiling of Class B can be anywhere between what altitudes?
7,000 to 12,500’ MSL
Is there Class A over Hawaii?
No.
And Victor airways have no upper limit
When do you need ADS-B Out?
- Class A, B, C
- within 30 nm of Class B from surface to 10,000’ MSL
- within lateral boundaries of Class B or C upward to 10,000’ MSL
- All Class E at and above 10,000’ MSL within 48 CONUS (excluding at & below 2,500’ AGL)
- Class E at and above 3,000’ MSL over Gulf of Mexico from the coastline out to 12 nm
Explain the airspace
Class E that goes down to 700’ AGL to accommodate instrument approaches
Explain the airspace
What is this?
If operating off a VOR when do you need to have DME?
operating at or above 24,000’ MSL
What is the maximum speed in Class A?
Mach 1
What do Class E transition areas do?
Allow ATC to provide service to IFR traffic flying in and out of airports
designed to protect approaching IFR traffic by raising the visibility minimums for any VFR traffic buzzing around
VFR in G = 1 sm/clear of clouds (day)
VFR in E = 3 sm/1000’ ceiling
What must you have in order to accept a visual approach?
- airport must be VFR
- a/c must remain within Class B
- maintain the basic cloud clearance
What is a satellite airport?
Any other airport within Class C airspace
What must Class D airspace have?
Weather reporting
When a Class D tower closes, what makes it revert to either Class E or Class G?
depends on the availability of a certified weather observer or automated system
if weather reporting is maintained - Class E
if weather reporting is not available - Class G
What does NFCT mean on a sectional chart?
Non Federal Control Tower
controllers who work Class D airports are not FAA employees
Describe the airspace altitude
-30 = surface up to but not including that value
usually found at airports under Class B airspace
What must Class E airports have?
Weather reporting and communications with ATC to the surface
If you want to depart from a Class E airport and the weather is less than 1000’ and 3 miles visibility what do you require?
Special VFR clearance
In order to cancel IFR to an uncontrolled airport…
- airport must be reporting VFR and a/c maintain basic cloud clearance
- crew be in direct communications with ATC
- flight must be operated within 10nm of destination airfield OR visual reference with the landing surface is established and can be maintained
What does TRSA stand for and what is it?
Terminal Radar Service Area
radar available to assist the tower outside its Class D airspace
can be thought of a Class D with radar coverage
Do TRSA radar and tower function independently?
Yes
But treat it like its a Class C airport
Is radio participation in a TRSA mandatory?
No. It is voluntary but highly recommended
If a MOA is hot, can IFR traffic be cleared through the MOA?
Yes, if IFR separation can be provided by ATC
otherwise ATC will reroute non-participating IFR traffic
How much separation are controllers required to provide IFR traffic from any special use airspace?
3 miles
What are the defined dimensions of a Warning Area and what is its purpose?
extending from 3 nm outward from the coast of the US
warn pilots of activity that may be hazardous to non-participating a/c
List the SUA
Prohibited Area
Restricted Area
MOA
Warning Area
Alert Area
Controlled Firing Area
Define Alert Area
Who is responsible of collision avoidance?
may contain a high volume of pilot training or an unusual type of aerial activity
participating a/c and a/c transitioning the area are equally responsible
Do you need to chart CFAs?
No, they do not cause non-participating a/c to change its flight path
activities are suspended immediately when spotter a/c, radar, or ground lookouts indicate an a/c may be approaching the area
Sectional charts depict which MTRs?
Low Altitude En Route charts depict which MTRs?
Sectional - all MTRs
Low Altitude - all MTRs above 1,500’ AGL
Difference between MTRs with 3 and 4 numbers
3 numbers - include one or more segments above 1,500’ AGL
4 numbers - no segment above 1,500’ AGL
What does SLOP stand for?
Strategic Lateral Offset Procedure
What is the DC FRZ and DC SFRA? What is the radius around what?
FRZ - Flight Restricted Zone
SFRA - Special Flight Rules Area
30 NM radius of DCA VOR
What does ADIZ stand for?
What is it?
Air Defense Identification Zone
airspace over land or water in which the ready identification, location, and control of all a/c (except DoD/law enforcement) is required in the interest of national security
What is DVFR?
Defense Visual Flight Rules
flight within an ADIZ conducted by any a/c (except DoD/law enforcement) IAW VFR
What flight plans must be filed to fly within an ADIZ?
IFR or DVFR flight plan
DVFR flight plan contains time penetrating ADIZ and must depart w/i 5 minutes of est. departure time
Where can you find ALD (available landing distance) for LAHSO operations?
in the “special notices” section of the Chart Supplement and on approach charts
What is the minimum weather acceptable to receive a LAHSO clearance?
1000’ ceiling
3 SM visibility
dry runway
no tailwind
All turns in the traffic pattern must be made in which direction?
Left (unless otherwise indicated)
abbreviation RP will be depicted on sectional if turns are to the right
Define a straight-in approach
aligned within 30 degrees of the runway centerline at least 5 miles out
What is MSAW (at larger airports)
Minimum Safe Altitude Warning
-calculates your descent rate
-alarm sounds in tower and TRACON and LA (low altitude) flashes in your radar data tag
What are the beacon colors for a lighted land airport and military airport?
Lighted Land Airport - white and green (or green alone)
Military - 2 white flashes and 1 green
Operation of the airport beacon during daylight hours can indicate what?
Ceiling less than 1,000’ and/or visibility less than 3 SM
What markings do precision runways always have?
side strips
touchdown zone markings
Describe runway edge lights
Threshold lights - fixed green lights
White lights down the edges
Yellow lights replace white on last 2,000’ or half of the runway, whichever is less, to form a caution zone
Threshold End lights - red
What are REIL
Runway End Identifier Lights
Green flashing lights placed on corners of threshold
effective to identify runway when surrounded by other lights
Threshold markings
Describe the touchdown zone markings
identify the touchdown zone for landing
Touchdown zone = first 3,000’
500’ increments
shorter runways may eliminate one or more pairs
What is TDZE
Touchdown Zone Elevation
highest elevation in the first 3,000’ of runway
Describe the aiming point markings
aiming point for landing
also called 1000 footers (technically 1020’ since threshold markings are 20’ from threshold)
When are aiming point markings required on a runway?
on 4,200 ft or longer instrumented runways
Describe centerline markings
120 ft long with 80 ft gaps
vary in width depending on if precision, NP, or visual runways
(36” P / 18” NP / 12” V)
What is blue arrow called
Threshold Bar
marks beginning of runway available when threshold has been relocated or displaced
Describe the yellow paint
(chevrons, lines, bar)
Yellow Chevrons - unusable for landing, takeoff, and taxi
Yellow paint - taxi only
Demarcation bar - delineates a runway with a displaced threshold from a blast pad, stopway, or taxiway that precedes the runway
What can you do on a displaced threshold?
takeoff in either direction
land from opposite direction
CANNOT land in direction of arrows
Does a displaced threshold mark the end of a runway?
No
What are the 6 airport signs?
Runway Distance Remaining
Location
Mandatory Instructions
Direction
Destination
Information
Runway Distance Remaining
may be installed along one or both sides of runway
Location Sign
no arrow
identify a taxiway, or runway location, or ILS critical area
Mandatory Instruction
denotes entrance to a runway, critical area, or prohibited area
Direction
identifies the designation of the intersecting taxiway(s) leading out of an intersection
accompanied by an arrow indicating the direction of the turn
Destination
information on locating things such as runways, terminals, cargo areas, and civil aviation areas
What type of sign is this and what does the black dot mean?
Destination
when two or more destinations have a common taxiing route
Information
information on such things as areas that cannot be seen from control tower, applicable radio frequencies, and noise abatement procedures
How are runway centerline lights placed?
50 ft intervals
offset max of 2 ft to either the right or left side of the centerline marking
should be on the opposite side of the centerline marking from the major taxi turnoffs
What are the colors of the centerline lights?
White until the last 3,000 ft
white and red alternating for the next 2,000 ft
red for the last 1,000 ft
Describe TDZL (Touchdown Zone Lighting)
two rows of light bars at 100’ increments on either side of the runway centerline
white lights starting 100’ beyond threshold and extend to 3,000 ft or midpoint of the runway, whichever is less
Pilot controlled lighting
Negative symbology means PCL
What does the dot indicate?
sequenced flashing lights installed with the approach lighting system
What does this mean?
Pilot controlled lighting for whatever A5 is and the dot means there is a sequenced flashing light installed with that system
What color are taxiway edge lights and centerline lights?
Edge lights - blue
Centerline lights - green
What are the 2 components of a Runway Status Lights (RWSL) System?
Runway Entrance Lights (REL)
Takeoff Hold Lights (THL)
What do REL do? When do REL turn on?
(Runway Entrance Lights)
indicate there is high speed traffic on the runway or there is an a/c on final approach
Departing a/c - reach 30 kts then lights illuminate
Arriving a/c - 1 mile from the threshold
How far do THL extend? What do THL do? When do they turn on?
(Takeoff Hold Lights)
extend for 1,500 ft
provide signal to a/c in takeoff position that it is unsafe to takeoff bc runway is occupied
illuminate when another a/c is on the runway or about to enter the runway
What are these?
Runway Guard Lights (aka Wig Wags)
installed at taxiway/runway intersections
flashing yellow lights on either side of the taxiway at the runway holding position marking
How do airport operators issue Runway Condition Codes (RCC)?
they use Takeoff and Landing Performance Assessment (TALPA) standards based on the Runway Condition Assessment Matrix (RCAM) and report FICON NOTAMS
What does a FICON NOTAM stand for?
Field Condition
How are RCCs divided up?
vary for each third of the runway and use Percentage (PRCT) based reporting
Can controllers issue multiple runway crossing clearances at the same time?
No…UNLESS the distance between 2 runway centerlines is less than 1000 ft (think parallel runways)
What is that?
Runway Half-way Sign
reference point to judge takeoff acceleration trends
typical takeoff acceleration should allow ac to reach 70% of lift-off speed by the midpoint of the runway
