ATPL NAVIGATION Flashcards
What is a wavelength?
The number of cycles passing a given point in one second. (Expressed as Hertz (Hz)
What is the amplitude of a radio wave?
The displacement of the peaks or troughs from a mid-point. (The greater the amplitude, the stronger the signal)
In which planes are radio waves transmitted?
Horizontally and vertically.
How must the antenna be polarised?
The receiving antenna must be polarised the same as the transmitting antenna. (i.e horizontal to horizontal etc.)
What does the term modulation mean?
To modulate a radio wave means to create variation in the amplitude, frequency or phase. This is done using another waveform such as speech or music.
What is one disadvantage of single sideband (SSB)?
The requirement for clarification or fine tuning due to the narrow bandwidth.
What is the frequency, wavelength and usage of the VHF band?
30 to 300 Mhz, 10 to 1m and FM, voice and VOR navaids
What is the frequency, wavelength and usage of the UHF band?
300 to 3000 Mhz, 100 to 10cm and voice and navigation
How do direct waves travel?
Directly between the transmitter and the receiver
How do surface waves travel?
Following the curvature of the earth (due to diffraction)
What is a sky wave?
It is a radio wave that has been refracted & reflected by the ionosphere back to earths surface.
What is the maximum theoretical range equation?
Theoretical VHF range in NM = √1.5*receiver altitude (ft)
What heavily attenuates a radio wave signal and what causes the greatest attenuation?
Sand and ice/snow
What is the skip distance?
The distance travelled by a radio wave from the transmitter to the point where it returns to the earth’s surface.
How does a VHF Omni-directional Range (VOR) navaid work?
The VOR produces a radial pattern consisting of a 30Hz reference signal and a 30Hz variable phase signal. The aircraft receiver compares the PHASE DIFFERENCE between the arriving signals. Equipment inside the aircraft displays this information to the pilot.
What are the errors associated with a VOR navaid?
“AVGAS” - Airborne equipment error, Vertical polarisation error, Ground station error, Aggregate error, Site/terrain effect
Does the VOR read magnetic deviation or true deviation?
The VOR is calibrated for magnetic variation
What error does a Doppler VOR eliminate?
Site/terrain effect (by use of FM not AM)
How does an Non-directional Beacon (NDB) navaid work?
It radiates a non-directional carrier wave in the MF band with audio, Identifiable by morse code.
What is a Locater?
A low-powered NDB often used in association with an ILS
The onboard equipment (ADF) has two antennae. What are they called and what do they do?
The Loop Antenna - locates the aural null. The Sense Antenna - resolves the 180° ambiguity.
What is the HATS formula?
Heading + ADF bearing = Track to station
What are the errors associated with a NDB navaid?
“MINTCHAT” - Mount effect, Interference (co-channel), Night effect, Terrain effect, Coastal refraction, Height effect, Aircraft (quadrantal) error, Thunderstorms
1 nautical mile equals how many feet?
6080ft
How does Secondary Surveillance Radar work?
A ground based interrogator transmits a repetitious signal requesting that aircraft transponders within range respond with a coded reply.
When is localiser interference possible?
When an aircraft takes off over the localiser antenna
When is glideslope interference possible?
When an aircraft lands on the same runway or flies across your glidepath on approach to an adjacent runway.
How do you calculate distance off track?
Track Error = Distance off / Distance along * 60
What is the definition of height?
The vertical distance of a level, point or object measured from a specified datum.
What is the definition of elevation?
The vertical distance of a point or level affixed to the surface of the earth.
What is the definition of Mean Sea Level (MSL)?
The average sea level for a particular geographical location.
What is the definition of altitude?
The vertical distance measured from mean sea level.
What is the definition of true altitude?
The actual height of an aircraft above mean sea level (Indicated altitude corrected for temperature error).
What is the definition of pressure altitude?
The height of an aircraft measured from the standard atmospheric pressure level of 1013HPA
What is the Pressure Altitude formula?
PA = Elevation + [(1013-QNH)*30]
What type of installation/instrument errors occur in the altimeter?
Instrument, Pressure, Time and Hysteresis
What type of non-standard atmospheric errors occur in the altimeter?
Temperature and barometric
What is the true altitude (temp. correction) formula?
True Altitude = 0.4% per degree of ISA deviation
What happens to the altimeter if the static system becomes blocked?
The pressure within the instrument remains constant and will read the height at which the blockage occurred.
What are four airspeed indicator errors?
Instrument, Pressure, Compressibility and Density error.
What does SAND stand for?
South accelerate, north decelerate
What does ONUS stand for?
Overshoot north, undershoot south (on east/west tracks)
When considering a directional gyro, what is apparent drift?
Drift due to movement over the earths surface (transportation) and the earths rotation. (MAX at poles ZERO at equator)
When considering a directional gyro, what is real drift?
Drift due to imperfections and bearing drag within the gyroscopic unit.
What are the advantages of a Radio Magnetic Indicator (RMI)?
Can be slaved to other systems - AP/FD, Minimises turning and acceleration errors, Minimises magnetic deviation, stable reference.
What are the disadvantages of a Radio Magnetic Indicator (RMI)?
Requires aircraft power, heavy, complex, expensive.
What is the main (remaining error) of a Radio Magnetic Indicator (RMI)?
Magnetic deviation.
What does pulse length determine?
The MINIMUM range of the weather radar. (It also determines RANGE RESOLUTION - the ability to distinguish between targets at the same altitude but different distances).
What is azimuth resolution? (Wx radar)
Azimuth resolution is a function of beam-width and range to target.
The radar is unable to distinguish a gap between two targets at the same range, less than the beam width.
What does the pulse repetition frequency (PRF) determine?
This determines the MAXIMUM range of the wx radar
What type of radar dish provides the best azimuth resolution?
A large one. (Provides a narrow beam)
When viewing a Wx radar cockpit display, what does close contouring between colours mean?
The closer the contouring the more severe the turbulence.
What is the recommended radar tilt position?
Parked to a tilt that allows a “sprinkling of ground returns”
What does the GREEN contour colouring indicate on a Wx radar display screen?
A weak return, however LIGHT to MODERATE turbulence and lightning possible.
What does the MAGENTA contour colouring indicate on a Wx radar display screen?
This indicates MODERATE to SEVERE turbulence.
What formations on the Wx radar can you consider to be associated with severe turbulence and hail activity?
Fingers, hooks, scalloped edges, u-shapes (horseshoe).
Regarding the RMI, what does constant oscillation of the annunciator mean?
The system is working properly and the gyro is hunting about the mean position.