Chapter 4: Mission Planning Flashcards
What is difference between VFR/IFR and VMC/IMC?
VFR/IFR are flight rules for conducting that type of flight.
VMC/IMC are meteorological conditions of ceiling, visibility, distance from clouds.
What must aircrew do before fly a sortie?
File a flight plan
What does the PIC certify by filing a flight plan?
- Flight authorized
- FPL is accurate
- Complies with ADIZ and special use airspace coordination
What mission planning is required?
- Check weather
- Activate (flight plan)
- NOTAMs checked (incl TFRs and SUAs)
- Fuel
- Bird advisories
- FLIP/airfield suitability and restrictions
- Special Departure Procedures (SDPs) if authorized by MAJCOM
When may aircrew file to or land USAF aircraft at US civil airports?
- Emergency
- Necessary to recover interceptor aircraft
- Alternate required and no other suitable airport available
- Wing commander or higher approves it and airfield manager grants permission
- US government tenant unit listed and have ground support equipment needed (P-coded field)
Can aircrew file to and land at a joint use airfield? What is joint use?
Yes. It is a field “owned” by the military which allows civilian use (like Charleston or C-springs)
What are the priorities on weather sources?
1) . MAJCOM approved (local weather shop or OSS, commercial websites etc)
2) . Regional OWS
3) . Other DoD military weather sources
4) . Other US government weather facilities
5) . Foreign civil or military weather sources
What are visibility priorities?
Runway visual range (RVR) for all takeoffs, landings, or straight-ins take precedence. Use static RVR if available. If not available, use prevailing vis.
What are RVR conversions?
1600' - 1/4 mi 2400' - 1/2 mi 3200' - 5/8 mi 4000' - 3/4 mi 4500' - 7/8 mi 5000' - 1 mi 6000' - 1 1/4 mi
Where should you obtain NOTAMs from?
DAIP website. If not available, contact FSS (1800WXBRIEF) or airfield manager
What is required to file to a destination?
Weather at destination for ETA +/- 1 hr forecast to be at or above lowest compatible published approach mins. Does not include TEMPO conditions.
For straight-in/sidestep, weather must meet visibility mins
For circling, weather must meet ceiling and prevailing visibility mins.
When must you file an alternate?
No compatible instrument approach procedure at airfield filing to.
Weather below 2000/3 at destination for ETA +/- 1 hr including TEMPO conditions.
Crosswinds outside of limits.
For selection of the alternate, what is needed?
WWWAGU - like the steak
- Weather below 1000/2 or 500/1 above lowest compatible approach minimums whichever is higher at ETA +/- 1 hr including TEMPO conditions, but not those caused by rain showers, snow showers or TS or allow descent, approach and landing VFR from MEA if no compatible instrument approach
- Weather reporting capability not there
- (Winds should probably not be out of limits)
- Alternate not authorized (ANA) on all compatible approaches
- GPS required at both alternate and location
- Unmonitored NAVAIDs
Are Air Force aircrew required to use the non-std alternate weather minima published under the A for alternate mins?
No. If it says 700-2 for CAT E for ILS, aircrew do not have to adhere to this. However, they must adhere to notes such as “NA when control tower closed” or “weather reporting capability does not exist” for their alternate planning criteria listed above.
You can operate VFR down to what ceiling?
1000’
When executing tactical operations, how should you file?
VFR
What must aircrew do upon landing from a VFR sortie?
Ensure the flight plan is closed.
How much fuel must aircrew carry?
Enough to get to destination or alternate if filed with desired fuel reserves OR between air refueling points and to destination
When an alternate airfield is required, what additional fuel must be included?
Fuel for a full approach and missed approach at destination if visibility only criteria used.
If use ceiling and visibility, do not need to use that.
What is the fuel reserve?
Enough fuel for 20 minutes or 10% flight time up to 45 minutes, whichever is higher
What fuel burn is used to calculate fuel reserve?
Max endurance at 10,000’ MSL
What is aircraft category based on?
Stall speed * 1.3 or stall speed * 1.23 at max landing weight in landing configuration
What is the cat E and D airspeeds? What must aircrew do if maneuvering at speed above category?
Cat D-141-165 kts
Cat E-166 kts or more
Must assume the category for the higher speed
What is considered two-way radio contact?
When callsign is used in the return call from ATC. For example, “DUDE34, standby” vs “Last aircraft calling, standby”. Two way radio comm is required to enter some airspaces. Class B requires “cleared into the XXX”
What weather is required for the following airspaces?
B: 3 SM, clear of clouds
C/D/E below 10,000’ MSL: 3512= 3 SM, 500’ below clouds, 1000’ above clouds, 2000’ horizontally
E above 10,000’ MSL: F-111=5 SM, 1000’ below, 1000’ above, 1 SM horizontally
G: 1 SM, clear of clouds
What are requirements for entering Class B? C? D?
B: 2-way radio comm, “cleared into Class B”
C/D: 2-way radio comm
Where does RVSM airspace begin?
FL290 and above. Need specific equipment to enter it which Strike Eagle does not have. Must specify “negative RVSM” on all radio calls to ATC and requests for entering the airspace. Need an operating transponder to fly into RVSM airspace and must be able to make continuous climb or descent into and out of the airspace.
What happens to altitude deconfliction in RVSM airspace for non-RVSM aircraft?
2000’ altitude separation required instead of 1000’
How should level offs be conducted to minimize RAs/TCAS conflicts?
1000’ prior to altitude should reduce VVI to 1500 fpm or less
What are the 2 emergency Guard freqs?
UHF: 243.00
VHF: 121.5 (half of Uniform Guard)
How can you call Flight Service Station (FSS) for weather, NOTAMS, filing etc?
1-800-WX-BRIEF or via 255.4 airborne
How is flight following provided by ATC?
As workload permits. Aircrew are still responsible for traffic avoidance.
At what altitudes should VFR cruise be conducted?
Above 3000’ AGL, even altitude plus 500 to the west, odd altitude plus 500 to the east
What are declared distances?
Marked on the plate with the inverse D in the airfield layout segment in bottom right.
TORA (take off run available), TODA (take off distance available), ASDA (accelerate-stop distance available), and LDA (landing distance available) are published in AF/D. AF uses TORA (takeoff run available) unless have special MAJCOM training for TODA (includes clearway). Aircraft must be able to takeoff in TORA and land in LDA in planning. In actual use, can use full runway length as needed.
What is the transition altitude in the NAS and what must aircrew do when passing through it?
18,000 and must set 29.92 in altimeter
When departing an airfield, what should you use to set the altimeter?
Field ATIS or AWOS/ASOS, then any neighboring fields’ ATIS if able to get it, finally just set the altimeter to airfield elevation if unable to get weather.
Are radar vectoring altitudes corrected for cold weather in the NAS?
No! If in doubt of obstruction clearance, query the controller
When do cold weather altimeter corrections apply and to what altitudes?
0 deg C or less: correct all altitudes inside FAF or below 1000’ AGL including 400’ AGL past DER before turn
0 deg C or less in mountainous terrain: correct all altitudes on IAP
0 deg C or less where IAP has procedure turn or IF altitude <=3000’ above altimeter setting source: correct all altitudes on IAP
-30 deg C or less: correct all altitudes on IAP
At or below snowflake temp on chart: correct all altitudes on IAP
Where can you find the cold weather altitude corrections chart?
FIH
