Cross Country Flight Planning Flashcards
What preflight action is required for all flights outside the vicinity of the
departure airport?
(91.103)
NWKRAFT is an acronym for
NOTAMs
Weather
Known ATC delays
Runway lengths
Alternates available
Fuel requirements
Takeoff and landing distances.
What are the types of NOTAMs?
Domestic, or NOTAM (D)
Flight Data Center (FDC)
NOTAMs
International NOTAMs
What are the minimum fuel
requirements for VFR flight during the day? At night?
+30min day
+45min night
What is an Alternate? What makes a good alternate?
alternate airport is a backup location for an aircraft to land if the original destination is no longer an option
Services
Weather:
Distance:
Fuel:
Reporting: The airport should have reliable weather reporting.
You see some unexpected and unfavorable weather developing ahead of you, midflight. What actions
do you take?
Adjust your route to avoid the worst of the weather, and identify alternate airports in case you need to divert. Ensure you have enough fuel for unexpected detours. Land as soon as possible and follow any ATC instructions.
Listen to FSS for weather updates
What are three common ways to navigate?
pilotage (visual navigation using landmarks)
dead reckoning (calculating position based on time, airspeed, and direction),
radio navigation (using radio signals from ground stations like VORs)
GPS
Were there any factors that were taken into consideration when making your flight plan? (i.e. regulations, wind, airspace, etc).
Regulations: VFR/IFR requirements, fuel reserves (FAR § 91.151).
Weather: Winds aloft, turbulence, ceilings, visibility.
Airspace: Restricted areas, controlled airspace,NOTAMs.
Aircraft Performance: Weight, balance, fuel consumption, runway lengths.
Route and Alternatives: Terrain, obstacles, alternates for emergencies.
When operating under VFR in level cruising flight, what altitude rules apply?
When operating under VFR in level cruising flight, the altitude rules state that if you are flying above 3,000 feet AGL, you should maintain an odd thousand-foot MSL altitude plus 500 feet when on a magnetic course of 0-179 degrees, and an even thousand-foot MSL altitude plus 500 feet when on a magnetic course of 180-359 degrees; essentially, flying on odd altitudes when heading east of north and even altitudes when heading west of north.
Are the VFR cruising altitudes true or magnetic?
VFR cruising altitudes are based on your magnetic course, meaning you determine your cruising altitude based on your magnetic heading, not true north
What considerations did you make for choosing your course and altitude?
weather conditions (wind direction, cloud cover), terrain obstacles, airspace regulations, aircraft performance, fuel efficiency, and the need to maintain proper separation from other aircraft;
What is a VFR waypoint?
a predetermined geographical location that helps pilots navigate visually while flying.
VFR waypoints are used to help pilots: Transition through or around controlled airspace, Avoid Special Use Airspace (SUA), Navigate around mountain passes, Improve situational awareness, and Navigate in Class B and Class C airspace.
How did you compute true course, magnetic course, true heading, and magnetic heading?
To compute true course, you identify the direction between two points on a map using true north as reference,
while magnetic course is calculated by adding the magnetic variation (easting or westing) to the true course;
true heading is the actual direction your aircraft is pointed relative to true north
magnetic heading is the direction your compass indicates, which is found by adding or subtracting the magnetic variation from the true heading depending on its direction (east or west).
What is magnetic variation?
the angle between true north and magnetic north at a specific location, essentially showing how much a compass needle deviates from true north due to the Earth’s magnetic field, and this angle can change depending on your location and over time.
How did you calculate time, ground speed, ETA, and fuel burn?
To calculate time, ground speed, ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival), and fuel burn, you primarily use the formula: Time = Distance / Speed; where you need to factor in wind speed to determine ground speed, then use that ground speed to calculate time and subsequently, your ETA, while fuel burn is calculated by multiplying your flight time by your aircraft’s fuel burn rate per hour
How did you calculate top of climb?
determine the time it takes to reach your planned cruise altitude by dividing the total altitude gain needed (difference between your departure altitude and cruise altitude) by your aircraft’s climb rate (usually expressed in feet per minute), then add that calculated time to your departure time to find the point where you reach your cruise altitude
refer to your POH
Are electronic flight bags (EFBs) an acceptable replacement for paper
charts?
Yes, Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) are acceptable for replacing paper charts, provided they are:
Functional: The EFB must be operational and display current, accurate information.
Current: All charts and data must be up-to-date.
Backup: It is recommended to have a backup EFB or alternative navigation source in case of device failure.
Name some types of navigational aids
VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range): Provides azimuth information for navigation.
DME (Distance Measuring Equipment): Measures distance to a VOR/DME or ILS.
NDB (Non-Directional Beacon): Provides bearing information using the ADF.
ILS (Instrument Landing System): Guides aircraft for precision approaches.
GPS (Global Positioning System): Satellite-based navigation providing position and course data.
RNAV (Area Navigation): Allows direct routing using waypoints.
What limitations apply to VORs?
Line-of-sight
VOR signals rely on line-of-sight radio waves, so they can be blocked or distorted by obstacles like buildings or mountains. This means that the aircraft needs to stay in a clear path to maintain a connection with the VOR station.
Altitude
The range of a VOR varies proportionally to the altitude of the receiving equipment. This means that the aircraft needs to fly higher to maintain a stable signal the farther it is from the station.
Range
VORs are short to medium-range systems, so they are less comprehensive than GPS, which offers global coverage.
CDI display
The CDI display only makes sense when the aircraft heading is close to the selected radial. If the aircraft heading is reversed, it puts the aircraft at risk for reverse sensing.(cone of confusion)
Briefly explain how GPS works?
(Global Positioning System) works by using a network of satellites orbiting Earth, which broadcast signals that are received by an aircraft’s GPS receiver; by calculating the time it takes for the signal to reach the receiver from multiple satellites, the aircraft can determine its precise location (latitude, longitude, and altitude) through a process called trilateration, allowing pilots to navigate accurately during flight
*you need 3 satellites and the 4th is to confirm they are correct
What are the types of altitudes?
Indicated Altitude: Altitude read directly from the altimeter when set to the current altimeter setting.
True Altitude: Actual height above mean sea level (MSL).
Absolute Altitude: Height above ground level (AGL).
Pressure Altitude: Altitude indicated when the altimeter is set to 29.92 inHg. The hight above the standard datum plane
Density Altitude: Pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temperature.
What are the types of airspeed?
True airspeed (TAS): The speed of an aircraft relative to the air around it. This is the speed used in flight plans and documentation.
Calibrated airspeed (CAS): The indicated airspeed corrected for instrument and position errors.
Indicated airspeed (IAS): The speed of the aircraft relative to the surface, as indicated by the airspeed indicator.
Groundspeed: The speed of an aircraft relative to the ground. It’s affected by wind direction and speed.
*Equivalent airspeed (EAS): The indicated airspeed corrected for the error caused by high-speed air.
*Mach number: The ratio of the true airspeed to the local speed of sound. It’s important for jet aircraft flying at high speeds.
What is Minimum Safe Altitude (MSA)? What is the MSA when flying over congested areas?
Minimum Safe Altitude (MSA) refers to the lowest altitude at which an aircraft can safely fly over a specific area, considering terrain and obstacles, and when flying over congested areas.
MSA is typically defined as 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a 2,000-foot radius of the aircraft according to FAA regulations.
what are VFR corridors?
A VFR corridor is a defined area of airspace within Class B airspace that allows aircraft to fly without air traffic control (ATC) clearance or communication. VFR corridors are essentially “holes” in Class B airspace, and are often located above the primary airport.
How do you enter class B airspace?
Get clearance “cleared to enter the bravo”
To enter Class B airspace, you must have an operable two-way radio capable of communicating with ATC, a transponder with automatic altitude reporting capability (Mode C), and an ADS-B Out transmitter; essentially, you need the ability to communicate with ATC and be tracked by the system with accurate altitude information