IMC Cards

Question 1

WHEN IS AN INSTRUMENT RATING
REQUIRED?

Answer 1

■ When acting as PIC under IFR or in weather conditions less than prescribed for VFR. (§61.3)
■ When carrying passengers for compensation or hire on cross-country flights in excess of 50 NM or at night. (§61.133)
■ For flight in Class A airspace (§91.135)
■ For Special VFR between sunset and sunrise

Question 2

To act as PIC under IFR or in weather conditions less than VFR minimums you must complete what with in the preceding six calendar months?

Answer 2

■ 6 instrument approaches.
■ Holding procedures & tasks.
■ Intercepting & Tracking courses through the use of navigational electronic systems.

Question 3

What are the safety pilot requirements?

Answer 3

■ Safety pilot requirements
▷ Holds at least a private pilot certificate with the
appropriate category and class.
▷ Have adequate vision forward and to each side of
the aircraft.
▷ Aircraft must have a dual control system.

Question 4

More than 6 months since IFR current?

Answer 4

An Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) is required.

Question 5

To meet recent instrument experience requirements, the following information must be recorded in the person’s logbook:

Answer 5

■ Location & type of each instrument approach accomplished, and
■ The name of the safety pilot, if required.

Question 6

PREFLIGHT SELF-ASSESSMENT – “IM SAFE”

Answer 6

■ I - Illness - Do I have any symptoms?
■ M - Medication - Have I taken prescription or over-the-counter drugs?
■ S - Stress - Am I under psychological pressure, worried about finances, health or family discord?
■ A - Alcohol - No drinking within 8 hours. (“8 hours bottle to throttle”). No more than .04% of alcohol in blood. ■ F - Fatigue - Am I tired / adequately rested?
■ E - Emotion - Am I emotionally upset?

Question 7

RISK MANAGEMENT & PERSONAL MINIMUMS – “PAVE”

Answer 7

■ P - Pilot (general health, physical / mental / emotional state, proficiency, currency)
■ A - Aircraft (airworthiness, equipment, performance)
■ V - EnVironment (weather hazards, terrain, airports / runways to be used & other conditions) ■ E - External pressure (meetings, people waiting at destination, etc.)
(Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge)

Question 8

DECISION MAKING – “DECIDE”

Answer 8

■ D - Detect that a change has occurred.
■ E - Estimate the need to counter the change. ■ C - Choose a desirable outcome.
■ I - Identify solutions.
■ D - Do the necessary actions.
■ E - Evaluate the effects of the actions
(Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge)

Question 9

LOGGING INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURES – REQUIREMENTS

Answer 9

1. You must operate the aircraft, FFS, ATD or FTD solely by reference to instruments. – §61.51(g)(1)
   ▷ A flight instructor may log an IAP conducted by the student in actual IMC. (See FAA letter to Levy, 2008)
2. Be established on each required segment of the IAP down to its published minimums (MDA or DA).
   ▷ The Initial (starting at the IAF), Intermediate and Final approach segments are required for logging the approach, unless:
   ▷ When radar vectored to final by ATC. (In simulated IMC, vectors from the safety pilot are also accepted).
3. If conducted in simulated IMC in an aircraft, or in a FFS, ATD or FTD, simulated conditions must continue down to
   MDA or DA.
4. In an aircraft, flight must be in actual or simulated IMC.
5. In an aircraft, if conditions change from actual IMC to VMC during the final approach segment, you can still log the approach.

Question 10

The IPC must cover these areas of operation:

Answer 10

■ Air traffic control clearances and procedures. ■ Flight by reference to instruments.
■ Navigation systems.
■ Instrument approach procedures.
■ Emergency operations, and
■ Post-flight procedures.

Question 11

What personal documents are required for flight?

Answer 11

■ Pilot Certificate
■ Medical certificate (or US Driver’s license as permitted by
§61.113 & §61.23)
■ Authorized photo ID (passport, driver’s license, etc)
■ Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit (For flights
outside the US)

Question 12

AIRCRAFT DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR FLIGHT – “ARROW”

Answer 12

A - Airworthiness certificate
R - Registration certificate
R - Radio station license (for flights outside the US) O - Operating limitations & information (in AFM) W - Weight & Balance data

Question 13

AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS REQUIRED FOR IFR – “AVIATES”

Answer 13

■ A - Airworthiness Directive (AD) required inspections. (§39)
■ V - VOR check every 30 days. (For IFR; §91.171)
■ I - Inspections: (§91.409)
▷ Annual inspection - 12 Cal. Months (all aircraft). ▷ 100-hour (time-in-service) inspection required if:
□ Carrying a person for hire (other than crew member), or
□ Flight instructing for hire in an aircraft provided by the person giving the instruction.
□ “For hire” refers to the person , not the aircraft.
◦ Flight school providing airplane + instructor for hire:
100-hours required
◦ Student-owned aircraft: 100-hours not required.
◦ Rental (no pilot or instructor): 100-hr not required.
□ The 100-hr inspection may be exceeded by up to 10 hours if aircraft is enroute to a place where it can be done. This additional time must be included in computing the next 100-hours inspection.
□ An annual inspection can substitute for the 100-hour if done within 100 hours of time-in-service.
▷ A progressive inspection schedule, if specifically approved by the FAA, may replace the annual and 100 hour inspections.
■ A - Altimeter, automatic altitude reporting (used by transponder) & static system every 24 calendar months. (For IFR in controlled airspace; §91.411)
■ T - Transponder every 24 calendar months. (§91.413)
■ E - ELT (§91.207)
▷ inspected every 12 calendar months.
▷ Battery must be replaced after more than 1 hour of
cumulative transmitter use or if 50% of its useful life has expired (or, for rechargeable batteries, 50% of the useful life of charge has expired).
■ S - Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) required inspections.

Question 14

PASSENGER BRIEFING – “SAFETY”

Answer 14

■S
▷ Seat belts fastened for taxi, takeoff, landing.
▷ Shoulder harness fastened for takeoff, landing. ▷ Seat position adjusted and locked in place
■A
▷ Air vents location and operation
▷ All environmental controls (discussed)
▷ Action in case of any passenger discomfort
■F
▷ Fire extinguisher (location and operation)
■E
▷ Exit doors (how to secure; how to open)
▷ Emergency evacuation plan
▷ Emergency/survival kit (location and contents)
■T
▷ Traffic (scanning, spotting, notifying pilot) ▷ Talking, sterile flight deck expectations
■Y
▷ Your questions? Speak up!

Question 15

TAXI BRIEFING – “ARCH”

Answer 15

■ A - Assigned / planned runway.
■ R-Route.
■ C - Crossings and hold short instructions.
■ H - Hot spots & Hazards

Question 16

TAKEOFF BRIEFING – “DEPARTS”

Answer 16

D - Departure review (e.g. takeoff type, initial heading, first fix & course, clearance readout).
E - Establish Expectations (e.g., flying pilot, PIC, positive transfer of controls).
P - Plan / special considerations (e.g., weather, visibility, terrain, unfamiliar field, inoperative equipment / MELs).
A - Alternate (takeoff alternate, if needed, or return plan) R - Runway conditions and length.
T - Trouble / Tactics (e.g., rejected takeoff, engine failure). S - Speak up! Questions / concerns?

Question 17

PREFLIGHT INFO REQUIRED FOR IFR: “NW KRAFT”

Answer 17

■ N - NOTAMs.
■ W - Weather reports and forecasts.
■ K - Known traffic delays as advised by ATC.
■ R - Runway length of intended use.
■ A - Alternatives available if flight cannot be completed as planned.
■ F - Fuel requirements
■ T - Takeoff and landing performance data.

Question 18

Requirement: no person may operate an aircraft in controlled
airspace under IFR unless that person has:

Answer 18

▷ Filed an IFR flight plan; and
▷ Received an appropriate ATC clearance.

Question 19

How to file an IFR flight plan?

Answer 19

▷ FSS
□ by phone (1-800-WX-BRIEF) □ over the radio (GCO/RCO)
□ In person.
▷ Online
□ www.1800wxbrief.com (Leido), www.fltplan.com (Garmin)
▷ EFB (e.g., Foreflight)
▷ With ATC (over radio, or phone if no other means available)

Question 20

When and how can you cancel a flight plan?

Answer 20

▷ Towered airports - automatically canceled by ATC upon
landing.
▷ Non-towered airports - Pilot must contact ATC / FSS to cancel (by radio or phone)
▷ Can cancel anytime in flight if out of IMC and out of class A airspace.

Question 21

NEED A DESTINATION ALTERNATE?
“1-2-3” RULE

Answer 21

■ An instrument approach is published and available for the destination, AND,
■ For at least 1 hour before to 1 hour after ETA: ▷ Ceiling will be at least 2000’ above airport
elevation; and
▷ Visibility will be at least 3 SM.

Question 22

MIN WX CONDITIONS REQUIRED AT AN AIRPORT
TO LIST IT AS AN ALTERNATE

Answer 22

■ Precision approach:
600 ft ceiling and 2 SM visibility.
■ Non-precision approach:
800 ft ceiling and 2 SM visibility.
■ No instrument approach available at the alternate:
Ceiling & visibility must allow descent from MEA, approach and landing under VFR.

Question 23

FILING AN ALTERNATE - GPS CONSIDERATIONS- Equipped with a non-WAAS GPS?

Answer 23

You can flight plan based on GPS approaches at either the destination or the alternate, but not at both.

Question 24

FILING AN ALTERNATE - GPS CONSIDERATIONS - WAAS Without baro-VNAV?

Answer 24

May base the flight plan on use of LNAV approaches at both the destination and alternate.

Question 25

FILING AN ALTERNATE - GPS CONSIDERATIONS - WAAS with baro-VNAV?

Answer 25

May base the flight plan on use of LNAV/VNAV or RNP 0.3 at both the destination and the alternate.

Question 26

IFR CRUISING ALTITUDES
– In uncontrolled airspace Based
on magnetic course:
Below FL290

Answer 26

0-179 ODD thousands (below 18,000’)
or Flight Levels (at or above FL180)
180-359 EVEN thousands (below 18,000’) or Flight Levels (at or above FL180)

Question 27

Are Take Off (T/O) minimums mandated for part 91 operations?

Answer 27

No

Question 28

What does the “Trouble T” icon stand for?

Answer 28

Non-Standard TO mins / Departure Procedures.

Question 29

What does the bold A stand for?

Answer 29

Non-Standard IFR alternate minimums exist.

Question 30

What does the bold A followed by NA stand for?

Answer 30

Alternate minimums not authorized due to unmonitored facility or the absence of weather reporting service.

Question 31

What does the bold A followed by NA stand for?

Answer 31

Alternate minimums not authorized due to unmonitored facility or the absence of weather reporting service.