Instruments Flashcards
When to file IFR?
- Weather requires IFR (VFR cannot be maintained)
- Airspace rules require an IFR flight plan
- Night ops
- Airspeed (KTAS) will exceed 180 within federal airways
When do you need to file an alternate?
WWW.RRUM
• Wx: <2000ft and 3 mi vis (even if a VFR descent from a MIA can be accomplished), can be 1500 and 3 if 2 independent precision approaches are available and operable
• Winds out of limits
• no Weather reporting capability
• Radar required for approaches
• RVSM: if you need to be in RVSM airspace to get to the destination
• Unmonitored NAVAIDs
• Minimums for the lowest approach > 1500 and 3
What disqualifies an alternate?
- Wx: >= 500 above lowest compatible app, and 2mi or lowest vis min whichever is greater
- Winds out of limits
- no Weather reporting capability (A NA)
- RVSM required to reach alternate
- Radar required
- A - Trouble A with an applicable note
- G - GPS only available NAVAID
What are the visibility and cloud clearance requirements for the different types of airspace?
Airspace Visibility Requirement Cloud Clearance Requirement
Class A None None
Class B 3 SM Clear of clouds
Class C 3 SM 500’ below, 1000’ above, and 2000’ laterally
Class D 3 SM 500’ below, 1000’ above, and 2000’ laterally
Class E (Below 10,000’ MSL) 3 SM 500’ below, 1000’ above, and 2000’ laterally
Class E (At or above 10,000’ MSL) 5 SM 1000’ below, 1000’ above, 1 SM laterally
Class G (Below 10,000’ MSL) 3 SM 500’ below, 1000’ above, and 2000’ laterally
Class G (At or above 10,000’ MSL) 5 SM 1000’ below, 1000’ above, 1 SM laterally
What is the minimum climb gradient required when departing an airfield under IFR?
• 200 ft./NM
What minimums are needed for circling/straight-in approaches?
• Weather must be at or above both ceiling AND visibility requirements
Can you begin your enroute descent or instrument approach if the weather at your destination is below mins?
• No
What do you do if the weather goes below mins after you’ve already begun the approach? AFI 11-202V3, 8.17.1.1
• Continue to the MAP and execute the missed approach or climbout procedure
If a TEMPO condition at your alternate (+1 hour of your ETA) shows weather below mins due to thunderstorms, snow showers, or rain showers, can you still use that airfield as an alternate? AFI 11-202V3, 8.8
• Yes. However, if the TEMPO exists because of any other condition that pushes the weather below approach minimums (fog, haze, winds, etc.), you cannot use that airfield as an alternate.
If the forecast for your destination shows weather in limits, but includes a TEMPO line that is not, can you still file to that airfield? AFI 11-202V3, 8.6.1
• Yes, but you need to file an alternate
VFR ceiling and visibility? AFI 11-202V3, 7.2.2
• 1500’ and 3 SM
How does fuel planning change if you are filing with visibility only versus ceiling/visibility? AFI 11-202V3, 2.4.3.1
- Filing with visibility only: Your plan must include fuel for an approach and missed approach at your destination
- Filing with visibility and ceiling: Your plan only needs to include fuel up to your IAF
What are the weather minimums for takeoff in IMC? AFI 11-202V3, 8.11
- Pilots will not takeoff if the weather is below the approach minimums for their aircraft, unless authorized by their MAJCOM, but in no case less than 600 RVR. Alternate minima and recovery procedures must be published.
- [AETC] AFI 11-2 MDS must provide specific guidance on the alternate takeoff minimums and substitute recovery procedures. Minima below 1600 RVR are not authorized unless runways are equipped with centerline lights and visible markings, and to operative transmissometers.
When must you report “gear down” on an approach? AFI 11-202V3, 5.13
• Before crossing the runway threshold
What are the different types of IFR departures? AFI 11-202V3, 8.12.3
- Standard Instrument Departure (SID)
- Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP) – Textual/Graphic (includes Reduced Takeoff Runway Length and Visual Climb over the Airport
- Diverse Departure (proceed on course)
- MAJCOM Departure
- ATC Instructions
What if your destination doesn’t have published instrument approaches? AFI 11-202V3, 8.5
- File to a point in space
* File to a nearby airfield with approaches, get below IMC, and proceed VFR to your destination
Can you use an airfield without any published or compatible approaches as an alternate? AFI 11-202V3, 8.8.2
• Yes, but forecast weather at that airfield, ±1 hour of your ETA, must permit a VFR descent from the Minimum IFR Altitude to a VFR approach and landing
An approach can bring you to the runway as much as _____ degrees off centerline and still be considered a straight-in approach. AFMAN 11-217V1, 6.5.4.4.7
• 30 degrees
What is the standard direction for holding? AFMAN 11-217V1, 8.1.1
• Right-hand turns
What must you do if you go one dot below or two dots above glideslope during an ILS? AFMAN 11-217V1, 12.2.1.3.1
• You must adhere to the Localizer minimums, but if you can recapture the glideslope within the Localizer minimums, you may resume the ILS
What are the different types of ODPs? AFMAN 11-217V1, 7.4.1
- Non-standard weather minimums
- Minimum climb gradient in lieu of non-standard weather minimums
- Non-standard takeoff minima and a minimum climb gradient
- ODP with specific routing
- Combination of methods
- Visual Climbout Over Airfield
- Reduced Takeoff Runway Length Procedure
When can you legally descend below the MDA? AFMAN 11-217V1, 12.2.2.9.2
• Sufficient visual references within the runway environment must be established and the aircraft is in a position to land safely
What must you do if you lose sight of the runway during a circling approach? AFMAN 11-217V1, 14.4.2.4
- Execute a climbing turn in the last known direction of the LANDING runway
- Intercept and fly the missed approach procedure for the APPRAOCH runway
What is a VDP, and how do you calculate one if it isn’t published? AFMAN 11-217V1, 12.1.1.3/12.1.1.3.2
• Visual Descent Point, it is the point during a non-precision approach when you can descend out of the MDA if the runway is in sight. The VDP normally allows for a 3 degree glideslope.
• Divide the Height Above Touchdown (HAT by the glideslope x100
• Ex. HAT = 368 feet, Glideslope = 3 degrees
o 368 ft’ / 300 = 1.2 NM
What are the considerations for using a VOR for doing a groundspeed check? AFMAN 11-217V1, 5.6.1
- You must be proceeding directly to or directly from the station
- Your DME from the station must be greater than your altitude divided by 1,000 (ex. if you are at FL200, you must be more than 20 NM away)
- Groundspeed checks made below 5,000 AGL are always accurate
What three pieces of info does a controller need to issue you in order to accomplish a circling approach? AFMAN 11-217V1, 13.6.2
- Direction from the airport (N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SE, SW)
- Left/Right base
- Runway #
What do the letters X, Y, Z, following an approach title, mean on an approach plate? AFMAN 11-217V1, 6.5.1.3.2.1
• More than one approach exists for the same runway using the same guidance equipment (ex. ILS Z RWY 28L)
What do the letters A, B, C, following an approach title, mean on an approach plate? AFMAN 11-217V1, 6.5.1.3.4
• The approach is designed for circling minimums only, i.e. the approach will not bring you into the airfield in line with a runway (ex. TACAN-B)
Describe what constitutes the “runway environment.” AFMAN 11-217V1, 12.1.2.2
- One or more of the following: runway, runway markings, runway lighting, VASI/PAPI, and approach lighting
- NOTE: If using approach lighting to identify the landing environment, do not descend below TDZE+100 feet without seeing the red termination bars
Definition of Field Elevation? AFMAN 11-217V1, 6.5.4.4.1
• The highest point on any usable landing surface
What is TDZE? AFMAN 11-217V1, 6.5.4.4.2
• Touchdown Zone Elevation, the highest elevation in the first 3,000 feet of the landing surface
What does VOR stand for? AFMAN 11-217V1, 7.4.3.5.1
• Very High Frequency Omni-directional Range
What are the three modes on the GPS and what are their sensitivities? AFMAN 11-217V1, 12.2.3.1.3, 12.2.3.1.4
- Enroute (30+ NM from the airfield): +5 miles
- Approach Arm (within 30 NM of the airfield): +1 mile
- Approach Active (within 2 NM of the FAF): +0.3 miles
What are MSA and ESA? AFMAN 11-217V1, 6.5.4.1.7
• MSA: Minimum Safe Altitude – Provides 1,000’ of obstacle clearance for emergency use within a specified distance from the facility
o If more than one Minimum Safe Altitude is required, it becomes a Minimum Sector Altitude. These MSAs will be depicted on each approach plate and provide 1000’ of obstacle clearance within 25 NM of the facility.
• ESA: Emergency Safe Altitude – Normally exists at military facilities only, provides 1,000’ of obstacle clearance (2,000’ in mountainous terrain) within 100 NM of the facility
What is the range of the ILS glideslope signal? AFMAN 11-217V1, 12.2.1.2.3
• 10 NM
What is the range of a Localizer signal? AFMAN 11-217V1, 12.2.1.3
• 18 NM, 10 degrees
What is a Trouble T? Does a Trouble T automatically mean there is an ODP for that airfield? AFMAN 11-217V1, 7.4.1.1
• It is a warning that obstacles around the airfield may require non-standard departure minimums, but it does not necessarily mean there is an ODP for the airfield
When is a Procedure Turn not executed? (SNERT) AFMAN 11-217V1, 11.3.1
- Cleared a Straight-In
- Flying approach via No Procedure Turn (NoPT) routing
- Established in holding, subsequently cleared the approach, and holding & procedure turn course are the same
- Radar vectors to final
- Timing approach (from holding)
What is the length of holding at or below 14,000’? Above 14,000’? AFMAN 11-217V1, 8.3.5
• One minute at or below 14,000’, One minute and 30 seconds above 14,000’
What is an LDA? AFMAN 11-217V1, 4.9
• Localizer-type Directional Aid, similar to a localizer but not part of a complete ILS system, doesn’t necessarily bring you in on centerline (up to 30 degrees off)
What do you do if you get a RAIM failure on a GPS approach and you are inside the FAF? AFMAN 11-217V1, 12.2.3
• Discontinue the approach (do not descend further, climb Missed Approach altitude, proceed to the MAP and execute climbout)
Define ‘Mountainous Terrain.’ AFMAN 11-217V3, Pg. 203
• An area where the surface elevation changes more than 300’ within 1 NM or 3,000’ within 10 NM
What are the Category B circling parameters? AFMAN 11-217V3, 10.8.5 / AFMAN 11-217V1, 6.5.1
• 91-120 KIAS / 1.5 NM radius
What does an underlined NAVAID frequency on an approach plate mean? Any IAP, Pg. XIX
• That NAVAID does not have voice transmission capability on that frequency
What does a white “C” on a black square mean on the circling approach minimums line? Any IAP, Pg. XV
• A modification to your circling approach exists to address an increase in True Airspeed due to an increase in altitude
Identify the control tower on an airfield sketch. Any IAP, Pg. XVIII
- Black square with TWR written above it
* If the tower and airport beacon are collocated, only the beacon star symbol will be displayed
A black star with a white circle on an airfield sketch denotes what? Any IAP, Pg. XVIII
• Airport beacon location
At the top of an airfield sketch in an approach plate, what does a white “D” on a black square mean? Any IAP, Pg. XVIII
• The runway has a declared distance which may be different than the length listed next to the runway in the sketch (may be due to an obstacle, a displaced threshold, etc.)
On an approach plate, what does a white “L” on a black circle next to a CTAF mean? Any IAP, Pg. I
• A pilot can activate airport lighting on that frequency
What does a dot on the top of a lighting symbol mean? What if the lighting symbol is black? FIH, B-30
• A dot means sequenced flashing lights. A black lighting symbol means pilot-controlled lighting
In a NORDO situation, what altitude do you fly? What route do you fly? FIH, A-6
• Fly the highest of your Assigned, Minimum IFR, or Expected altitudes (in that order of preference). Fly the Assigned, Vectored, Expected, or Filed route (in that order of preference)
What variation in altitude is allowed when flying at MDA? T-6 Syllabus Course Training Standards, Item #27e
• +100 feet, -0 feet