MECIR Theory Flashcards
Theory for MECIR. Covers more than necessary i.e. wx radar knowlege and other stuff you may want to skip. Accurate as of MAR 2016
What climb requirement to what height is required for a multi-engine aircraft with one engine inoperative?
1% up to 5000ft.
When must an aircraft be equipped with an altitude alerting system?
Piston-engine aircraft and unpressurised turbine aircraft operating above 15,000 ft in CTA under IFR.
Pressurised turbine aircraft in CTA under IFR.
When must an aircraft be equipped with an assigned altitude indicator?
Any IFR aircraft operating in CTA without an altitude alerting system.
When is GPWS or TAWS required?
GPWS - turbine aircraft with MTOW of more than 15,000kg or carrying 10 or more passengers and is engaged in RPT or charter.
TAWS - turbine aircraft with MTOW less than 5700kg but more than 10 passengers.
What instruments are required for aircraft with MTOW more than 5700kg IFR charter?
ASI with means of preventing malfunctioning due to either condensation or icing. 2 Altimeters Magnetic Compass Timepiece VSI OAT 2 AH's DG Turn and slip Means of discerning whether the power supply to the gyroscopic instruments is working. Machmeter in turbo-jet Alternate static port Duplicated power supply
What instruments are required for aircraft operating under aerial work or private IFR or freight only charter less than 5700kg under IFR?
ASI Altimeter Magnetic Compass Timepiece (may be carried on the pilot) VSI OAT AH DG Turn and Slip Means of indicating whether the power supply to the gyroscopic instruments is working. Means of preventing malfunctioning due to either condensation or icing of at least 1 airspeed indicating system. Alternate static source Duplicated power supply
What operations can a single engine aircraft fly in?
Private
Aerial Work
Charter operations not involving passengers
Charter or RPT involving passengers if the operation is approved in writing by CASA and the operations are conducted in a turbine aircraft.
Who is responsible for determining visibility and cloud base for take-off on an IFR flight?
PIC
How does the PIC determine cloud base before take-off?
Using current available weather forecasts and reports.
How does a PIC determine cloud base for landing?
From the cockpit of the aircraft while in flight.
An aircraft whilst on a route segment must fly above the LSALT except _____?
During take-off or landing
During an arrival or departure procedure being flown in accordance with any instructions published in the AIP and at a safe height above the terrain.
During an authorised instrument departure or approach procedure.
In day VMC.
Flown in accordance with instructions from ATC.
What does an instrument rating let you do?
Fly under the IFR or night under the VFR.
When are you authorised to pilot an aircraft in a single-pilot operation under the IFR?
Only if you passed the flight test in a single-pilot aircraft or completed your IPC in a single-pilot aircraft.
When are you authorised you conduct a circling approach under the IFR?
If the holder passed the flight test for the rating within the previous 12 months and the flight test included a circling approach or the holder’s most recent IPC included a circling approach or the holder is successfully participating in a training and checking system including circling approaches.
When does the regulation on recency of approaches not apply?
If you have passed an IPC within the previous 3 months or the holder is successfully participating in a operator’s training and checking system for IFR.
How many approaches must be completed in the previous 90 days to be authorised to fly IFR? What can they be done in?
- In an aircraft or approved flight simulation training device.
How many approaches have to be completed in an aircraft or flight simulation training device of the same category before you can fly IFR?
1.
When can you conduct a 2D approach?
When you have completed a 2D approach in the last 90 days.
When can you conduct a 3D approach?
When you have completed a 3D approach in the last 90 days.
When can you conduct an azimuth guidance approach?
When you have completed an azimuth guidance approach in the last 90 days.
When can you conduct a CDI approach?
When you have completed a CDI approach in the last 90 days.
What recency requirements are involved for a single-pilot operation?
Flight or simulated flight under IFR in the last 6 months.
The flight must have a duration of at least one hour and include one instrument approach.
If you pass your MECIR on 3rd August, when is your next IPC due?
Before 31st of August the following year.
End of the month in a years time.
If your last IPC was 5th November 2016 and you sit your next IPC on the 21st of September 2017, when is your instrument rating valid until?
30th November 2018
What does NVFR rating let you do?
Fly under the VFR at night other than in an operation using a night vision imaging system or a night aerial application below 500ft AGL.
What are the recency requirements for NVFR?
In the last 6 months conduct at least one take-off and landing at night in the aircraft category whilst controlling the aircraft or been assessed as competent to conduct a flight at night in an aircraft of that category by a flight instructor who holds a night VFR training endorsement.
How long until a flight review is required for a multi-engine NVFR rating?
24 months.
What is a balked landing?
A landing manoeuvre that is unexpectedly discontinued below DA/MDA or beyond the MAP.
What is a base turn?
A turn executed by the aircraft during the initial approach between the end of the outbound track and the beginning of the intermediate or final approach track. The tracks are not reciprocal.
What is a decision altitude?
A specified altitude or height in the precision approach or approach with vertical guidance at which a missed approach must be initiated if the required visual reference to continue the approach has not been established.
What is the definition of a discrete code?
A four-digit SSR code with the last two digits not being “00”.
What is a DME distance?
The line of sight distance (slant distance) from the source of a DME signal to the receiving antenna.
What is the Final Approach Course?
A bearing/radial/track of an instrument approach leading to a runway or an extended runway centreline all without regard to distance.
What is the Final Approach?
The part of the instrument approach procedure which commences at the specified final approach fix or point, or where such a fix or point is not specified:
At the end of the last procedure turn, base turn or inbound turn of a racetrack procedure, if specified, or;
At the point of interception of the last track specified in the approach procedure; and ends at a point in the vicinity of an aerodrome from which:
A landing can be made or a MAP is initiated.
What is the Final Approach Fix?
A specified point on a non-precision approach which identifies the commencement of the final segment. The FAF is designated in the profile view of Jeppesen Terminal charts by a Maltese Cross symbol.
What is the Final Approach Point?
A specified point on the glide path of a precision instrument approach which identifies the commencement of the final segment.
What is the Grid Minimum Off-Route Altitude (Grid MORA)?
The altitude which provides terrain and man-made structure clearance within the section outlined by latitude and longitude lines. MORA does not provide for navaid signal coverage or communication coverage.
Grid MORA values derived by Jeppesen clear all terrain and man-made structures by 1000ft in areas where the highest elevations are 5000ft MSL or lower.
MORA values clear all terrain and man-made structures by 2000ft in areas where the highest elevations are 5001MSL or higher.
Grid MORA values derived by the State Authority provide 2000ft clearance in mountainous areas and 1000ft in non-mountainous areas.
What is ILS Category I?
An ILS procedure which provides for an approach to a decision height not lower than 60m and a visibility not less than 800m or RVR not less than 550m.
What is ILS Category II?
An ILS procedure which provides for an approach to a decision height lower than 60m but not lower than 30m and a RVR not less than 300m for Cat A, B, C (D with auto-landing) and not less than 350m for cat D without auto landing.
What is ILS Category IIIA?
An ILS approach procedure which provides for an approach with either a decision height lower than 30m or with no decision height and with a runway visual range of not less than 175m.
What is ILS Category IIIB?
An ILS approach procedure which provides for approach with either a decision height lower than 15m or with no decision height and with a runway visual range of less than 175m but not less than 50m.
What is ILS Category IIIC?
An ILS approach procedure which provides for approach with no decision height and no RVR limitations.
What is the Initial Approach Fix?
A fix that marks the beginning of the initial segment and the end of the arrival segment, if applicable. In RNAV applications this fix is normally defined by a fly-by waypoint.
What is the Initial Approach Segment?
The segment of an IAP between the IAF and the intermediate approach fix or where applicable, the final approach point or fix.
What is an Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP)?
A series of predetermined manoeuvres by reference to flight instruments with specified protection from obstacles form the initial approach fix, or where applicable, from the beginning of a defined arrival route to a point form which a landing can be completed and thereafter, if a landing is not completed, to a position at which holding or en-route obstacle clearance criteria apply.
What is a non-precision approach?
An IAP which utilizes lateral guidance but does not utilize vertical guidance.
What is a precision approach?
An IAP using precision lateral and vertical guidance.
What is the intermediate approach segment?
That segment of an instrument approach procedure between either the intermediate approach fix or point or between the end of a reversal, racetrack or dead reckoning track procedure and final approach fix or point as appropriate.
What is the intermediate fix?
A fix that marks the end of an initial segment and the beginning of the intermediate segment. In RNAV applications, this fix is normally defined by a fly-by waypoint.
What is a minimum descent altitude (MDA)?
A specified altitude in a non-precision approach or circling approach below which descent must not be made without the required visual reference.
What is a minimum enroute IFR altitude? (LSALT)
The lowest published altitude between radio fixes that meets obstacle clearance requirements between those fixes and in many countries assures acceptable navigational signal coverage.
What is a minimum sector altitude (MSA)?
The lowest altitude which may be used which will provide a minimum clearance of 1000ft above all objects located in an area contained within a sector of a circle of 25nm radius centred on a radio aid to navigation.
What is a minimum vectoring altitude (MVA)?
The lowest MSL altitude at which an IFR aircraft will be vectored by a radar controller.
What is a missed approach?
A maneuver conducted by a pilot when an IAP cannot be completed to a landing. The route of flight and altitude are shown on IAP charts. A pilot executing a missed approach prior to the missed approach point must continue along the final approach to the MAP. The pilot may climb immediately to the altitude specified in the missed approach procedure.
What is the missed approach point (MAP)?
That point in an instrument approach procedure at or before which the prescribed missed approach procedure must be initiated in order to ensure that the minimum obstacle clearance is not infringed.
What is a reversal procedure?
A procedure designed to enable aircraft to reverse direction during the initial approach segment of an instrument approach procedure. The sequence may include procedure turns or base turns.
What is RNP type?
A containment value expressed as a distance in nautical miles from the intended position with which flights would be for at least 95% of the total flying time.
E.g. RNP4 represents a navigational accuracy of plus or minus 4nm on a 95% containment basis.
What is runway visual range (RVR)?
The range over which the pilot can see the runway surface marking or the lights delineating the runway or identifying its centre line.
What is an IFR Visual Approach?
An approach by an IFR flight when either part or all of an instrument approach procedure is not completed and the approach is executed in visual reference to the terrain.
What is a visual descent point (VDP)?
A defined point on the final approach course of a non-precision straight-in approach procedure from which normal descent from the MDA to the runway touchdown point may be commenced, provided the approach threshold of that runway, or approach lights, or other markings identifiable with the approach end of the runway are clearly visible to the pilot.
Rated coverage of a VOR below 5000?
60nm
Rated coverage of a VOR between 5000 - 10000
90nm
Rated coverage of LOC at 2000AGL within +/- 10 degrees of course line?
25nm
Rated coverage of LOC below 5000?
30nm
Rated coverage of LOC above 5000?
50nm
What system is the GPS based on?
WGS-84
What can GNSS be used for under the IFR?
DR substitute
IFR Area Navigation
RNAV NPA
What special planning requirements apply to a TSO-129 for RNAV approaches?
An alternate airport with a fixed ground-based navigation aid must be chosen if only an RNAV is available at the arrival aerdrome.
List the following in regards to IFR in Class A airspace:
Are they allowed?
Who are they separated from?
Speed Limitation
Yes.
All other IFR aircraft.
N/A
List the following in regards to IFR in Class C airspace:
Are they allowed?
Who are they separated from?
Speed Limitation
Yes.
IFR, SVFR, VFR.
250 KIAS below 10,000ft
List the following in regards to IFR in Class D airspace:
Are they allowed?
Who are they separated from?
Speed Limitation
Yes. IFR, SVFR Traffic information on VFR. 200KIAS at or below 2500ft AAL within 4nm of the primary class D airport. 250KIAS in the remaining.
List the following in regards to IFR in Class E airspace:
Are they allowed?
Who are they separated from?
Speed Limitation
Yes.
IFR
Traffic information on VFR.
250 KIAS below 10,000ft
List the following in regards to IFR in Class G airspace:
Are they allowed?
Who are they separated from?
Speed Limitation
Yes.
Nil.
Traffic information on IFR, VFR
250 KIAS below 10,000 ft
What lighting is required for a PVT, AWK or CHTR aircraft arriving at an airport at night?
Runway edge lighting
Threshold lighting
Illuminated wind direction indicator
Obstacle lighting when specified in local procedures
What lighting is required for an RPT aircraft arriving at an airport at night?
Runway edge lighting Threshold lighting Illuminated wind direction indicator Obstacle lighting when specified in local procedures Taxiway lighting Apron floodlighting
All lighting must be electric
If an illuminated wind direction indicator is not available, can an aircraft still operate to an airport at night?
Yes - if wind velocity information can be obtained from an approved observer.
When airport lighting is required and PAL is not being used, between what periods must the lighting be operating on departure?
10 minutes before to 30 minutes after take-off.
When airport lighting is required and PAL is not being used, between what periods must the lighting be operating on arrival?
30 minutes before ETA to the time landing and taxiing has been completed.
When is an alternate required for an IFR flight?
Aids - Require the right amount of aids for the aircraft operation.
For RPT or Charter - Either 2 in aircraft and one on ground or one of two types of aid in aircraft.
For Aerial Work or Private - One in aircraft and one on ground.
If planning to a destination airport with no radio navigation aid, an alternate is not required if cloud is forecast less than SCT below final route segment LSALT + 500ft and forecast visibility more than 8km.
Ceiling - Not greater than SCT below alternate minima printed on Jeppesen Approach charts.
Visibility - Not less than specified on Jeppesen Approach charts.
Wind - Not forecast greater than crosswind component.
Prov/Prob - Provisional TAF or Probability of weather deteriorating past the above minimas
Lighting - Lighting required as per operation available.
Storms - Are there thunderstorms forecast?
Do buffer periods apply to TTF’s?
No.
When do you NOT have to provide an alternate for a destination under night VFR?
The destination is served by a radio navigation aid (NDB/VOR) and the aircraft has a system capable of using that aid or the aircraft is fitted with an approved GNSS receiver.
If an alternate is required under night VFR, how far away can the alternate be?
Within one hour flight time of the destination.
When is an alternate required at night to an aerodrome with Portable Lighting?
If there is no responsible person between the times specified.
When is an alternate required at night to an aerodrome without Standby Power?
If there is no responsible person and portable lighting available between the period specified.
When is an alternate required at night to an aerodrome with PAL?
If there is no responsible person between the times specified.
For an RPT (excluding cargo-only operations or an aircraft below 3500kg MTOW) aircraft or one with single VHF communication, what must the alternate airport be equipped with? (For Night)
Either a lighting system not PAL
or
Served by PAL with a responsible person.
For non-RPT, RPT engaged in cargo-only ops and RPT below 3500kg MTOW, what are the requirements in terms of PAL at an alternate?
The alternate may have PAL without a responsible person as long as the aircraft has duel VHF or a single VHF and HF with 30 minutes holding fuel.
If you choose to hold until morning instead of designated an alternate, until what time must you carry holding fuel for?
First light + 10 minutes.
Does an alternate need to have standby power or standby portable lighting?
No.
What is a ‘responsible person’?
One who has been instructed in, and is competent to display, the standard runway lighting with portable lights.
If a partial lighting failure occurs at night whereby there is doubled spacing of runway lights i.e 60m to 120m, what requirements apply to visibility requirements at the minima on approach?
In VMC: No restriction
In Less than VMC: Prevailing visibility must be greater than the published minima multiplied by a factor of 1.5.
What does a steady green light in flight mean?
Authorised to land if no collision risk exists.
What does a steady red light in flight mean?
Give way to other aircraft and continue circling.
What does a flashing green light mean in flight?
Return for landing.
What does a flashing red light mean in flight?
Airport unsafe - do not land.
What does a flashing white light mean in flight?
No significance.
What does a steady green light mean on the ground?
Authorised to take-off if no collision risk exists.
What does a steady red light mean on the ground?
Stop.
What does a flashing green light mean on the ground?
Authorised to taxi if no collision risk exists.
What does a red flashing light mean on the ground?
Taxi clear of landing area in use.
What does a white flashing light mean on the ground?
Return to the starting point on the airport.
When should PAL be activated on departure?
Before taxi
When should PAL be activated on arrival?
Within 15nm of AD and above LSALT.
In excess of what amount of error would deem an IFR altimeter u/s?
+/- 75ft
If two altimeters are required for an operation, what happens if one reads within 60ft and the other reads between 60-75ft?
The flight may continue but the second altimeter must be checked at the first point of landing and must be accurate to within 60ft.
If one altimeter are required for an operation, what happens if one reads within 60ft and the other reads between 60-75ft?
The operation may continue. If the other altimeter reads more than 75ft in error it must be placarded unserviceable.
If one altimeters are required for an operation, what happens if you only have one and it has an error between 60-75ft?
You may continue to the first point of landing then recheck the altimeter which must be accurate to within 60ft.
What operations may be conducted in a single-engine aircraft under the IFR?
Private, airwork and freight-only charter.
How must a flight under the IFR be navigated?
By:
A full time licensed navigator; or
An approved area navigation system that meets performance requirements of the intended airspace or route; or
Use of a radio aid system after making allowances for possible tracking errors of 9 degrees from the last positive fix, the aircraft will come within the rated coverage of a radio aid which can be used to fix the position of the aircraft. The maximum time interval between positive fixes must not exceed two hours; or
Visual reference to the ground or water by day on route segments where suitable en route radio navigation aids are not available, provided that weather conditions permit flight in VMC and the visual position foxing requirements of the VFR are met.
How accurate must a timepiece be?
Within 30s.
What is the order of precision for use of radio navigation aids for tracking?
Localizer, GNSS, VOR, then NDB.
What is a positive fix?
One determined by passage of the aircraft over:
A NDB; or
A VOR station, TACAN site or marker beacon; or
A DME; or
Is one determined by the intersection of two or more position lines which intersect with angles of not less than 45 degrees and which are obtained from NDB’s, VOR’s, localizers or DME’s in any combination. A position line must be within the rated coverage of the aid. For a fix entirely from NDB’s, the position lines must be within 30nm from each of the NDB’s; or
Is one determined by GNSS meeting the requirements for area navigation.
After what deviation within controlled airspace must you notify ATC of your deviation for a VOR, LOC, NDB, DME, GNSS or Visual Tracking?
VOR - half-scale deflection LOC - half scale deflection NDB - +/- 5 degrees DME - +/- 2nm GNSS - half-scale deflection for the current mode Visual Tracking - +/- 1nm
What is the CDI scale for a TSO-129 in en-route, terminal and approach mode?
5nm, 1nm, 0.3nm
What is the CDI scale for a TSO-145 in en-route, terminal and approach mode?
2nm, 1nm,
What navigation aids are required for an RPT operation?
2 ADF or VOR or TSO-145 and 1 DME or GNSS (including at least one ADF or VOR.
or
2 TSO-145’s
What navigation aids are required for a charter/airwork operation above 5700kg MTOW?
2 ADF or VOR or TSO-145 and 1 DME or GNSS (including at least one ADF or VOR.
or
2 TSO-145’s
What navigation aids are required for a charter/airwork operation below 5700kg MTOW and private in CTA?
2 ADF, VOR, DME or GNSS (including at least 1 ADF or VOR)
or
1 TSO-145
What navigation aids are required for a charter/airwork operation below 5700kg MTOW and private in non-CTA?
1 ADF, VOR, TSO-145
What navigation aids are required for night VFR?
1 ADF, VOR, GNSS
What systems are required for an ILS/localizer operation and is there any time these aren’t required?
A 75 MHz Marker Beacon Receiver.
Not required for CAT 1 operations when a serviceable DME or GNSS is fitted and glide slope guidance and accuracy can be checked by reference to information provided on the appropriate instrument approach chart.
When is an airborne weather radar required?
IFR RPT and charter aircraft required to be crewed by two or more pilots must be fitted with an approved airborne weather radar system.
Unpressurized turbine engine aircraft with an MTOW of less than 5700kg and unpressurized piston aircraft are exempt from this.
If an aircraft requiring an airborne weather radar has an unservicable weather radar, can the flight depart?
Only if there is no forecasts indicating probability of thunderstorms of cloud formations associated with severe turbulence.
If ATC give a clearance or requirement based on a GNSS distance and RAIM is not available, is there a requirement to let them know?
Yes.
If you give a GPS distance and RAIM isn’t currently available but has been within the past 5 minutes, what must the call be suffixed with?
Negative RAIM.
When must ATC be advised about the status of your RAIM?
If RAIM is lost for periods greater than 5 minutes even if the GPS is still providing position information.
RAIM is not available when ATC requests GPS distance, or if an ATC clearance or requirement based on GPS distance is imposed.
GPS is in DR mode or experiences loss of navigation function for more than one minute.
Indicated displacement from track centreline exceeds 2 nm.