Pilots Cafe Flashcards
When is an Instrument Rating Required?
•When acting as PIC under IFR or in weather conditions less than prescribed for VFR.
•When Carrying Passengers for compensation or hire on xc-country flights in excess of 50 NM at night.
•For Flight in class A airspace.
• For special VFR between sunset and sunrise.
To carry passengers as PIC under IFR or weather conditions less than VFR minimums?
6 calendar months to achieve…
6- 6 Instrument approaches
H- Holding Procedures
I- Intercepting courses
T- Tracking courses
S- Electronic Systems (Navigational)
No 6 HITS logged in last 6 months?
Given an additional 6 months (grace period) to regain currency by performing 6 HITS with a safety pilot.
Can be conducted in a simulator.
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 dual control system.
No IFR flights, during Grace period?
An Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) is required.
Administered by:
•CFII
•Examiner
• or other approved person.
Some IPC tasks, but not all, can be conducted in a FTD or ATD.
To meet recent instrument experience requirements, the following information must be recorded in the persons logbook…
•Location and each type of instrument approach accomplished.
•And, the name of the safety pilot.
The IPC must cover…
• Air traffic control clearances and procedures.
•Navigation Systems
•Instrument approach procedures
•Emergency operations
•Post-Flight Procedures
Pre-Flight Self Assessment: “IMSAFE”
I- illness- Do I have any symptoms?
M- Medication- Have I taken a prescription or over-the-counter-drug?
S- Stress- Am I under psychological pressure, worried about finances, health or family discord?
A- Alcohol- No drinking within 8 hours. No more than .04% alcohol.
F- Fatigue- Am I tired/ adequately rested?
E- Emotion- Am I emotionally upset?
Risk Management and Personal Minimums- PAVE
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 and other conditions.
E- External Pressure- Meetings. People waiting at destination.
Decision Making- “DECIDE”
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.
Passenger Briefings- SAFETY
S- Seat belts fastened for taxi, takeoff landing. Shoulder harness fastened for takeoff landing. Seat position adjusted and locked.
A- Air vent location and operation. All environmental controls are discussed. Action in case of any passenger discomfort.
F- Fire extinguisher location and operation.
E- Exit doors (how to secure and open). Emergency evacuation plan. Emergency/survival kit (location and contents).
T- Traffic (Scanning, spotting, notifying pilot). Talking (sterile cockpit during taxi, takeoff, landing).
Y- Your questions? Speak up.
Preflight Info required, before arriving at airport.
NWKRAFT
When is an IFR flight plan necessary?
No person may operate an aircraft in controlled airspace under IFR unless that person has:
•Filed an IFR plan
•And, received an appropriate ATC clearance.
•91.173
How to file an IFR flight plan?
File at least 30 minutes prior to estimated departure. Non-scheduled flights above FL230 should be filed at least 4 hours before est. departure time.
FSS:
• by phone (1-800-WX-BRIEF)
•over the (GCO/RCO)
•In person
Online
•www.1800wxbrief.com
•www.flyplan.com
EFB
•Foreflight
With ATC: over radio, or phone if no other means available.
Flight plan cancellation? (AIM 5-1-8)
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.
IFR Minimum Fuel Requirements (91.167)
Should include:
•Fuel from departure to destination airport.
• Fuel from destination to most distant alternate.
• Additional 45 minutes calculated at normal cruise ( 1 hour for the school).
Need a destination alternate? (1-2-3 rule) (91.169)
A destination alternate is always required, unless:
• An instrument approach is published and available for the destination, and
• For at least 1 hour before to 1 hour after ETA: ceilings will be at least 2000’ above airport elevation, and visibility will be at least 3 sm.
Minimum wx conditions required at an airport to list it as an alternate?
The alternate airport minimums published in the procedure charts, or, if none:
Precision approach- 600’ ceiling and 2sm
Non-precision approach- 800’ ceiling and 2sm
No instrument approach available at the alternate ceiling and visibility must allow descent from MEA, approach and landing under VFR.
Filing an Alternate- GPS considerations
•Equipped with a non-WAAS GPS: You can flight plan based on GPS approaches at either the destination or the alternate, but not at both.
•WAAS without baro-VNAV: May base the flight plan on use of LNAV approaches at both the destination and alternate.
• WAAS with baro-VNAV: May base the flight plan on use of LNAV/VNAV or RNP 0.3 at both the destination and the alternate.
IFR Cruising Altitudes?
In controlled airspace: IFR cruising altitudes are as assigned by ATC!
Based on magnetic course:
Below FL290:
Below 18000’ or FL at or above FL180:
• 0-179 degrees, is ODD thousands (3,5,7, etc).
•180-359 degrees, EVEN thousands
Above FL290 in (non-RVSM):
•0-179 degrees. Flight levels at 4000’ increments starting at FL290. (290,330,370)
•180-359 degrees. Flight levels at 4000’ increments starting at FL310. (310,350,390)
Above FL290-FL410 (in RVSM):
•0-179 degrees. Flight levels at 2000’ intervals starting at FL290. (290,310,330)
•180-359 degrees. Flight levels at 2000’ increments starting at FL300 (300,320,340)
IFR Take-off minimums
No T/O minimums mandated for part 91 operations.
Part 121,125,129,135:
•Prescribed T/O minimums for the runway, or, if none:
1-2 engines airplanes, 1sm visibility
More than 2 engines, .5 sm visibility
Departure Procedures (DP)
Ensures obstacle clearance, provided:
• the airplane crossed the departure end of the runway at least 35AGL
•reaches 400ft AGL before turning
•climbs at least 200’ per nautical mile (FPNM), or as published otherwise on the chart.
Pilots are encouraged to file a DP at night, during marginal VMC or IMC.
Two types of DP’s
Obstacle Departure Procedure:
•Provides only obstacle clearance.
•Printed either textually or graphically.
• Graphic ODPs are titled (OBSTACLE)
Standard Instrument Departure:
• In addition to obstacle clearance it reduces Pilot and controller workload by simplifying ATC clearances and minimizing radio communications.
•May depict special radio failure procedures.
•SIDS are always printed graphically.
DPs categorized by equipment:
Non-RNAV DP- for use by aircraft equipped with ground-based navigation.
RNAV DP- for aircraft equipped with RNAV equipment (GPS, VOR/DME, DME/DME). Require at least RNAV 1 performance. Identified with the word “RNAV” in the title.
RADAR DP- ATC radar vectors to an ATS route, NAVAID, or fix are used after departure. RADAR DPs are annotated “RADAR REQUIRED.”
Are you required to accept a DP?
You are not required to accept a DP. To avoid it, state “NO SIDs” in the flight plans remarks section.
Transition Routes
Transition routes connect the end of the basic SID procedure to the new route structure.
Diverse Departure Procedure
All US airports with a published IAP but with no published DP meet the “Diverse Airport Criteria.”
•This criteria requires that an airport has been evaluated for no obstacles within 200ft altitude/NM up to a minimum IFR altitude.
•Diverse Airport Departure provide obstacle clearance when a DP is not published.
Turns are allowed only after reaching 400’ AGL.
Diverse Vector Area (DVA)
Allows ATC to provide radar vectors instead of an ODP, while meeting the diverse departure criteria.
•DVA information is found in the US terminal procedures publication.
•It includes a statement that initial headings are provided by ATC and any applicable climb gradients.
Visual Climb Over Airport (VCOA)
A departure option for IFR aircraft in VMC.
•The pilot visually conducts climbing turns over the airport up to the published “climb to” altitude, from which he proceeds to the instrument portion of the departure.
•Designed to avoid obstacles beyond 3SM from the departure end of the runway (DER), as an alternative to complying with climb gradients greater than the standard 200ft/NM.
•Advise ATC as early as possible, prior to departure, of the intent to fly a VCOA.
•Published in the “Take-Off minimums and (obstacle) Departure Procedures” section of the TPP.
•May appear as an option on graphic ODPs.
How are IFR Departure Clearances given by ATC? “CRAFT”
C- Clearance limit
R- Route
A- Altitude
F- Frequency (for departure)
T- Transponder code
Clearance void time
The time at which your clearance is void and after which you may not takeoff. You must notify ATC within 30 min after the void time if you did not depart.
“Hold for release”
You may not takeoff until being released for IFR departure.
Release time
The earliest time the aircraft may depart under IFR.
Expect Departure Clearance Time (EDCT)
A runway release time given under traffic management programs in busy airports. Aircraft’s are expected to depart no earlier and no later than 5 minutes from the EDCT.
Abbreviated departure Clearance
“Cleared as filed”
Standard Terminal Arrival Route (STAR)
Serves as a transition between the w route structure and a point from which an approach to landing can be made.
•Transition routes connect en route fixes to the basic STAR procedure.
•Usually named according to the fix at which the basic procedure begins.
• As with a SID, you can state “NO STARs” in the remarks section of the flight plan, to avoid getting a clearance containing a STAR.
•RNAV STARs require RNAV1 performance.
Minimum IFR Altitudes
Except for takeoff or landing, or otherwise authorized by the FAA, no person may operate an aircraft under IFR below:
• Minimum altitudes prescribed for the flown segment, or if none:
•Mountainous areas: 2000’ above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 4nm from the course.
•Non-mountainous areas: 1000’ above the highest obstacle within 4NM from the course
DA/H - Decision Altitude/Height
The altitude (MSL)/ height (above the runway threshold), on a vertically guided instrument approach procedure (ILS,LNAV/VNAV, LPV, etc) at which pilot must decide whether to continue the approach or to go-around.
MAA
Maximum authorized altitude.
Annotated “MAA—17000” (17000 feet as an example) on IFR charts.
MCA
Minimum Crossing Altitude.
•The lowest altitude at certain fixes that an airplane must cross when flying in the direction of a higher MEA.
MDA/H
Minimum Descent Altitude/ height.
The lowest altitude (MSL)/ height (above the runway threshold) to which descent is authorized on a non-precision approach until the pilot sees the visual references required for landing.
MEA
Minimum Enroute Altitude
The lowest published altitude between radio fixes which assures acceptable navigational signal coverage and meets obstacle clearance requirements. An MEA gap establishes an area of loss in navigational coverage.
Annotated: MEA GAP on IFR charts
MOCA
Minimum Obstruction Clearance Altitude.
Provides obstacle clearance and navigation coverage only up to 22NM (25 SM) of the VOR.
•If both an MEA and MOCA are prescribed for a particular route segment, a person may operate an aircraft lower than the MEA down to, but not below the MOCA, provided the applicable navigation signals are available. For aircraft using VOR for navigation, this applies only when the aircraft is within 22NM of the VOR.
MORA
Minimum Off-Route Altitude.
•Route MORA provides obstruction clearance within 10NM to either side of airway centerlines and within a 10NM radius at the ends of airways.
•Grid MORA provide obstruction clearance within a latitude/longitude grid block.
MRA
Minimum Reception Altitude.
The lowest altitude on an airway segment where instersection can be determined using radio navigational aids.
MTA
Minimum Turning Altitude.
Provides vertical and lateral obstacle clearance in turns over certain fixes.
Annotated with the “MCA X” icon and a not describing the restriction.
MVA
Minimum Vectoring Altitude.
•The lowest altitude at which an IFR aircraft will be vectored by a radar controller, except as otherwise authorized for radar approaches, departures, and missed approaches.
•MVAs may be lower than the minimum altitudes depicted on aeronautical charts, such as MEAs and MOCAs.
OROCA
Off-Route Obstruction Clearance Altitude.
Provides obstruction clearance with a 1000’ buffer in non-communication signal coverage.
Cruise Clearance
A “cruise clearance” can be issued by ATC to allocate a block of airspace to the flight. This airspace begins at the minimum IFR altitude and extends to the altitude (including) specified in the clearance. Within this block, you are free to climb and descend. However, once you start descending and verbally report leaving an altitude, you may not return to it without additional ATC.
•A cruise clearance also allows you to begin an approach at the destination without receiving an additional “cleared for approach” clearance.
Block Altitude
A block altitude assigned by ATC to allow altitude deviations within it.
Two principles of a gyroscope?
Rigidity in space, and precession.
Attitude indicator (AI) (Gyroscopic Instrument)
Operates on the principle of rigidity in space.
•Shows the bank and pitch information.
•Older AIs may have a tumble limit.
•Should show correct attitude within 5 minutes of starting the engine.
•May have small acceleration/Deceleration errors. (Accelerate=pitch up, Decelerate=pitch down.
•Roll-out errors following a 180 degree turn shows a slight turn to the opposite direction.
Heading Indicator (HI) (Gyroscopic Insturment)
Operates on the principle of rigidity in space.
•It only reflects changes in heading, but cannot measure the heading directly.
•You have to calibrate it with a magnetic compass in order for it to indicate correctly.
•HIs may be slaved to a magnetic heading source, such as flux gate, and sync automatically to the present heading.
•Normally powered by the vacuum system in general aviation aircraft.
Turn Indicators (Gyroscopic Instrument)
Operates in the principle of precession.
•Turn coordinators show rate-of-turn and rate of roll.
•Turn-and-slip indicators show rate-of-turn only.
Altimeter
Is an aneroid barometer that shows the height above a given pressure level, based on standard pressure lapse rate of 1000’ per inch of mercury.
•A stack of sealed aneroid wafers extend and contract with changes in atmospheric pressure received from the static port.
•A mechanical linkage between the aneroid and the display translates the sensed pressure to an altitude indication.
•An altimeter setting knob (on a “sensitive altimeter”, which are most Aircraft altimeters) allows the pilot to adjust the current pressure to the current altimeter setting published locally (available from ATIS, METAR, or ATC).
•The pressure setting is displayed in the “Kollsman Window” in min and/or inches of mercury.
•In the US, when operating below 18000’ MSL regularly set the altimeter to a station within 100NM. Above 18000’ MSL the altimeter should be set to the standard sea level pressure of 29.92 Hg, and operate in Flight Levels.
“High to Low, Watch out below”
Use caution when flying from high pressure to low pressure areas. If altimeter setting is not updated, altitude will indicate higher, causing the pilot to fly lower than desired.
•Flying from hot to cold areas results in the same error!!
Indicated altitude
Uncorrected altitude indicated on the dial when set to local pressure setting.
Pressure altitude
Altitude above the standard 29.92 ahh plane. Used when flying above the transition altitude (18000’ in US).
Density Altitude
Pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temperature. (Performance calculations)
True altitude
Actual altitude above MSL
Absolute altitude
Height above ground level
Vertical Speed Indicator
Indicates rate of climb in FPM, and rate trend (immediately with rate change.)
• A diaphragm inside the instrument is connected directly to the static source.
•The area outside the diaphragm also receives static pressure, but via a calibrated leak.
•This configuration essentially responds to static pressure change over time.
•As the diaphragm expands or contract, a mechanical linkage moves the pointer needle to display the current rate of climb.
