Route Planning

Question 1

What are preferred routes and where can they be found?

Answer 1

Preferred routes are those established between busier airports to increase system efficiency and capacity. Listed in the A/FD

Question 2

What are enroute low altitude charts?

Answer 2

Enroute low altitude charts provide aeronautical information for navigation under IFR conditions below 18,000 MSL. These charts are revised every 56 days.

Question 3

What are enroute high altitude charts?

Answer 3

They are for navigation at or above 18,000 MSL. This four color chart series includes the jet route structure; VHF NAVAIDs with frequency, identification, channel, geo coordinates, selected airports, reporting points. Revised every 56 days.

Question 4

What are area charts?

Answer 4

Area charts show congested terminal areas such as Dallas/FTWORTH or Atlanta at a large scale. They are included with subscriptions to any conterminous US set low and revised 56 days

Question 5

Where can information on possible navigation aid limitations be found?

Answer 5

NOTAMs as well as A/FDs will contain current limitations to NAVAIDs

Question 6

What other useful information can be found in the AFD which might be helpful in route planning?

Answer 6

• Enroute flight advisory services
• ARTCC
• Aeronautical Chart Bulletins - recent changes after publication
• Preferred IFR routes
• Special Notices
• VOR receiver checkpoints

Question 7

What are NOTAMs

Answer 7

Time critical aeronautical information which is either a temporary nature or not known sufficiently in advance to permit publication on aeronautical charts or in other operational publications, diseeminated immediately via the National NOTAM system. It is aeronautical information that could affect a pilot’s decision to make a flight.
* airport or primary runway closures
* changes in the status of navigation aids ILS’s, radar service availability
* other information essential to planned en route, terminal, or landing operations.

Question 8

Define (D) Notams.

Answer 8

Information that requires wide dissemination via telecommunciation, regarding enroute nav aids, civil public use airports, facilities, services, and procedures

Question 9

What are FDC NOTAMs?

Answer 9

Flight Data Center NOTAMs provide flight information that is regulatory in nature including, but not limited to, changes to IFR charts, procedures, and airspace usage (TFRs)

Question 10

What are Pointer NOTAMs?

Answer 10

Issued by a flight service station to highlight or point out another NOTAM

Question 11

What are Military NOTAMs?

Answer 11

pertain to military nav aids and airports

Question 12

All (D) NOTAMs will have keywords contained within the first part of the text. What are examples?

Answer 12

RWY, TWY, RAMP, APRON, AD, OBST< NAV, COM SVC AIRSPACE

Question 13

Where can NOTAM information be obtained?

Answer 13

a. AFSS/FSS
c. (Notices To Airmen Publication) NTAP printed NOTAMs

Question 14

Will an FSS briefer provide GPS NOTAMs as part of a standard briefing?

Answer 14

No. A pilot must requrest GPS NOTAMs during a preflight briefing from an AFSS briefer

Question 15

When will ATC delete from the system a departure flight plan that has not been activated?

Answer 15

Most center will delete flight plans a minimum of 2 hours after proposed departure time or EDCT.

Question 16

When can you cancel your IFR flight plan?

Answer 16

Any time you are operating in VFR conditions outside of Class A.

AIM 5-1-15

Question 17

After filing an IFR flight plan, can you depart VFR and pick up IFR clearance in the air?

Answer 17

Yes. This allows you to get off the ground without having to wait for a time slot in the IFR system. You are responsible for traffic and obstruction clearance, and must remain in VMC until receiving IFR clearance.

Question 18

Which altitude for the route of flight does the requested altitude represent? Initial, lowest, or highest?

Answer 18

Planned cruising level for the first or the whole portion of route to be flown, expressed (for FL) as F followed by 3 figures (ex F180) or (for altitude) as A followed by three figures (ex A040)

AIM 5-1-9

Question 19

On an ICAO flight plan, item 15 requires you to enter planned cruise speed. What does this speed represent?

Answer 19

True airspeed for the first or whole cruising portion of the flight, expressed as N followed by 4 digits (ex N0090)

AIM 5-1-9

Question 20

If you execute a missed approach at your destination due to un-forecast weather and during the climb, you can’t contact ATC, do they know where your alternate is? Can you divert to a different alternate than what is filed?

Answer 20

• No, this information is not presented to controllers. If diversion is necessary, pilots are expected to notify ATC and request an amended clearance
• There’s no requirement to proceed to your alternate, you can select any airport you deem appropriate
• In this case you’d squawk 7600 and proceed to an airport that will result in a safe outcome for the flight

Question 21

What instrument approach procedures may you plan to use at the required alternate when using WAAS?

Answer 21

Any IAP that is authorized for use with the WAAS receiver, with certain restrictions.

AIM 1-1-18

Question 22

What restrictions apply to flight planning when using WAAS avionics at the alternate airport?

Answer 22

Flight planning must be based on the RNAV (GPS) LNAV or circling minima line, or minima on a GPS approach procedure, or conventional approach procedure with “or GPS” in the title. Non-precision weather requirements must be used for planning.

AIM 1-1-18

Question 23

When planning an RNAV route, where should your route begin and end?

Answer 23

Plan the random route portion of the flight plan to begin and end over appropriate arrival and departure transition fixes or appropriate nav aids for the altitude range within which the flight will be conducted. Use of DPs and STARs are recommended.