Stage 41 Flashcards
What is Decision Height?
(DH) The height at which a decision must be made during an ILS or PAR instrument approach either to continue the approach or to execute a missed approach
What is the Minimum Descent Altitude?
(MDA) The lowest altitude, expressed in MSL, to which descent is authorized on final approach or during circle-to-land maneuvering in execution of an IAP where no electronic glide slope is provided (i.e., nonprecision approach)
What is the Maximum Authorized Altitude?
(MAA) A published altitude representing the maximum usable altitude or flight level for an airspace structure or route segment
What is the Minimum Crossing Altitude?
(MCA) The lowest altitude at certain fixes at which an aircraft must cross when proceeding in the direction of a higher minimum en route IFR altitude (MEA)
What is the Minimum Enroute Altitude?
(MEA) The lowest published altitude between radio fixes that assures acceptable navigational signal coverage along the entire route segment and meets obstacle clearance requirements between those fixes
What is the Minimum Holding Altitude?
(MHA) The lowest altitude prescribed for a holding pattern that assures navigational signal coverage and communications and meets obstacle clearance requirements
What is the Minimum Obstruction Clearance Altitude?
(MOCA) The lowest published altitude in effect between radio fixes on VOR airways, off-airway routes, or route segments that meets obstacle clearance requirements for the entire route segment and that assures acceptable navigational signal coverage only within 25 SM (22 NM) of a VOR
What is the Minimum Reception Altitude?
(MRA) The lowest altitude at which an intersection can be determined
What is the Minimum Safe/Sector Altitude?
(MSA) Altitudes depicted on IAP charts that provide at least 1,000 ft. of obstacle clearance normally within a 25 NM radius of the navigational facility for the approach or missed approach. MSA is for emergency use only and does not necessarily assure acceptable navigational signal coverage.
What is Minimum Vectoring Altitude?
(MVA) The lowest MSL altitude at which an IFR aircraft will be vectored by a radar controller, except as otherwise authorized for radar approaches, departures, and missed approaches. The altitude meets IFR obstacle clearance requirements.
What is the Off-Route Obstruction Clearance Altitude?
(OROCA) An off-route altitude that provides obstruction clearance with a 1,000 ft. buffer in nonmountainous terrain and a 2,000 ft. buffer in designated mountainous areas within the U.S. This altitude may not provide signal coverage from ground-based navigational aids, ATC radar, or communications coverage.
What are the 4 Approach segments?
- Initial (IAF)
- Intermediate (IF)
- Final (FAF/FAP)
- Missed (MAP)
What is the purpose of an IAF?
(Initial Approach Fix) To provide a method for aligning the a/c with the approach course by using an arc procedure, course reversal, or by following a route that intersects the final approach course
What is the purpose of an IF?
(Intermediate Fix) To position the a/c for final descent to the airport
What is the purpose of a FAF/FAP?
(Final Approach Fix/Final Approach Point) To allow safe navigation to the point where, if the required visual references are available, you can continue the approach to landing, but if you cannot see the required cues at the MAP you must execute the Missed Approach Procedure
What is the purpose of an MAP?
(Missed Approach Point) To allow safe navigation from the MAP to a point where another approach can be attempted or you can continue to another airport
Where is the IF located?
- If Indermediate Fix is shown, it is usually aligned within 30 degrees of the Final Approach Course
- If Intermediate Fix is NOT shown, it begins at point where you proceed inbound to the FAF while aligned with the Final Approach Course
Where is the FAF/FAP located?
- Precision App: Begins where the GS is intercepted at the minimum glideslope intercept altitude
- Non-precision App: Will begin at a designated FAF or a point where you’re established on the Final Approach Course. Will begin at a FAP when NO FAF is designated, typically where the procedure turn intersects the Final Approach Course inbound
Where is the MAP located?
- Precision App: Begins at a designated altitude on the GS called the DH (Decision Height)
- Non-precision App: Begins at a fix defined by a NAVAID or after a specified period of time after crossing the FAF
What does it mean to be cleared “as filed”?
This means ATC has approved your flight plan, and that you can expect clearances and vectors as filed
List the ways you could obtain a clearance at a non-towered airport.
RCO, GCO, FSS or Clearance Delivery Line
What does a cruise clearance allow you to do?
- Fly anywhere within your block of airspace, between the Minimum IFR Altitude and up to and including the altitude that is specified in the cruise clearance
- If you verbalize a descent to ATC, you may not go go back above that altitude again w/o clearance
- Also authorizes the approach clearance
What must you do if you are told to “hold for release”?
You can get the clearance, but you cannot leave!
What is a clearance void time?
You must be airborne by this time or you must call and get another release
If cleared VFR-on-top, what must you do?
- Follow VFR and IFR flight rules
Is a VFR-on-top clearance an IFR clearance?
YES!!!!
What are different kinds of departure procedures, and where do you obtain information about departure procedures?
- SIDs and ODPs
- **
If no departure procedure exists for an airport, how must you depart
i
How would you determine if an alternate airport is required for your flight plan?
- If the weather is forecasted below minimums
- If the destination airport only has 1 type of approach
What are the minimum fuel requirements for an IFR flight?
Enough fuel to destination + enough fuel to alternate airport + landing with 45 mins reserves
How do you choose which altitude to fly?
l
What are NOTAMS? What are the different types of NOTAMS? Give an example of how each could affect a flight.
m
What is the minimum altitude you may fly IFR?
n
What is the difference between a compulsory and non-compulsory reporting point? Identify both on an en-route chart.
Compulsory: Required to report to ATC (solid triangle)
Non-Compulsory: Only required to report to ATC when requested (open triangle)
What reports are you required to make to ATC while operating under IFR? List at least 7, and be specific as to what you would include in each report.
- Vacating previously assigned altitude for a newly assigned altitude
- Altitude change during VFR on top
- Altitude and time when reaching a fix/point to which you were cleared
- Leaving any assigned fix/point
- On the missed
- When your TAS changes by 5% or 10 knots of what you had filed
- If unable to climb/descend at a rate of at least 500fpm
- Loss of instruments (in controlled airspace)
- Remarks pertaining to the safety of the flight
When radar contact is lost or terminated during IFR flight, what reports must be made to ATC?
Position reports over compulsory/non-compulsory reporting points
What should be included in a position report?
- Who you are
- Your position and the time
- Altitude
- ETA to next reporting point, and the name of the next succeeding reporting point
- Remarks
What are the maximum holding airspeeds at various altitudes?
MHA-6,000’ = 200 kias
6,001’-14,000’ = 230 kias
14,001’+ = 265 kias
exceptions listed in IFH 10-11
You are trying to fly to MSP. While en route, MSP is bombarded with traffic and you are given random holding instructions at a point on your cross-country route. What items will ATC include in the holding clearance?
- Direction of holding from the fix in terms of the eight
cardinal compass points - Holding fix
- Radial, course, bearing, airway, or route on which the
aircraft is to hold - Leg length in miles if DME or RNAV is to be used
- Direction of turn, if left turns are to be made
- Time to expect-further-clearance (EFC) and any
pertinent additional delay information
What is an EFC time, and why is it important to you?
- Expect further clearance (while holding)
- In the event that radio communication is lost, the EFC allows the pilot to depart the holding fix at that definite time
Draw a picture of a non-standard holding pattern, and identify the sectors where you would execute a parallel, teardrop and direct holding pattern entry.
- Fix is located in the upper right portion of the hold
You lose two-way radio communication. Describe the ways in which you would troubleshoot to re-establish communication. What altitude do you maintain? What route do you fly?
- Checklist
- Assigned, Vectored, Expected, Filed
- MEA
When do you leave a clearance limit or begin an approach when you have lost two-way radio communication?
x
It is VFR and you lose two-way radio communication. What do you do?
Land as soon as practical
It is IFR and you have a complete electrical system failure. What will be affected, and how will you deal with this situation?
z
You inadvertently encounter icing. What do you do?
- Declare emergency
- Follow emergency checklist
- Ask ATC for vectors to exit icing conditions
If you are flying an airplane covered in ice, how can you expect it to behave aerodynamically, and how would you fly it differently?
Lift will diminish and you can expect the aircraft to stall easily.
VOR #1 becomes obviously inoperative during flight. What must you do?
- Report it to ATC
What is a changeover point? (COP)
- Indicates a point where a frequency change is necessary between nav aids to ensure continuous reception of
navigational signals at the prescribed minimum en route
IFR altitude - Switching to receive course guidance from the facility AHEAD of the aircraft instead of the one behind
If no changeover point is depicted on an en route chart, when do you changeover?
When you are midway between the 2 nav facilities…COPs are only depicted if radio nav requires the changeover at distance before or after the midpoint due to signal obstruction
Are courses on the en route chart magnetic or true?
f
The route you are flying has one segment with an MEA of 5000 and after crossing the JMS VOR the route has an MEA of 7000. When do you begin your climb to 7000?
g
The route you have chosen has a fix with an MCA. When do you begin your climb?
h
What is a victor airway? How wide are they, and how high in altitude do they extend?
- Airways based on a centerline that extends
from one NAVAID or intersection to another (or through several) used to establish a known route for en route
procedures between terminal areas - 4 NM wide when NAVAIDs are less than 102 NM apart
- 8 NM wide when NAVAIDs are more than 102 NM apart
- 1,200’ AGL extending to, but not including, FL180
What is a STAR? Where do you find information about a STAR?
- Standard Terminal Arrival Route (like a DP but for arrivals INTO the airspace)
- Transitions IFR a/c from enroute segment to a fix where an IAP can be conducted
- Found in the Terminal Procedures Publication (TPP)
- More info in AIM
When may you descend to the altitude depicted at the IAF?
k
When is a procedure turn not required?
When depicted by “No PT” on the approach plate
What is a no-gyro approach?
- When a pilot under radar control experiences inop/loss of directional gyro/stabilized compass
- Pilot should advise ATC and request vectors for a non-gyro approach
What is a circling approach? How do approach minimums differ?
n
What is a sidestep maneuver?
When you switch your approach to a parallel runway
What is a contact approach, and how do you obtain one?
- When you are flying on an IFR flight plan and you request to continue to the destination airport by visual reference to the surface.
- Must have: ATC clearance, be clear of clouds with 1sm vis, and have ground vis at destination reporting at least 1sm
What is a visual approach, and how do you obtain one?
- May be initiated by the pilot or controller
- An ATC authorization for an a/c on an IFR flight plan to proceed visually to the intended airport (Not an IAP)
- There is no Missed Approach Segment
- Must have: 1,000’ ceilings, 3sm vis, clear of clouds
How do you determine a missed approach point using a non-precision approach with an off-airport navaid?
r
When must you go missed?
Non-Precision = At the MAP Precision = When you are at minimums and do not have the runway in sight
If you go missed while doing a circling approach, where do you fly?
t
What conditions must exist for you to legally land?
u
You see the airport beacon. Do you have sufficient visual reference to land?
No
You see the approach light system. Do you have sufficient visual reference to land?
Only if the red terminating bars are visible
You see the REILs. Do you have sufficient visual reference to land?
x
