IFR Questions

[av8trflying]

Hi guys,

I have my renewal coming up soon and it got me thinking about the types of questions that the ATO likes to ask.

I thought we could have a thread with some of the good questions you have been asked when doing your renewals.

For example:

If half of the runway edge lighting is out, what does it mean for your visibility requirements?

If you are on the ground at Pormpuraaw (IFR) and cannot get centre on VHF or HF can you legally takeoff?

Not necessarily looking for the answers, just the types of questions you get.:ok:

[training wheels]

A common one is; When can you descend below your MDA during a circling approach?

I also studied the ERSA emergency procedures for comms failure but wasn't asked this by the ATO during the renewal (only the initial).

[ZappBrannigan]

If you are on the ground at Pormpuraaw (IFR) and cannot get centre on VHF or HF can you legally takeoff?Had a discussion with some colleagues about this recently, so might as well try and answer that one. The law states you must attempt to contact ATS on VHF or HF while taxiing. If you can't get contact, you may proceed on a broadcast basis, provided that you are assured of radio contact with your operator (for RPT, CHTR and AWK flights) who has immediate access to a working telephone until contact is made with ATS, or for non-RPT flights, a departure SARTIME has been established with a max of 30 min from ETD.

A common one is; When can you descend below your MDA during a circling approach?Yep, the ones I made sure I committed to memory were the descent below MDA requirements, operation below LSALT/MSA requirements, and visual approach requirements. Bread and butter stuff, but easy to forget the little details.

[Death Pencil]

Have a look under 'Pre-Flight Examination' on the test form;
http://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/manuals/regulate/fcl/form645.pdf


:ok:

[av8trflying]

thanks guys,

Yeah i was just looking for some curly questions they like to throw.

The one about the runway lights is that you have to increase your vis by 50%.

Didnt know that one and got asked. And yet there it sits right in front of my dial in enroute jepps!!:ugh:

oH well back to the books.

[Horatio Leafblower]

One I have been asked a couple of times:

You have one engine failed and you are conducting an instrument approach. You know you won't be able to achieve the required climb gradient on the missed approach. What do you do?

The answer is "Adjust the minimums" but when the ATO is challenged on precisely how to do that accurately I have only ever had one decent response. :suspect:

[AerocatS2A]

What weather conditions require an alternate?
What buffers are applied to TEMPO and INTER periods on a TAF? What about on a TTF?
There is a TEMPO for thunderstorms from 0300 to 0600, your ETA is 0620, what is the minimum holding fuel (if any) you may carry?
During the day, may you descend below the MDA on a circling approach before intercepting your normal approach profile?
What are the recency requirements for NDB, VOR, ILS, LLZ, DGA, GPS NPA?
What are the lighting requirements at night (e.g., when must you have responsible person, alternate, portable lighting etc.)
Can an alternate be serviced by PAL with no responsible person?

Edit: thought of some more.

When can you use the published minimums for an ILS approach?
You have a U/S flight director, what ILS minimums do you use?
The HIALS is U/S, what are the ILS minimums? (easy, it's on the Jepp chart)
You are doing a non precision approach at an aerodrome with HIALS but the HIALS are u/s, what adjustment must be made to the minimums?
What are the take off minimums?
What are the take off minimums if you plan to return to the departure aerodrome after an engine failure?
Under what circumstances can you reduce the standard take off minimums to zero foot ceiling and 800m vis?
When may you reduce them to zero ceiling and 500m vis?
Can you use zero ceiling and 500m vis from Broome?

[av8trflying]

Excellent guys......keep them coming.

Personally i find these questions easier to study than just reading the regs because it puts them into everyday use.

[ZappBrannigan]

First flight of the day, CHTR category, at the threshold one altimeter is overreading by 40', the other by 70'. Can you depart - and if so, are there any further requirements imposed?

It's Thursday, and you are conducting an IFR CHTR operation. The autopilot was endorsed as U/S on the MR on Monday afternoon. Can you depart without any further requirements?

[AerocatS2A]

What are the privileges of a command instrument rating?
What are the recency requirements to be the PiC under the IFR?
What are the recency requirements to be single pilot under the IFR?
You did an ILS approach 60 days ago, you have flown no other approaches in the last 90 days, you are inbound to Cairns, what approach/es, if any, are you allowed to conduct in IMC?
You're departing under radar vectors with a clearance limit of 3000', you have a comms failure, what do you do?
Other than the emergency section of the Jepps/AIP, where is a ready reference for comms failure procedures on departure?
While conducting a visual approach at night, when may you descend below MSA?

[downwind]

av8trflying,

for your 1st question;

If you are on the ground at Pormpuraaw (IFR) and cannot get centre on VHF or HF can you legally takeoff?

my first try would be to try and communication and relay your ground rpt to any high flying tfc in your area call such as "BN centre and any stations in the xyz area, to ask them to relay to your ifr ground taxi report.

or 2nd of all you could call up bn centre on your mobile and report to them your gnd report and ask for any ifr or other known tfc in the area.

[Unusual-Attitude]

Heres a couple off the topof my head...

1) What is the significance of the thick vertical 'lightening strike' line sometimes seen in a DME arrival chart?

2)What is the significance of the ATC phrase 'Make DME arrival'

3)What is the significance of the shaded background in the last step of the DME/GPS arrival chart?

4) If not visual at the MDA of a DME or GPS arrival, at what point would you commence the missed approach if the particular chart has no MaPT?

5)Can you manoeuver within a published sector during a DME/GPS arrival? If so, what rules apply?

6) Can a pilot holding a CIR not endorsed with DME carry out a published DME arrival procedure?

7)Can this type of procedure be carried out using an approved GPS only?

Erm...know your rules regarding carrying out night VFR, PVT/AirWork/CHTR (aeronautical experience/recency) under your CIR.

Rules for decent below LSALT/MSA/MDA/DA.

Know rules regarding alternate requirements.

One I got was departure from an ala with no SID, and 'how you going to climb safely prior to departure?'. (He wanted to hear 5 ways to accomplish this).

Rules regarding pilot calcualted LSALTs.

And the engine failure whilst on decent, (use your nomograph/POH to adjust your MDA).

But theres a million and one curly questions they could ask you! (Largley depending on their mood/whether they got laid the night before!) Just have a good broad knowledge base, and have a read of your AIP. (If you know a few of the AIP/CAO references off the top of your head,that always goes down well, but be careful you don't dig yourself into a hole by saying too much and confusing yourself...they'll keep probing until your in a corner! :E

[FGD135]

When can you circle in those sectors marked on the approach plate as "no circling"?

[boltz]

When can you circle in those sectors marked on the approach plate as "no circling"?

Day VMC only

[FGD135]

If the destination does not have a TAF, must you plan an alternate?

[av8trflying]

Great questions guys.

Unusual Attitude, can you expand on your question please?

And the engine failure whilst on decent, (use your nomograph/POH to adjust your MDA).


Cheers

[ARENDIII]

Gentlemen,
Get hold of the latest Jeppesen, start reading-all your dreams will come true.
If you come across something good and new please let us all know.
For the latest gen-check your country's AIP and refer to the latest Notam's-then you should be good to go.
Arend III.:ok:

[ARENDIII]

Funnily enough the same question was asked of us at FL260 today.Our comany req's are:Set local QNH alt must be +75ft or -45ft. This is is from a departure airfield-may get worse at level. I would consider a 100 ft difference in cruise a concern. Check where your ref for TCAS originates from and work from there, that is where other a/c will get their alt ref from.
I stress-only our company req and I fly a very old and very nice C130.
For the "New Age chaps-refer to your computers" .
Good Luck.
Arend III.

[Lasiorhinus]

At a civil controlled aerodrome, within how many miles after takeoff must you change to the Departure frequency and make your call?

How about at a military control zone?

:ooh:

[jenaby36]

What is the point of the OM check during an ILS approach?
What actions must be taken if the OM check is wrong?
What is the maximum acceptable error at the OM check?
How far above the GP would you be if you are at half scale deflection of the GS at the OM at YSRI?

[AerocatS2A]

You are doing the ILS at Darwin, the temperature is ISA + 20, given an OM check altitude of 1360', what would you expect your altimeter to read at the OM if you are on slope?

[ConfigFull]

Gday all, first post but long-time reader of these forums.

Got a good one on my initial issue:
You're on the ARBEY arrival into Melbourne and ATC tells you you're cleared the visual approach via the STAR - what does this mean?

[AutopilotEngage]

NZ question...

If descending inbound via a VORSEC chart on a radial dividing two separate MSA requirements, is your limiting height the higher or lower altitude?

How long prior to entering CTR must you file an IFR flight plan in the air?

[oldpinger]

If you're planning to go to an unlicensed airfield IFR at night that has an NDB do you need an alternate? and why?
Have a look at Quirindi NSW

You're planning to go to Tamworth IFR at night, is the circling area different from day time? if so why?

Do you have to be established in tolerances outbound on an NDB approach?

Can you allow for wind outbound in the hold?

[PA39]

How are you going to pay?.....cash preferred.

[boofhead]

Pardon my ignorance (or not); how often is this renewal required for a GA pilot?

[bentleg]

how often is this renewal required for a GA pilot?

CIR - every 12 months
PIFR - a Flight Review is required every two years

There a lot of nuances. Have a read of CAO 40.2.1 (http://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/download/orders/cao40/400201.pdf). for CIR and CAO 40.2.3 (http://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/download/orders/cao40/400203.pdf) for PIFR.

[Gundog01]

Curly question regarding departing IFR (in IMC) from an airfield with no serviceable Navaids using only GPS.

I understand you can't fly any SID (except if designeated RNAV), but what about improvised circling departures?

Is it legal and how would you do it?

[tmpffisch]

Gundog1, I'd be interested to know if there was anywhere that had a SID but no navaids....

Sounds like you, like a lot of people with instrument ratings were never taught how to depart in IMC; only how to arrive.

It's the pilots responsibility to maintain terrain clearance. In the situation you presented, you could hit OBS on your GPS and climb to LSALT overhead, or climb out on a pilot calculated LSALT. If it had an RNAV approach or DGA, you could also climb on the reverse of the approach, or the missed approach.

[Gundog01]

tmpffisch, I think you may have missed the point of the qustion, due partly to a poorly worded question. Despite your assumption based on a single question on an internet forum I am well versed in the options for departing using OCTG, circling etc for establishing safe altitude with extensive experience in low (very low) and high performance aircraft. Just never flown a TSO129 aircraft before.

Specifcally,in a non TSO 145/146 aircraft (i.e. not sole means) how do people (assuming only GPS) ensure they establish on track (assuming IMC from rotate) with no serviceable NAVAIDS.

I am happy with using GPS for distance information for maintaing within circling areas/MSAs (as per DME/GPS arrival) but im not sure about the legalities of establishing 'on track' with a GPS/FMS and no serviceable NAVAIDS.

GD

[Fonz121]

Gundog,

Im not quite sure I still understand what you're asking exactly but using a TSO129 GPS unit can be used exactly the same way as a TSO145/146 unit as far as navigation is concerned. The only difference really is the ability to be able to plan on conducting RNAV approaches without the use of an alternate with the latter (assuming conditions are met).

I'm assuming that by bolding the "no servicable" navaids in your scenario that there is still a navaid on the field, be it not working? If that is the case than its not really an issue still using that navaid as the reference point on your GPS (129 or otherwise) and departing as you would anywhere else.

Having an un-serviceable navaid will obviously mean you can't plan on returning to that aerodrome if you suffer an engine failure after take-off but as far as physically departing goes nothing really changes because you are using a 129 instead of 145/146 GPS. TSO129 GPS's can be used to position fix yourself at any point with use of bearing and distance, hence letting you use the 10 and 25 MSA's.

Have I totally misunderstood what you are asking?

[AerocatS2A]

A TSO129 GPS can also be used to fly an RNAV NPA with no serviceable navaids at the field but you'd need an alternate that has real navaids.

[Gundog01]

Fonz 121, just the answer i was looking for.

Only asked coz it mentioned in the crew room and there were a variety of attempts to explain what you could and couldn't do but no-one could answer with certainty....bograts...

Aerocat, totally understand that side of things, also consier the alternate you must hold does not require Naviads if it is VMC below LSALT+500, 8km vis etc...

[PPRuNeUser0163]

wrong thread

[Gundog01]

The one about the runway lights is that you have to increase your vis by 50%.

Didnt know that one and got asked. And yet there it sits right in front of my dial in enroute jepps!!

av8trflying, do you have a reference for this. I don't use Jepps and have searched AIP without luck.

Cheers GD

[bentleg]

Partial Runway Light Failure - AIP ENR 1.1 58.4.8 - In IMC visibility must be 1.5 times the published instrument approach minimum being used.