Commiserations FRQ - its no fun to miss out on an exam, but it's a learning experience, and you're probably in the majority of people who sit flight planning by getting to go back and give it another shot.
Originally Posted by
FRQ Charlie Bravo
On a flight YSSY YPPH via H44 and Q32 overhead MTP BW is ?????, PH is Accept becoming Suit with 30 min fuel (Inter), PAD is Suit. What is PNR Norm Ops PH - PAD (ignore lateral distance between Q32 and Y135) distance reference PH?
Dont get confused by the way they word things. (OK, easier said than done with CASA questions). Off-track PNRs are not examined in this exam - if you attempt to use Off-track PNR methods to solve this, you'll likely confuse yourself, run out of time, and with certainty, get the question wrong.
It is to be treated as an
on-track PNR, and the clue is in the phrase "ignore lateral distance between Q32 and Y135".
Yes, they're one-way routes, but to get from Q32 to Y135 would require, as you say, travelling some 40 nm south before turning left for Adelaide. This overcomplicates the question and actually means it wouldn't be asking for the simple PNR, so they instruct you to ignore the lateral distance, ie, assume there is no lateral displacement, ie, assume you can just chuck a u-turn and fly back to Adelaide, ie, assume Adelaide was actually on-track.
Yes, its a poor way to word it, but they're actually trying to make it simpler.
You're given a weight over Mount Hope (it will more than likely be a Gross Weight, or a Fuel On Board weight), and more than likely, a speed and height.
Work out how much fuel you have available for PNR calculations (making sure to deduct the
in-flight fixed reserve, not the
planning stage fixed reserve), and draw up a flight plan.
Find an equal point - that is, a point that on one side, both the Out and Home legs are identical, and the other side is not. Mount Hope VOR is a good equal point.
Work backwards - you know your landing weight, (take off all the flight fuel youve calculated to be available - but don't take off your weather reserves if any. In this case, none required.) so you can also quickly calculate your Top of Descent weight, to the kilogram. Work out how much fuel you'd burn flying back from MTP to Adelaide (it's about 160nm), and deduct that fuel from your available.
Now you can work out your distance to the PNR, and once you've got a distance, read the question again to make sure they wanted it in distance from Adelaide, not from Perth, because it would really be unpleasant to get the right PNR but still pick the wrong answer.
Good luck on your re-sit - feel free to PM me if you want to have a chat about any of the exam.