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.

[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/_asset...cl/form645.pdf

[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!!

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.

[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!

[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]

Jeppesen

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.

[ARENDIII]

Altimeter

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?

[jenaby36]

ILS question

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?