IR renewal tricky questions.
Thread Starter
IR renewal tricky questions.
Sorry guys, I know this thread has been done before, but for the life of me I can't find it 
. So if someone can point me in the direction I'll post there.
Cheers
The Twit
. So if someone can point me in the direction I'll post there. Cheers
The Twit
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This one from 2005? You've got a good memory
Tricky IFR Questions At Interviews
That thread is now closed.
Tricky IFR Questions At Interviews
That thread is now closed.
Last edited by Trent 972; 14th May 2013 at 09:14.
Thread Starter
I think there was a more recent one but we shall consider this version 2.0 
Had a renewal the other day, which i passed, but there were some questions I wasn't quite sure of and am having trouble finding the references for.
1. Your overhead an aerodrome at night, no AWIS, runway lights are on but no windsock light. Can you land? to which I answered no. he then asked what if he had landed 10 minutes before me (windsock light worked then) and radioed wind direction. Can you land?
2. Taxiing in a cabin class twin behind a dash 8, how far back must you be?
3. On the RWY 15 ILS into YBCS. You become visual at the MM, How do you know you have the required vis? I'm pretty sure it has to do with the HIAL, but can't find where?
Please feel free to take the piss outa me, but if you have the answers(with references please) can you put them up too.
And if you have your own tricky ones, whack em up here too. Might help next time round.
Cheers
The Twit
Had a renewal the other day, which i passed, but there were some questions I wasn't quite sure of and am having trouble finding the references for.
1. Your overhead an aerodrome at night, no AWIS, runway lights are on but no windsock light. Can you land? to which I answered no. he then asked what if he had landed 10 minutes before me (windsock light worked then) and radioed wind direction. Can you land?
2. Taxiing in a cabin class twin behind a dash 8, how far back must you be?
3. On the RWY 15 ILS into YBCS. You become visual at the MM, How do you know you have the required vis? I'm pretty sure it has to do with the HIAL, but can't find where?
Please feel free to take the piss outa me, but if you have the answers(with references please) can you put them up too.
And if you have your own tricky ones, whack em up here too. Might help next time round.
Cheers
The Twit
Well, if you passed, why at the debrief, did the examiner not tell you which questions you got wrong, and why? How hard can it be for some people to pass on a bit of knowledge? It would be different if you failed - the examiner would probably tell you to p1ss off and do some study. I would.
My answers, from a practical - not necessarily legal - viewpoint:
1 yes and yes - provided that you have some alternative means of determining the wind direction; e.g. smoke, FMC/FMS/GPS, ground report, other nearby airport. AND if a diversion would compromise your fuel, or some emergency exists, even lacking all of the above: you (I) will be landing anyway using the most likely runway based on forecast or local knowledge.
2 no idea - 'a safe distance'? APPROXIMATELY 15 metres sounds like a good number. It is buried somewhere in the old CAOs where it waffles on about distance from another aircraft with engines running. Yeah right - try parking xx metres away from another aircraft at most busy airports these days.... This is one of those fairly useless questions, because my 15 metres could be your 20 and vice versa. We have no way of measuring it sitting in the cockpit. A bit like that favourite in all the air legislation exams about horizontal distance from cloud - how does one measure this in flight?
3 HIALS will be visible at cat one minima
My answers, from a practical - not necessarily legal - viewpoint:
1 yes and yes - provided that you have some alternative means of determining the wind direction; e.g. smoke, FMC/FMS/GPS, ground report, other nearby airport. AND if a diversion would compromise your fuel, or some emergency exists, even lacking all of the above: you (I) will be landing anyway using the most likely runway based on forecast or local knowledge.
2 no idea - 'a safe distance'? APPROXIMATELY 15 metres sounds like a good number. It is buried somewhere in the old CAOs where it waffles on about distance from another aircraft with engines running. Yeah right - try parking xx metres away from another aircraft at most busy airports these days.... This is one of those fairly useless questions, because my 15 metres could be your 20 and vice versa. We have no way of measuring it sitting in the cockpit. A bit like that favourite in all the air legislation exams about horizontal distance from cloud - how does one measure this in flight?
3 HIALS will be visible at cat one minima
Yes correct:
1) The pilot is considered an approved observer so he/she can provide wind direction and velocity indications so yes you can land.
2) Yes it's in the CAO's somewhere behind turboprops its 15m...from standing position its 23m I think. Jets is double so 30m and 46m.
3) HIALS yes. 150m for each branch.
1) The pilot is considered an approved observer so he/she can provide wind direction and velocity indications so yes you can land.
2) Yes it's in the CAO's somewhere behind turboprops its 15m...from standing position its 23m I think. Jets is double so 30m and 46m.
3) HIALS yes. 150m for each branch.
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1) The pilot is considered an approved observer so he/she can provide wind direction and velocity indications so yes you can land.
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A pilot can only be an approved observer for take-off and landing of her/his own flight unless they are a BOM and/or CASA approved observer !
Only for establishing visibility for Take-Off and Landing.
CIVIL AVIATION REGULATIONS 1988 - REG 120
Weather reports not to be used if not made with authority
(1) The operator or pilot in command of an aircraft must not use weather reports of actual or forecasted meteorological conditions in the planning, conduct and control of a flight if the meteorological observations, forecasts or reports were not made with the authority of:
(a) the Director of Meteorology; or
(b) a person approved for the purpose by CASA.
Penalty: 5 penalty units.
(2) An offence against subregulation (1) is an offence of strict liability.
Note For strict liability , see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code .
Weather reports not to be used if not made with authority
(1) The operator or pilot in command of an aircraft must not use weather reports of actual or forecasted meteorological conditions in the planning, conduct and control of a flight if the meteorological observations, forecasts or reports were not made with the authority of:
(a) the Director of Meteorology; or
(b) a person approved for the purpose by CASA.
Penalty: 5 penalty units.
(2) An offence against subregulation (1) is an offence of strict liability.
Note For strict liability , see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code .
Last edited by Trent 972; 15th May 2013 at 07:04.
The pilot is considered an approved observer ------
With the noted exception, only in the rest of the world is a PPL or higher licensed pilot an approved met observer.
As usual, Australia is "different", and as I recall, it was all about a union demand many moons ago ---- does anybody remember when.
I haven't checked the rules in a while, but likewise weather observation by pilots, in the air, turbulence reports etc., precede your comments with "Airep Special" to stay legal.
Tootle pip!!
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Visibility at ILS minima..
Visibility determination at the minima is determined by how thepilot transitions from instrument flying to visual flying.
When 1.5km vis is required the pilot should see all of the HIALs along with the PAPI / VASIS...
When 1.2km vis is required all of the HIALs and the beginning of the threshold should be visible...
When 0.8km vis is required..one should see HIALs / no need to see beginning of threshold..
Thinking deeper about this rather than dogmatically it will make sense...i.e threshold to VASIS or PAPI is 300m! Etc etc (1.5 versus 1.2 requirements)
0.8km used with aid of FD or coupled AP...to assist in persisting with the approach without the visual slope guidance of PAPI / VASIS offers.
The stories going around about light spacing etc...seriously...who counts rows of lights when ~300ft AGL travelling at speed at the DA!!! (Not to mention if OEI!)
Hope this helps...and makes visibility determination easier for some!
When 1.5km vis is required the pilot should see all of the HIALs along with the PAPI / VASIS...
When 1.2km vis is required all of the HIALs and the beginning of the threshold should be visible...
When 0.8km vis is required..one should see HIALs / no need to see beginning of threshold..
Thinking deeper about this rather than dogmatically it will make sense...i.e threshold to VASIS or PAPI is 300m! Etc etc (1.5 versus 1.2 requirements)
0.8km used with aid of FD or coupled AP...to assist in persisting with the approach without the visual slope guidance of PAPI / VASIS offers.
The stories going around about light spacing etc...seriously...who counts rows of lights when ~300ft AGL travelling at speed at the DA!!! (Not to mention if OEI!)
Hope this helps...and makes visibility determination easier for some!
There appeared to be a bit of confusion in the previous thread link as to why you add 50'/min to the result of the 5 x GS to maintain a 3deg profile.
On approach with a GS of 150kts (2.5nm/min) you would calculate 750'/min ROD.
In the Jepps however a 3deg profile is 320'/nm. So at 2.5nm/min you would require 800'/min ROD...
Some other IFR questions...
How much obstacle clearance do the shaded (do not penetrate) boxes on the approach plate afford you? What about a DGA plate?
During a visual approach to an aerodrome at night, can you use a circling category higher than your own aircraft to use a larger circling area to descend from msa earlier?
Validity of QNH?
A missed approach must be conducted if?
During a DGA, the arrival must be discontinued in the event of significant disparity between the aid and GPS track. Define significant?
Conducting an RNAV runway approach during the day, you arrive at the MDA, how do you know you have the required visibility?
BA
On approach with a GS of 150kts (2.5nm/min) you would calculate 750'/min ROD.
In the Jepps however a 3deg profile is 320'/nm. So at 2.5nm/min you would require 800'/min ROD...
Some other IFR questions...
How much obstacle clearance do the shaded (do not penetrate) boxes on the approach plate afford you? What about a DGA plate?
During a visual approach to an aerodrome at night, can you use a circling category higher than your own aircraft to use a larger circling area to descend from msa earlier?
Validity of QNH?
A missed approach must be conducted if?
During a DGA, the arrival must be discontinued in the event of significant disparity between the aid and GPS track. Define significant?
Conducting an RNAV runway approach during the day, you arrive at the MDA, how do you know you have the required visibility?
BA
Last edited by Bladeangle; 17th May 2013 at 01:16.
1. At MDA you lose sight of the runway due to a rainshower. What do you do?
2. You're crossing the ITCZ at night with convective weather around. Suddenly you lose your airspeed indications. What do you do?
2. You're crossing the ITCZ at night with convective weather around. Suddenly you lose your airspeed indications. What do you do?
Snoozer:
1. Go Around.
2. Flight with Unreliable Airspeed Memory Items, then Checklist. Then it depends where I am in relation to my destination as to how the decision making process goes.
1. Go Around.
2. Flight with Unreliable Airspeed Memory Items, then Checklist. Then it depends where I am in relation to my destination as to how the decision making process goes.
And if your bugsmasher does not run to checklists for loss of ASI, just remember that a known power setting for a known attitude will produce known performance for a given configuration. You already know this for your aircraft - right?
If the ASI is still out on final approach, add GPS ground-speed into your scan for a rough idea of IAS. You can guess the wind effect and unless you are at high elevations ignore the difference between TAS and IAS because at bugsmasher approach speeds near sea level they are not that far apart.
This is probably a question outside the scope of a normal I.R. renewal, but a very good one. Far more use than knowing the lobe frequencies of the ILS.
If the ASI is still out on final approach, add GPS ground-speed into your scan for a rough idea of IAS. You can guess the wind effect and unless you are at high elevations ignore the difference between TAS and IAS because at bugsmasher approach speeds near sea level they are not that far apart.
This is probably a question outside the scope of a normal I.R. renewal, but a very good one. Far more use than knowing the lobe frequencies of the ILS.
I pull back sharply on the control stick until I induce a stall, I then hold that attitude whilst falling 40,000 ft and remain confused as to why the aircraft is not performing all the while ignoring repeated stall warnings... Do I win the prize? 
Originally Posted by Mach E Avelli
And if your bugsmasher does not run to checklists for loss of ASI, just remember that a known power setting for a known attitude will produce known performance for a given configuration. You already know this for your aircraft - right?
If the ASI is still out on final approach, add GPS ground-speed into your scan for a rough idea of IAS. You can guess the wind effect and unless you are at high elevations ignore the difference between TAS and IAS because at bugsmasher approach speeds near sea level they are not that far apart.
This is probably a question outside the scope of a normal I.R. renewal, but a very good one. Far more use than knowing the lobe frequencies of the ILS.
If the ASI is still out on final approach, add GPS ground-speed into your scan for a rough idea of IAS. You can guess the wind effect and unless you are at high elevations ignore the difference between TAS and IAS because at bugsmasher approach speeds near sea level they are not that far apart.
This is probably a question outside the scope of a normal I.R. renewal, but a very good one. Far more use than knowing the lobe frequencies of the ILS.
So pole-ing forward as hard as buggery while screaming "WE BOTH DIE UNLESS MY AIRSPEED INDICATOR STARTS WORKING AGAIN!" isn't a recommended flight test ASI failure recovery technique? I'd be pretty bloody surprised if the ASI didn't suddenly become a working instrument again.
Whereupon a very calm "Ok...that's that problem fixed. What's next on the test sheet?" could be asked of the examiner.
Whereupon a very calm "Ok...that's that problem fixed. What's next on the test sheet?" could be asked of the examiner.
Last edited by Tinstaafl; 21st May 2013 at 02:32.
Justjoined RTFA. See the word "probably" ? Not a journalist who quotes selectively are you?
