Quiz #88 -- Can You Get There From Here?

1. Imagine the perfect VFR flying day with calm winds, clear skies, unlimited visibility and -- what the heck -- avgas at 30 cents per gallon. It's your dream so why not? You depart Ailerona, Kan., and request, "VFR flight following," to Deadcow, Neb. Departure control says, "Radar contact, proceed on course," and does not assign you an altitude but watches you level off at 4500 feet MSL -- your requested altitude -- on a magnetic course of 355 degrees. Ground elevation is 1000 feet MSL and doesn't change for this question. Your flight plan calls for a right turn to a magnetic course of 002 degrees 30 nautical miles later. Using FAR 91.159, you should do what? (You need to be a tad subjective, so choose the most practical answer.)
a. Remain at 4500 feet until ATC assigns a new altitude.
b. Climb/descend to an appropriate altitude without telling ATC.
c. Request an altitude change but don't climb or descend until it's approved by ATC.
d. Advise ATC that you will climb/descend.
e. Set transponder to 7500.

2. Prior to beginning a different flight in your Lancair 400 (single-engine, turbo, piston) you discover to your amazement that you have an instrument rating and immediately do two things: 1) You subscribe to IFR magazine (shameless promotion); and 2) File IFR westbound (270 degrees) at FL180 (18,000 feet). The current altimeter setting is 29.40 inches of mercury. Is FL180 usable for this flight?
a. Yes. Piston aircraft can use flight levels.
b. No, because FL180 is wrong for the direction of flight.
c. Yes, provided the IFR pilot files VFR-on-Top (OTP).
d. No. The altimeter setting is too low.
e. No. Flight levels are reserved for turbine aircraft with RVSM (reduced vertical separation minima).

3. You file an airborne IFR flight plan direct (you have IFR-certified GPS and are in radar contact with ATC) to Leadbelly, Colo., the second-highest GA airport in the U.S. with an operating microbrewery on site. You'll fly through a designated "Mountainous Area" (FAR Part 95), so according to FAR 91.177 your filed altitude should be (_____) feet above terrain for that portion of the flight.
a. 1000 feet
b. 1500 feet
c. 2000 feet
d. 2500 feet
e. At or above the highest obstacle within 2000 feet laterally of your RNAV route

4. You're still on the IFR flight in the previous question, which is through the mountains, direct to your destination while in radar contact with ATC via RNAV/GPS. Air traffic control -- either Center or Approach Control -- is obligated to approve your filed altitude (2000 feet AGL) if it complies with FAR 91.177 Minimum Altitudes For IFR Operations and 91.179 IFR Cruising Altitude (correct for direction of flight), provided no other IFR traffic or SUA (Special Use Airspace) conflicts, and radar contact plus communications can be assured. Be bold and take a stab at this.
a. True
b. False

5. Aloft in a remote corner of the Sawbuck Mountains you set up for an RNAV (GPS) approach into an uncontrolled airport. After being cleared for the approach you pass the FAWP (Final Approach Waypoint) and radar service is terminated. You're in the clouds in a non-radar environment when you receive a RAIM alert on your IFR-certified GPS. What does RAIM mean and what should you do?
a. Random Autonomous Integrity Monitoring, begin missed approach.
b. Receiver Autonomous Instrument Monitoring, begin missed approach.
c. Random Autonomous Instrument Monitoring, begin missed approach.
d. Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring, begin missed approach.
e. Read All Important Manuals, find your warranty card.

6. When a radar approach controller vectors you off course you could be assigned a heading that results in a magnetic course (ground track), that conflicts with both the VFR and IFR cruising altitude rules (91.159 and 91.179 respectively). This is fine because ATC is in control. Let's say that you're VFR departing Class C airspace and assigned 4500 feet MSL (4000 feet AGL), on a magnetic course (ground track) of 090 degrees. As you leave the controller's airspace the controller should terminate your radar service by saying, "Radar service terminated, squawk 1200, (_____)." Complete the controller's sentence.
a. Resume appropriate VFR altitudes.
b. Resume own vertical navigation.
c. Climb and maintain 5500.
d. Descend and maintain 3500.

7. Refer to the NACO approach plate below. The planview shows the easy-as-pie TAA arrival configurations now in vogue with many RNAV approaches. What does TAA mean, and what is that T-configuration called?
a. Transportation Arrival Area, Standard T
b. Terminal Arrival Area, System T
c. Terminal Arrival Area, Standard T
d. Transportation Arrival Area, System T
e. Terminal Arrival Area, Terminal T

8. Refer to the approach plate from Question 7 (above). EHPUZ waypoint is the Final Approach Fix (FAF). Which waypoints are fly-by waypoints and which fly-over?
a. RW11 is fly-over, ODDUB and LIXCA are fly-by.
b. RW11 is fly-by, ODDUB and LIXCA are fly-over.
c. IRCIT is fly-over, ODDUB and LIXCA are fly-by.
d. IRCIT is fly-by, ODDUB and LIXCA are fly-over.

9. You're an instrument and multi-engine rated private pilot. You hold a current Class II Medical Certificate (thinking about getting the Commercial ticket) and -- because you weren't a liberal arts major in college -- you can afford a Cessna 310 that's in perfect IFR condition (current annual and all necessary equipment certifications are in order). You take two non-pilot friends with you on an IFR night trip. You have over 500 hours of instrument time in the C-310, and you logged three touch-and-goes at night in the C-310 88 days prior. No other landings of any kind have been made or logged in any aircraft since you passed an IPC (Instrument Proficiency Check) in the C-310 120 days ago in actual nighttime IMC (instrument meteorological conditions), at which time the instructor entered three landings in your logbook. Your logbook was properly endorsed for the IPC at that time. If all three persons on board (you, and the two passengers) share the actual cost of the flight, would this be a legal flight? (Forget smart, think legal.)
a. Yes
b. No
c. Yes, if you go VFR.
d. No, unless you first make and log three more touch-and-goes in the C-310 prior to the flight.

10. You hold a Class III Medical, which is about to expire, and you're feeling fairly healthy. Your bifocals seem to be in good repair, and despite a minor hearing loss from too many Led Zeppelin concerts in the early 1970s, you can hear most of ATC's calls. You opt to continue flying under the new (as of November 2004) Sport Pilot license without an FAA medical certificate because your state driver's license is in good repair. You buy the aircraft pictured below that has (for the sake of our quiz) two seats, fixed gear, and a certified maximum gross takeoff weight of 1240 pounds. You need to hire a flight instructor for a flight review under FAR 61.56 (even sporty airplane pilots need BFRs). Can you hire (pay) a CFI to give you dual in your new airplane? (Assume all the paperwork is legal, just look at the picture for clues.) Choose best answer.
a. No. It's certified "experimental" and instructors can't instruct in any experimental aircraft
b. No. When certified "experimental," instructors can instruct but not for hire. It must be pro-bono (free) instruction.
c. Yes, because you're providing the experimental aircraft.
d. No. An instructor can only fly for hire (pay) in an experimental if the instructor provides the aircraft.
e. What're you nuts!? No instructor would set fanny in anything that looks like that!

11. Bonus essay question: Name the aircraft shown above. Send us your answer and the winner will amaze the Brainteaser staff. The answer will be posted next month.

If you enjoyed taking this interactive quiz and would like to see more like it, go to the AVweb Brainteaser page. And if you thought it was unfair, confusing, or a waste of time, we'd like you to tell us that, too. And if you have an idea for a subject that you think would make a good future Brainteaser quiz, be sure to let us know.

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