AVweb Quiz #169: Billions and Billions

HOME

FREE NEWSLETTER

XML|RSS

PODCAST

VIDEO

Sunday 19th May 2013

Brainteasers

Brainteasers Home »

March 5, 2012

Interactive Quiz #169:
Billions and Billions

Let's not exaggerate the threats to aviation, but knowing what might divert your flight and how to utilize available resources could save you billions and billions of dollars. Or at least help you ace this quiz.

INSTRUCTIONS: Answer the questions as best you can, then click on the "Score my quiz answers" button to see your score and read the explanations. If you don't like your score the first time around, you can change some of your answers and resubmit. To get the most out of this quiz, we suggest you keep trying until you get a perfect score.

NOTE: When more than one answer is true, only the most complete, correct answer will be scored as correct. The answers are assumed to apply within the United States unless otherwise noted.

1. When a NOTAM warns that your favorite radar approach control facility's secondary surveillance radar is out of service (OTS), what will the radar controller, using primary radar only, not be able to detect on the radar scope?
a. Transponder
b. Geese
c. Rain
d. Airplanes

2. Most radar approach-control facilities have some version of Automated Radar Terminal System (ARTS). While not radar itself, ARTS is the system that processes and displays radar information for the controller. With secondary radar out of service, ARTS will not be able to track primary targets.
a. True
b. False

3. Attention all Minnesota fliers: Spring isn't just around the corner. It tends to get stalled in Iowa along with billions and billions (I don't think I exaggerate) of Canada Geese that graze upon the Hawkeye State's many grass runways, which explains this NOTAM: Ailerona IA [IA66]: March NOTAM #5, Airspace NMRS flocks of GEESE on / INVOF. We know from Quiz #168 that INVOF means "in vicinity of." What does "NMRS flocks" mean?
a. Northern Royal Mounted Saskatchewan flocks
b. Nautical Mile Radius Sequence flocks
c. Near-miss flocks
d. Numerous flocks

4. Geese aren't the only springtime challenge across much of the Lower 48. Thunderstorms affect every state but prove highly mischievous in the Midwest, where billions and billions of mobile homes await to be tossed. An in-flight aviation advisory convective SIGMET (WST) warns of potentially severe thunderstorms as well as (among other things):
a. Embedded thunderstorms
b. Lines of thunderstorms
c. Thunderstorms producing precipitation greater than or equal to heavy precipitation affecting 40 percent or more of an area at least 3,000 square miles
d. All of the above
e. a and c above

5. According to the AIM, "Any convective SIGMET implies (_____) or greater turbulence, (_____) icing, and low-level wind shear." (Fill in the blanks.)
a. Severe, severe
b. Severe, clear
c. Moderate, moderate
d. Severe, extreme

6. AIRMETs (WAs) advise all pilots of "... significant weather phenomena, but describe conditions at intensities lower than those that require the issuance of SIGMETs." The AIM makes AIRMETs sound like the SIGMET's wimpy cousin. Defend the AIRMET's honor by filling in these blanks: "AIRMET (_____) describes IFR conditions and/or extensive mountain obscurations. AIRMET (_____) describes moderate turbulence, sustained surface winds of 30 knots or greater, and/or nonconvective low-level wind shear. And AIRMET (_____) describes moderate icing and provides freezing-level heights."
a. Sierra, Tango, Zulu
b. Central, Western, Eastern
c. Manny, Moe, Jack
d. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie

7. Fill in the blank from this AIM statement: "A severe thunderstorm watch describes areas of expected severe thunderstorms. (Severe thunderstorm criteria are (_____)-inch hail or larger and/or wind gusts of (_____) knots or greater.)"
a. 1, 55
b. 1, 50
c. 1/2, 55
d. 3/4, 50

8. MANPADS. While it sounds like something skinny pilots stuff into their flight-jacket sleeves to look like they have big muscles, MANPADS are actually more serious. What are MANPADS?
a. Man-Portable Air Destruct Systems
b. Mobile Anti-Plane Defense Systems
c. Man-Portable Air Defense Systems
d. Man-Portable Aircraft Detection Systems

9. Did you know that the FAA has assigned a new VFR transponder code to be used by glider pilots solely when not in contact with ATC? If you nodded "Yes" to that question, then please select the new VFR glider transponder code below. If you responded with, "No I didn't know that," then take a guess. Or copy off your glider buddy's quiz.
a. 1200
b. 1201
c. 1202
d. 7500

10. You've just upgraded to left seat in a Boeing 747 and the USAF calls, saying, "Hey, we need you to fly the president tomorrow." No problem, and off you go to Andrews AFB to fly Air Force One (A1), an E-4, the military version of the venerable Boeing whale. You will notice that ATC handles A1 a little bit differently than other aircraft. According to the ATC manual (7110.65), what is the one thing that the controller should omit when issuing an IFR clearance to Air Force One that's normally found in a non-presidential IFR clearance?
a. Callsign (Air Force One)
b. Filed altitude
c. Destination airport
d. Route
e. Have a nice day.

11. Billions and billions of readers responded to the Brainteaser Quiz #168 survey: "What's in your fantasy hangar?" See the results by clicking on answer a.
a. Choose this answer and then on the results page you can click to read which airplanes AVweb readers consider to be most beautiful.
b. Please don't select this answer, even if you don't intend to read about beautiful airplanes. It is here for technical reasons, so that your final quiz score will be accurate.

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.

Return to the AVweb Brainteasers page.

JavaScript Menus and DHTML Menus Powered by Milonic

Interactive Quiz #169:Billions and Billions

Interactive Quiz #169:
Billions and Billions