AVweb Quiz #179: A Little This, A Little That

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Jan. 7, 2013

Interactive Quiz #179:
A Little This, A Little That

FAROS, RWSL, RAIM, GNSS, NOTAM. These words are not in Hobbit language or some weird FAA anagram that, when unscrambled, portends the end of over-priced avgas. Instead, those are samplings of what well-traveled pilots encounter daily and -- now -- you must identify.

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. Here's an AIM quote: "RWSL is a fully automated system that provides runway status information to pilots and surface vehicle operators to clearly indicate when it is unsafe to enter, cross, take-off from, or land on a runway." RWSL means:
a. Runaway Status Light
b. Runway Status Light
c. Runway Surface Light
d. Runway Sensor Light

2. FAROS sounds like a sticky Greek pastry, but it's really a visual alert system that warns arriving pilots (on final) that something is on the runway. Two-part question: What does FAROS mean, and when activated (alerting), what flashes?
a. Final Approach Runway Occupancy Signal, PAPI lights
b. Final Approach Runway Occupancy System, runway lights
c. Final Arrival Runway Occupancy Signal, PAPI lights
d. Forward Arrival Reduction Occupancy System, runway lights

3. IFR or VFR arrivals to an airport with an operating control tower should listen to the ATIS (Automated/Automatic Terminal Information Service) and then tell either the Tower or Approach control the ATIS letter; for example "Charlie," "Delta," etc. If you forget the letter, no sweat; simply tell ATC that you "have the numbers," and the controller will know that you have the current ATIS broadcast.
a. True
b. False

4. GPS in general-aviation use is as common as rubbery pancakes at a Saturday fly-in breakfast. RAIM is a critical function for IFR GPS operations and is darn good to know for the VFR pilot who enjoys satnav. Because everyone loves RAIM, what does the acronym mean?
a. Receiver Automatic Integrity Monitoring
b. Receiver Autonomous Integrated Moment
c. Receiver Automated Internal Monitoring
d. Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring

5. A minimum of (_____) satellites is required to establish an accurate, three-dimensional, GPS position. (Fill in the blank.)
a. Two
b. Three
c. Four
d. Five

6. What ATC facilities provide air-traffic service to aircraft operating on IFR flight plans principally during the en route phase of flight?
a. Air Route Traffic Control Centers
b. En Route Traffic Control Centers
c. Air Traffic Control TRACONs
d. Approach Control En Route Centers

7. FSS (Flight Service Stations) used to be the primary go-to FAA source for pilot briefings and weather. Nowadays, of course, pilots have a myriad of online weather and flight-planning services available, but FSS lingers like the contracted-out Maytag Repairman (person) waiting for some pilot to call and be put on hold. FSS specialists are qualified and certificated by the National Weather Service (NWS) as Pilot Weather Briefers as well as authorized to make original forecasts (TAF, FA).
a. True
b. False

8. Refer to the excerpt from a Sectional chart below. Look northeast of Gary/Chicago International airport (GYY). Gary is inside Class D airspace and close to Class B airspace (O'Hare). There is a wide, white line running north/south that contains the letters "TAC." What does TAC mean in this situation?

a. Tactical Air Command
b. Terminal Area Control
c. Terminal Approach Control
d. Terminal Area Chart

9. PAPI lights are common at even sleepy airports where there are more coyotes than flight operations. From the pilot's view, when properly aligned on final, Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) lights are normally located to the left side of the runway. We've all seen them and know that an on-glidepath, three-degree indication shows the four lights arranged from left to right like this:
a. Red, red, white, white
b. White, red, white, red
c. Red, white, red, white
d. White, white, red, red

10. OK, enough acronyms and charts ... let's see who remembers how to fly. Fill in the blanks while making this coordinated turn: "When airspeed is held constant, a larger angle of bank will result in a (_____) turn radius and a (_____) turn rate."
a. Smaller, greater
b. Greater, smaller
c. I don't know; I'm a hot-air balloon pilot!

11. Survey Results: Last month, in Brainteaser #178, we asked you to tell us what was the dumbest thing you ever encountered in aviation. Click answer a to read the results of this survey:
a. Choose this answer, and then on the results page you can click to read about lots of dumb things in aviation.
b. Don't select this answer, even if you don't intend to look at the survey results. 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.

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Interactive Quiz #179:A Little This, A Little That

Interactive Quiz #179:
A Little This, A Little That