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Saturday 22nd November 2008
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Brainteasers Interactive Quiz #62:
Special IFR

Pilots who fly under Instrument Flight Rules in the United States are expected to know and to follow the IFR regulations and procedures as written in the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) and the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM). Some of the procedures are used only on relatively rare occasion in certain areas of the country or only at a small number of airports, so it's quite possible for a pilot to fly for years and accumulate thousands of flying hours under IFR and never have to deal with these procedures, while pilots in other places use them on a weekly basis. This quiz is designed to test your knowledge of some of these lesser-known (and hence "special") IFR procedures.

by Irv Siegel.

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: In the event that more than one answer is correct, credit will only be given for the most complete answer.

1. At busy airports the ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service) will sometimes state that "gate hold procedures are in effect." This is because departure delays exceed or are anticipated to exceed __ minutes.
a. 10
b. 15
c. 20
d. 30
2. ATC normally uses the word "maintain" to indicate an aircraft's assigned altitude. If instead ATC uses the word "cruise" this means that the pilot is authorized to
a. maintain any altitude from the minimum IFR altitude up to and including the altitude specified in the clearance.
b. climb/descend to/from any altitude from the minimum IFR altitude up to and including the altitude specified in the clearance.
c. proceed to and make an approach at the destination airport.
d. All of the above.
e. None of the above.
3. Which of the following is true regarding a clearance to fly VFR-on-top on an instrument flight plan?
a. The pilot must fly at the appropriate VFR altitude as prescribed in 14 CFR Section 91.159.
b. The pilot must comply with the VFR visibility and distance from cloud criteria in 14 CFR Section 91.155 (Basic VFR Weather Minimums).
c. The pilot must comply with instrument flight rules that are applicable to this flight, i.e., minimum IFR altitudes, position reporting, radio communications, course to be flown, adherence to ATC clearance, etc.
d. The pilot should advise ATC prior to any altitude change.
e. All of the above
f. None of the above
4. While on a late-afternoon IFR cross-country flight you encounter a very strong, unforecast headwind. Consequently you decide to use a higher power setting in order to get to your destination before one hour after sunset, since you do not meet the night recency-of-experience requirements. This higher power setting increases your true airspeed from your flight plan filed speed of 150 knots to 164 knots. Should you notify ATC about the change in your true airspeed?
a. Not if you are in radar contact; otherwise, yes.
b. No, because the speed increase is less than 10%.
c. No, because the speed increase is less than 20 knots.
d. Yes
5. Which of the following statements is correct?
a. When approaching a course change at a VOR station, pilots should begin the turn prior to reaching the VOR in order to decrease aircraft congestion directly over the VOR.
b. When approaching a course change at a VOR station, pilots must remain on the original course until station passage, which is indicated by the complete reversal of the "to/from" indicator.
c. When approaching a couse change at a VOR station, pilots may begin turning to the new course prior to reaching the VOR, if that is necessary to remain close to the airway centerline and within the boundaries of the airway.
d. None of the above
6. Your have been cleared via a STAR (Standard Terminal Arrival) to your destination airport. On the printed STAR are the words "expect descent to 4000' at NIMBY." This means that you should
a. begin a descent to 4000' after crossing NIMBY.
b. begin a descent to 4000' after crossing NIMBY only if you have lost communication with ATC.
c. remain at your last assigned altitute until you receive an ATC instruction to descend.
7. Which type of approach may have a Visual Descent Point charted?
a. ILS or other type of precision approach
b. Non-precision circle to land approach.
c. Non-precision straight-in approach
d. All of the above
e. None of the above
8. Which of the following is (are) true regarding timed approaches from a holding fix?
a. A control tower must be in operation at the airport where the approaches are conducted.
b. Direct communications must be maintained between the pilot and the Center or Approach controller until the pilot is instructed to contact the tower.
c. If more than one missed approach procedure is available, none require a course reversal.
d. If only one missed approach procedure is available, the following conditions are met: Course reversal is not required; and reported ceiling and visibility are equal to or greater than the highest prescribed circling minimums for the IAP.
e. When cleared for the approach, pilots shall not execute a procedure turn.
f. All of the above
g. None of the above
9. Which of the following is (are) true regarding a Precision Radar approach (PAR)?
a. Pilots are told to anticipate glide path interception approximately one minute before it occurs.
b. The published Decision Height will be given only if the pilot requests it.
c. Range from touchdown is given at least once each half-mile.
d. All of the above
e. None of the above
10. Which of the following is (are) true regarding a contact approach?
a. A contact approach may be issued by ATC without pilot request if the reported ceiling is at least 1000' and the reported ground visibility is at least 3 miles.
b. A contact approach may only be made to an airport having a standard or special instrument approach procedure.
c. One of the intended uses of a contact approach is for an aircraft to conduct an instrument approach to one airport and then, when "in the clear," discontinue that approach and proceed to another airport.
d. All of the above.
e. None of the above.