ATC BASICS COMPREHENSIVE EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS SCORED A+
✔✔Taxiway edge lights are what color? - ✔✔Blue
✔✔Taxiway centerlines are what color? - ✔✔Green
✔✔In a radar or non-radar environment how can aircraft be separated - ✔✔Vertically,
laterally, longitudinally
✔✔What flight level doesn't exist if the altimeter setting is below 29.92 - ✔✔FL180
✔✔What is the minimum altitude separation between IFR aircraft - ✔✔1,000 up to and
including FL410
✔✔Aircraft in FL290-FL410 must have what? - ✔✔RVSM, if they don't they can pass
through and need separation of 2,000 feet.
✔✔What is the minimum vertical separation from FL410-FL600 - ✔✔2,000 feet
✔✔How big is the protected airspace laterally in non radar below FL180 - ✔✔4nm either
side
✔✔In non radar what is the departure divergence - ✔✔45°
✔✔What is longitudinal separation? - ✔✔Separating aircraft on the same altitude
expressed in units of time or miles
✔✔Define same courses - ✔✔Angular difference is less than 45°
✔✔Define opposite course's - ✔✔Angular difference is greater than 135° through 180°
✔✔What is standard minima for non-radar longitudinally is. - ✔✔10 minutes or 20 miles
✔✔In a terminal radar environment what is separation minima if both aircrafts are less
than 40 miles? - ✔✔3 miles
✔✔In a terminal radar environment what is separation minima if one or two aircrafts are
more than 40 miles? - ✔✔5 miles
✔✔If radar data from more than one antenna is presented what is minimum separation -
✔✔5 miles.
, ✔✔What is en route radar separation laterally and longitudinally - ✔✔Above FL600 - 10
miles
Below FL600- 5 miles
✔✔What is separation? - ✔✔Spacing aircraft to ensure safe and orderly movement or
aircraft.
✔✔What is visual separation? - ✔✔No time or distance minima. See and avoid.
✔✔Up to what flight level can you have visual separation? - ✔✔Up to and NOT
including FL180.
✔✔When visual separation is being used what must be maintained - ✔✔Direct
communications with one if the aircrafts.
✔✔What must be in place before you use visual separation? - ✔✔Another form of
approved separation.
✔✔Describe same runway separation for takeoff - ✔✔Take off roll doesn't begin until
first aircraft crossed the end or turned to avert conflict.
✔✔Describe same runway separation for arriving - ✔✔Aircraft doesn't cross the landing
threshold until the first aircraft has crossed the runway end or turned completely on a
taxiway
✔✔How much distance do you need in a runway between two category 1 - ✔✔3,000
feet
✔✔What is flow control? - ✔✔Adjusts the flow of traffic to ensure most effective
utilization of airspace.
✔✔How much distance do you need in a runway when a category 2 is following a Cat 1
or 2 - ✔✔4,500 feet
✔✔How much distance do you need in a runway when a category 3 is involved -
✔✔6,000 feet
✔✔Intersecting runway separation - ✔✔Make sure the first aircraft has exited the
intersection.
✔✔For a tower facility to provide visual separation between two arriving IFR aircraft,
what condition must exist. - ✔✔Both aircrafts must be visually observed by the tower.
AND SOLUTIONS SCORED A+
✔✔Taxiway edge lights are what color? - ✔✔Blue
✔✔Taxiway centerlines are what color? - ✔✔Green
✔✔In a radar or non-radar environment how can aircraft be separated - ✔✔Vertically,
laterally, longitudinally
✔✔What flight level doesn't exist if the altimeter setting is below 29.92 - ✔✔FL180
✔✔What is the minimum altitude separation between IFR aircraft - ✔✔1,000 up to and
including FL410
✔✔Aircraft in FL290-FL410 must have what? - ✔✔RVSM, if they don't they can pass
through and need separation of 2,000 feet.
✔✔What is the minimum vertical separation from FL410-FL600 - ✔✔2,000 feet
✔✔How big is the protected airspace laterally in non radar below FL180 - ✔✔4nm either
side
✔✔In non radar what is the departure divergence - ✔✔45°
✔✔What is longitudinal separation? - ✔✔Separating aircraft on the same altitude
expressed in units of time or miles
✔✔Define same courses - ✔✔Angular difference is less than 45°
✔✔Define opposite course's - ✔✔Angular difference is greater than 135° through 180°
✔✔What is standard minima for non-radar longitudinally is. - ✔✔10 minutes or 20 miles
✔✔In a terminal radar environment what is separation minima if both aircrafts are less
than 40 miles? - ✔✔3 miles
✔✔In a terminal radar environment what is separation minima if one or two aircrafts are
more than 40 miles? - ✔✔5 miles
✔✔If radar data from more than one antenna is presented what is minimum separation -
✔✔5 miles.
, ✔✔What is en route radar separation laterally and longitudinally - ✔✔Above FL600 - 10
miles
Below FL600- 5 miles
✔✔What is separation? - ✔✔Spacing aircraft to ensure safe and orderly movement or
aircraft.
✔✔What is visual separation? - ✔✔No time or distance minima. See and avoid.
✔✔Up to what flight level can you have visual separation? - ✔✔Up to and NOT
including FL180.
✔✔When visual separation is being used what must be maintained - ✔✔Direct
communications with one if the aircrafts.
✔✔What must be in place before you use visual separation? - ✔✔Another form of
approved separation.
✔✔Describe same runway separation for takeoff - ✔✔Take off roll doesn't begin until
first aircraft crossed the end or turned to avert conflict.
✔✔Describe same runway separation for arriving - ✔✔Aircraft doesn't cross the landing
threshold until the first aircraft has crossed the runway end or turned completely on a
taxiway
✔✔How much distance do you need in a runway between two category 1 - ✔✔3,000
feet
✔✔What is flow control? - ✔✔Adjusts the flow of traffic to ensure most effective
utilization of airspace.
✔✔How much distance do you need in a runway when a category 2 is following a Cat 1
or 2 - ✔✔4,500 feet
✔✔How much distance do you need in a runway when a category 3 is involved -
✔✔6,000 feet
✔✔Intersecting runway separation - ✔✔Make sure the first aircraft has exited the
intersection.
✔✔For a tower facility to provide visual separation between two arriving IFR aircraft,
what condition must exist. - ✔✔Both aircrafts must be visually observed by the tower.
