INSTRUMENT ORAL CORE REVIEW QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔What are ALS, VASI, PAPI, and REIL? - ✔✔ALS - Approach Light System
VASI - Visual Approach Slope Indicator
PAPI - Precision Approach Path Indicator
REIL - Runway End Identifier Lights
✔✔What color are runway edge lights? - ✔✔White, except on instrument runways,
yellow replaces white on the last 2000 feet/half the runway length (whichever is less) as
caution zone
✔✔What colors and color combinations are standard airport rotating beacons? -
✔✔Lighted land airport - White / Green
Lighted sea airport - White / Yellow
Military airport - 2 White / Green
✔✔What does operation of rotating beacon at airport during daylight hours mean? -
✔✔In Class B, C, D, and E surface areas, operation of beacon during daylight indicates
below VFR conditions (under 1000 ft ceilings, less than 3 SM visibility). ATC clearance
then required to land, takeoff and fly in the traffic pattern.
✔✔What are runway touchdown zone markings? - ✔✔Identify touchdown zone for
landing - provides distance information in 500-ft increments (one, two, three rectangular
bars arranged symmetrically in pairs about runway centerline).
✔✔What is purpose of runway aiming point markings? - ✔✔Visual aiming point for
landing aircraft. Two rectangular markings (broad white stripe, each side of centerline
and approximately 1000 ft from landing threshold.
,✔✔How far down a runway does the touchdown zone extend? - ✔✔First 3000 feet of
runway, beginning at threshold. (Used to determine touchdown zone elevation in the
development of straight-in landing minimums for instrument approaches)
✔✔What is RWSL? - ✔✔Runway Status Light System - fully automated system that
provides runway status to pilots/surface vehicle operators to clearly indicate when it is
unsafe to enter, cross or takeoff from runway. Two statuses: ON - lights illuminated red,
OFF - lights not illuminated
✔✔Does lack of illumination of RWSL give a pilot permission to enter, cross, or takeoff
from runway? - ✔✔No, RWSL is independent safety enhancement so you still need
ATC clearance to do these things.
✔✔What are important altitudes to know? - ✔✔MEA, MOCA, MCA, MRA, MAA,
OROCA
✔✔MEA - ✔✔Minimum En-Route Altitude:
ensures acceptable navigational signals & obstacle clearance
✔✔MOCA - ✔✔Minimum Obstacle Clearance Altitude:
ensures obstacle clearance requirements (on routes) & navigational signal coverage
within 25 SM (22 NM) of VOR
✔✔MCA - ✔✔Minimum Crossing Altitude:
lowest altitude at certain fixes at which aircraft must cross when proceeding in the
direction of a higher MEA
✔✔MRA - ✔✔Minimum Reception Altitude:
lowest altitude at which intersection can be determined
✔✔MAA - ✔✔Maximum Authorized Altitude:
maximum usable altitude or flight level for route/airspace that ensures adequate
reception of navaid signals
✔✔OROCA - ✔✔Off-Route Obstacle Clearance Altitude:
obstruction clearance by 1000 ft in non-mountainous terrain (2000 ft in mountainous
terrain). May not provide signal coverage from ground-based navaids, ATC radar, or
communications coverage.
✔✔If no applicable minimum altitude is prescribed (no MEA or MOCA), what minimum
altitudes apply for IFR operations? - ✔✔Minimum altitudes are:
a) mountainous terrain - at least 2000 ft above the highest obstacle within a horizontal
distance of 4 NM from course
, b) other than mountainous terrain - at least 1000 ft above highest obstacle within
horizontal distance of 4 NM from course
✔✔What cruising altitudes while operating under IFR in controlled airspace (A, B, C, D,
E)? In uncontrolled airspace (G)? - ✔✔Controlled: altitude/flight level that ATC assigns
Uncontrolled:
a) below 18,000 ft MSL: 0 to 179 deg (magnetic course) - odd thousand MSL; 180 to
359 deg - even thousand MSL
b) above 18,000 ft MSL: 0 to 179 deg (magnetic course) - odd flight level; 180 to 359
deg - even flight level
✔✔On a direct flight not flown on radials or courses of established airways or routes,
what points serve as compulsory reporting points? - ✔✔Each and every point used to
define that particular route.
✔✔What are "unpublished" RNAV routes? - ✔✔Direct routes based on area navigation
capability, between waypoints defined in terms of latitude/longitude coordinates,
degree-distance fixes, or offsets from established routes/airways at specified distance
and direction. Radar monitoring by ATC is required on all unpublished RNAV routes.
✔✔What reports should be made to ATC at all times without a specific request? - ✔✔a)
vacating any previously assigned altitude/FL for newly assigned one
b) altitude change will be made if operating on a VFR-On-Top clearance
c) when unable to climb/descend at a rate of at least 500 fpm
d) When approach has been missed (request clearance for specific action; i.e. to
alternate airport, another approach, etc)
e) Change in average true speed (at cruise) when it varies by 5% or 10 knots
(whichever is greater) from that filed in the flight plan
f) The time and altitude or flight level upon reaching a holding fix or point that pilot is
cleared to
g) when leaving any assigned holding fix or point
h) any loss, in controlled airspace, of VOR, TACAN, ADF, low -frequency navigation
receiver capability, GPS anomalies while using installed IFR-certified GPS/GNSS
receivers, complete or partial loss of ILS receiver capability or impairment of ground/air
communications capability
i) any information relating to the safety of flight
j) upon encountering weather or hazardous conditions not forecast
✔✔What reporting requirements are required by ATC when not in radar contact? - ✔✔a)
When leaving FAF inbound on the final (nonprecision) approach, or when leaving the
outer marker (corresponding fix) inbound on final (precision) approach
b) A corrected estimate at anytime you realize that a previously estimated estimate is
more than 3 minutes off
ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔What are ALS, VASI, PAPI, and REIL? - ✔✔ALS - Approach Light System
VASI - Visual Approach Slope Indicator
PAPI - Precision Approach Path Indicator
REIL - Runway End Identifier Lights
✔✔What color are runway edge lights? - ✔✔White, except on instrument runways,
yellow replaces white on the last 2000 feet/half the runway length (whichever is less) as
caution zone
✔✔What colors and color combinations are standard airport rotating beacons? -
✔✔Lighted land airport - White / Green
Lighted sea airport - White / Yellow
Military airport - 2 White / Green
✔✔What does operation of rotating beacon at airport during daylight hours mean? -
✔✔In Class B, C, D, and E surface areas, operation of beacon during daylight indicates
below VFR conditions (under 1000 ft ceilings, less than 3 SM visibility). ATC clearance
then required to land, takeoff and fly in the traffic pattern.
✔✔What are runway touchdown zone markings? - ✔✔Identify touchdown zone for
landing - provides distance information in 500-ft increments (one, two, three rectangular
bars arranged symmetrically in pairs about runway centerline).
✔✔What is purpose of runway aiming point markings? - ✔✔Visual aiming point for
landing aircraft. Two rectangular markings (broad white stripe, each side of centerline
and approximately 1000 ft from landing threshold.
,✔✔How far down a runway does the touchdown zone extend? - ✔✔First 3000 feet of
runway, beginning at threshold. (Used to determine touchdown zone elevation in the
development of straight-in landing minimums for instrument approaches)
✔✔What is RWSL? - ✔✔Runway Status Light System - fully automated system that
provides runway status to pilots/surface vehicle operators to clearly indicate when it is
unsafe to enter, cross or takeoff from runway. Two statuses: ON - lights illuminated red,
OFF - lights not illuminated
✔✔Does lack of illumination of RWSL give a pilot permission to enter, cross, or takeoff
from runway? - ✔✔No, RWSL is independent safety enhancement so you still need
ATC clearance to do these things.
✔✔What are important altitudes to know? - ✔✔MEA, MOCA, MCA, MRA, MAA,
OROCA
✔✔MEA - ✔✔Minimum En-Route Altitude:
ensures acceptable navigational signals & obstacle clearance
✔✔MOCA - ✔✔Minimum Obstacle Clearance Altitude:
ensures obstacle clearance requirements (on routes) & navigational signal coverage
within 25 SM (22 NM) of VOR
✔✔MCA - ✔✔Minimum Crossing Altitude:
lowest altitude at certain fixes at which aircraft must cross when proceeding in the
direction of a higher MEA
✔✔MRA - ✔✔Minimum Reception Altitude:
lowest altitude at which intersection can be determined
✔✔MAA - ✔✔Maximum Authorized Altitude:
maximum usable altitude or flight level for route/airspace that ensures adequate
reception of navaid signals
✔✔OROCA - ✔✔Off-Route Obstacle Clearance Altitude:
obstruction clearance by 1000 ft in non-mountainous terrain (2000 ft in mountainous
terrain). May not provide signal coverage from ground-based navaids, ATC radar, or
communications coverage.
✔✔If no applicable minimum altitude is prescribed (no MEA or MOCA), what minimum
altitudes apply for IFR operations? - ✔✔Minimum altitudes are:
a) mountainous terrain - at least 2000 ft above the highest obstacle within a horizontal
distance of 4 NM from course
, b) other than mountainous terrain - at least 1000 ft above highest obstacle within
horizontal distance of 4 NM from course
✔✔What cruising altitudes while operating under IFR in controlled airspace (A, B, C, D,
E)? In uncontrolled airspace (G)? - ✔✔Controlled: altitude/flight level that ATC assigns
Uncontrolled:
a) below 18,000 ft MSL: 0 to 179 deg (magnetic course) - odd thousand MSL; 180 to
359 deg - even thousand MSL
b) above 18,000 ft MSL: 0 to 179 deg (magnetic course) - odd flight level; 180 to 359
deg - even flight level
✔✔On a direct flight not flown on radials or courses of established airways or routes,
what points serve as compulsory reporting points? - ✔✔Each and every point used to
define that particular route.
✔✔What are "unpublished" RNAV routes? - ✔✔Direct routes based on area navigation
capability, between waypoints defined in terms of latitude/longitude coordinates,
degree-distance fixes, or offsets from established routes/airways at specified distance
and direction. Radar monitoring by ATC is required on all unpublished RNAV routes.
✔✔What reports should be made to ATC at all times without a specific request? - ✔✔a)
vacating any previously assigned altitude/FL for newly assigned one
b) altitude change will be made if operating on a VFR-On-Top clearance
c) when unable to climb/descend at a rate of at least 500 fpm
d) When approach has been missed (request clearance for specific action; i.e. to
alternate airport, another approach, etc)
e) Change in average true speed (at cruise) when it varies by 5% or 10 knots
(whichever is greater) from that filed in the flight plan
f) The time and altitude or flight level upon reaching a holding fix or point that pilot is
cleared to
g) when leaving any assigned holding fix or point
h) any loss, in controlled airspace, of VOR, TACAN, ADF, low -frequency navigation
receiver capability, GPS anomalies while using installed IFR-certified GPS/GNSS
receivers, complete or partial loss of ILS receiver capability or impairment of ground/air
communications capability
i) any information relating to the safety of flight
j) upon encountering weather or hazardous conditions not forecast
✔✔What reporting requirements are required by ATC when not in radar contact? - ✔✔a)
When leaving FAF inbound on the final (nonprecision) approach, or when leaving the
outer marker (corresponding fix) inbound on final (precision) approach
b) A corrected estimate at anytime you realize that a previously estimated estimate is
more than 3 minutes off
