Pilot Cafe -184 IFR Review
How can you file an IFR Flight Plan? - ✔ ✔ Call a briefer by phone?
Radio FSS
Online (formerly DUATs), software like Foreflight
Radio/Phone ATC
How do you cancel an IFR flight pLan? - ✔ ✔ Towered airports -
ATC cancels for you upon landing
Non-towered airports - call/radio FSS or ATC
ATC while airborne as long as VFR conditions and not Class A
How do you know if you need to file an alternate airport? - ✔ ✔ +-
1hr of ETA
2000ft ceiling and 3SM Visibility
How do you know the static port is blocked? - ✔ ✔ ASI - shows
correct airspeed as long as you don't change altitudes from where
the blockage occurred
Altimeter - will freeze on altitude of the blockage
VSI - will freeze at at zero
How long is an IFR flight plan stored in the system? - ✔ ✔ 1.5
hours
How will pitot static instruments be affected by use of alternate
static source - ✔ ✔ When using alternate static source lower
pressure is measured, expect the following:
ASI - indicate faster than it should
,Altimeter - indicate higher than it should
VSI - momentary climb then normal indication (except if glass is
broken, then reverse)
How would you know that the pitot tube is blocked? - ✔ ✔ ASI will
be affected as follows:
RAM air inlet blocked but drain hole open = airspeed will show zero
Both RAM air inlet and drain hole blocked = ASI will act as altimeter
and no longer be reliable
Hypemic Hypoxia - ✔ ✔ Inability of blood to carry O2; results from
insufficient volume of blood (eg. Bleeding); anemia, CO poisoning
Automatic Weather Observation System (AWOS) - ✔ ✔ Weather
information at an airport broadcast on its own frequency.
Aviation Area Forecast (FA) - ✔ ✔ Forecast weather over an area
of several states. If TAF is not available for your route use FA +
AIRMET, SIGMET, Convective SIGMET and other Information
Issued 3x per day (4x in alaska, Hawaii and Caribean)
Basic VFR Minimums - ✔ ✔ Class A = No VFR
Class B = 3SM + Clear Clouds (3CLR)
Class C = 3SM, 500ft below, 1000ft Above, 2000ft horizontal of clouds
(3512)
Class D = 3512
Class E above 10000ft and Class G above 10000ft/1200AGL = 5SM,
1000ft below, above and horizontal
Class E below 10000ft = 3512
Class G above 1200AGL and below 10000MSL = 1512 (day) and 3512
(night)
,Class G below 1200AGL = 1CLR (day), 3512 (night), 1CLR if in
pattern at 1/2SM from airport runway
Calculate climb gradient from ft/NM to fpm - ✔ ✔ (Ground Speed x
ft/NM)/60 = fpm
Eg. (90Kt x 200ft/NM) / 60 = 300fpm
Calculate Distance to VOR - ✔ ✔ (Ground Speed x Time to
VOR(min))/60
Eg. If you are flying 90knots and you time to VOR is 12min, then
(90x12)/60 = 18miles to VOR
Calculate how far out to start descent on 3Degree Glide Slope - ✔
✔ Altitude to lose / 300
Eg. 6000ft to lose / 300 = 20NM out
Calculate Rate of Decent for 3Degree Glide Slope - ✔ ✔ Ground
Speed x 5 = Vertical Speed to maintain, or
(Ground Speed x 10)/2 = Vertical Speed
Eg. 120Kt x 5 = 600fpm or (120x10)/2 = 1200/2 = 600fpm
Calculate Time to VOR - ✔ ✔ Seconds for bearing change /
degrees of bearing change
Eg. If it takes you 2min to fly a 10deg bearing change then
120sec/10deg = 12minutes to station
Calculation for VDP if not published. - ✔ ✔ VPD (NM from
threshold) = HAT/300, or VPD (seconds to subtract from MAP) = 10%
of HAT
(HAT = height above threshold)
Characteristics of a Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) - ✔ ✔ 190-535
MHz
, Can receive and point toward commercial radio AM Station at 550-
1640MHz
Low to medium frequency band
Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) in aircraft points toward NDB
station
Magnetic Bearing to NDB = Magnetic Heading + Relative Bearing
Characteristics of a Standard Instrument Departure (SID) - ✔ ✔
Obstruction clearance
Help reduce radio congestion and workload
Pilot nav SID - pilot navigates with minimal radio
Vector SID - ATC gives route by vectors (not printed)
Some SID show non-standard radio procedures
File "NO SID" in flight plan remarks if you don't want/can't fly one
ALL RNAV SIDs and RNAV graphical ODPs require RNAV1 (ie. +-1
NM from centerline for 95% of flight)
Characteristics of a Standard Terminal Arrival (STAR) - ✔ ✔
Transition from en route structure to point from which approach
can begin
Transition routes connect en route to STAR
Usually named based on where basic STAR begins
"NO STAR" if you don't want/can't fly
RNAV STARs require RNAV1 (+-1 NM for 95% of flight)
Characteristics of an Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP)? - ✔ ✔
Obstruction clearance
How can you file an IFR Flight Plan? - ✔ ✔ Call a briefer by phone?
Radio FSS
Online (formerly DUATs), software like Foreflight
Radio/Phone ATC
How do you cancel an IFR flight pLan? - ✔ ✔ Towered airports -
ATC cancels for you upon landing
Non-towered airports - call/radio FSS or ATC
ATC while airborne as long as VFR conditions and not Class A
How do you know if you need to file an alternate airport? - ✔ ✔ +-
1hr of ETA
2000ft ceiling and 3SM Visibility
How do you know the static port is blocked? - ✔ ✔ ASI - shows
correct airspeed as long as you don't change altitudes from where
the blockage occurred
Altimeter - will freeze on altitude of the blockage
VSI - will freeze at at zero
How long is an IFR flight plan stored in the system? - ✔ ✔ 1.5
hours
How will pitot static instruments be affected by use of alternate
static source - ✔ ✔ When using alternate static source lower
pressure is measured, expect the following:
ASI - indicate faster than it should
,Altimeter - indicate higher than it should
VSI - momentary climb then normal indication (except if glass is
broken, then reverse)
How would you know that the pitot tube is blocked? - ✔ ✔ ASI will
be affected as follows:
RAM air inlet blocked but drain hole open = airspeed will show zero
Both RAM air inlet and drain hole blocked = ASI will act as altimeter
and no longer be reliable
Hypemic Hypoxia - ✔ ✔ Inability of blood to carry O2; results from
insufficient volume of blood (eg. Bleeding); anemia, CO poisoning
Automatic Weather Observation System (AWOS) - ✔ ✔ Weather
information at an airport broadcast on its own frequency.
Aviation Area Forecast (FA) - ✔ ✔ Forecast weather over an area
of several states. If TAF is not available for your route use FA +
AIRMET, SIGMET, Convective SIGMET and other Information
Issued 3x per day (4x in alaska, Hawaii and Caribean)
Basic VFR Minimums - ✔ ✔ Class A = No VFR
Class B = 3SM + Clear Clouds (3CLR)
Class C = 3SM, 500ft below, 1000ft Above, 2000ft horizontal of clouds
(3512)
Class D = 3512
Class E above 10000ft and Class G above 10000ft/1200AGL = 5SM,
1000ft below, above and horizontal
Class E below 10000ft = 3512
Class G above 1200AGL and below 10000MSL = 1512 (day) and 3512
(night)
,Class G below 1200AGL = 1CLR (day), 3512 (night), 1CLR if in
pattern at 1/2SM from airport runway
Calculate climb gradient from ft/NM to fpm - ✔ ✔ (Ground Speed x
ft/NM)/60 = fpm
Eg. (90Kt x 200ft/NM) / 60 = 300fpm
Calculate Distance to VOR - ✔ ✔ (Ground Speed x Time to
VOR(min))/60
Eg. If you are flying 90knots and you time to VOR is 12min, then
(90x12)/60 = 18miles to VOR
Calculate how far out to start descent on 3Degree Glide Slope - ✔
✔ Altitude to lose / 300
Eg. 6000ft to lose / 300 = 20NM out
Calculate Rate of Decent for 3Degree Glide Slope - ✔ ✔ Ground
Speed x 5 = Vertical Speed to maintain, or
(Ground Speed x 10)/2 = Vertical Speed
Eg. 120Kt x 5 = 600fpm or (120x10)/2 = 1200/2 = 600fpm
Calculate Time to VOR - ✔ ✔ Seconds for bearing change /
degrees of bearing change
Eg. If it takes you 2min to fly a 10deg bearing change then
120sec/10deg = 12minutes to station
Calculation for VDP if not published. - ✔ ✔ VPD (NM from
threshold) = HAT/300, or VPD (seconds to subtract from MAP) = 10%
of HAT
(HAT = height above threshold)
Characteristics of a Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) - ✔ ✔ 190-535
MHz
, Can receive and point toward commercial radio AM Station at 550-
1640MHz
Low to medium frequency band
Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) in aircraft points toward NDB
station
Magnetic Bearing to NDB = Magnetic Heading + Relative Bearing
Characteristics of a Standard Instrument Departure (SID) - ✔ ✔
Obstruction clearance
Help reduce radio congestion and workload
Pilot nav SID - pilot navigates with minimal radio
Vector SID - ATC gives route by vectors (not printed)
Some SID show non-standard radio procedures
File "NO SID" in flight plan remarks if you don't want/can't fly one
ALL RNAV SIDs and RNAV graphical ODPs require RNAV1 (ie. +-1
NM from centerline for 95% of flight)
Characteristics of a Standard Terminal Arrival (STAR) - ✔ ✔
Transition from en route structure to point from which approach
can begin
Transition routes connect en route to STAR
Usually named based on where basic STAR begins
"NO STAR" if you don't want/can't fly
RNAV STARs require RNAV1 (+-1 NM for 95% of flight)
Characteristics of an Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP)? - ✔ ✔
Obstruction clearance
