ATPL Communications and Procedures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An ATIS broadcast's primary purpose is to:
- Provide IFR clearances to departing aircraft
- Continuously broadcast routine terminal information to reduce ATC workload (Correct answer)
- Issue SIGMETs and AIRMETs to en route aircraft
- Coordinate airspace between sectors
Correct answer: Continuously broadcast routine terminal information to reduce ATC workload
ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service) continuously broadcasts current weather and NOTAMs for a specific airport, allowing pilots to receive this information before contacting ATC and reducing repetitive transmissions.
Question 2: ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) is used to:
- Broadcast weather warnings to all aircraft in a region
- Send and receive data messages between aircraft and ground stations digitally (Correct answer)
- Provide GPS navigation updates
- Enable ADS-B surveillance
Correct answer: Send and receive data messages between aircraft and ground stations digitally
ACARS is a digital data link system that allows aircraft to exchange pre-formatted and free-text messages with airline operations centers, ATC, and maintenance facilities.
Question 3: When ATC issues 'TRAFFIC ALERT, TURN RIGHT IMMEDIATELY', this instruction:
- Should be confirmed with a readback before action
- Must be followed immediately without readback to avoid collision (Correct answer)
- Is advisory only and the pilot decides
- Applies only to VFR traffic
Correct answer: Must be followed immediately without readback to avoid collision
Traffic alert instructions for collision avoidance require immediate action — delays caused by readback protocols could result in a mid-air collision, so pilots must act first and confirm when able.
Question 4: A NOTAM 'D' (Distant) in the US is valid for a maximum period of:
- 24 hours
- 7 days (Correct answer)
- 3 months
- No expiration unless cancelled
Correct answer: 7 days
NOTAM D (Distant NOTAMs) in the US are valid for up to 7 days; longer-term information is published in other NOTAM formats.
Question 5: Readback of which of the following ATC instructions is always required?
- Frequency change instructions
- Runway-in-use advisories from ATIS
- Taxi instructions including runway crossing clearances and hold-short instructions (Correct answer)
- Wind condition advisories
Correct answer: Taxi instructions including runway crossing clearances and hold-short instructions
FAA and ICAO both require pilots to always read back taxi instructions, runway crossing clearances, and hold-short instructions to verify understanding and prevent runway incursions.
Question 6: Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) is particularly beneficial for:
- Ground vehicle operations on airport surfaces
- Oceanic and remote area operations where HF voice communications are unreliable (Correct answer)
- VFR flight in Class G airspace
- Helicopter air ambulance communications
Correct answer: Oceanic and remote area operations where HF voice communications are unreliable
CPDLC provides reliable, data-linked text communications between ATC and pilots in areas where HF voice radio is poor, such as oceanic tracks and remote continental regions.
ATPL Communications and Procedures 2
An ATIS broadcast's primary purpose is to: