ATSA Reading Comprehension Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A NOTAM states: 'TFR EFFECTIVE 1400-1800 LOCAL. ALL ACFT EXCEPT THOSE WITH ATC AUTH PROHIBITED BELOW FL180 WITHIN 30NM.' What does a pilot without ATC authorization need to do to fly at 14,000 feet within 20 nautical miles of the TFR center during the effective period?
- Fly at reduced airspeed through the area
- Stay out of the area entirely (Correct answer)
- File a flight plan before entering
- Contact FSS for a weather briefing
Correct answer: Stay out of the area entirely
Without ATC authorization, all aircraft are prohibited below FL180 within 30NM during the effective time, so the pilot must avoid the area.
Question 2: A controller reads: 'Weather at destination: measured ceiling 900 broken, visibility 3 miles in light rain, temperature 12, dew point 10, altimeter 29.87.' Which condition indicates potential instrument meteorological conditions (IMC)?
- The temperature-dew point spread of 2 degrees
- The altimeter setting below 30.00
- The ceiling of 900 feet broken (Correct answer)
- The visibility of 3 miles
Correct answer: The ceiling of 900 feet broken
A broken ceiling at 900 feet is below the VFR minimums of 1,000 feet, indicating IMC conditions that require instrument flight rules.
Question 3: An ATC bulletin reads: 'Phraseology change effective immediately: replace 'negative' with 'that is not correct' when denying pilot requests to avoid ambiguity.' A pilot asks to climb to FL350, and the controller intends to deny it. Which response is now correct?
- 'Negative, maintain FL310'
- 'That is not correct, maintain FL310'
- 'Unable, maintain FL310' (Correct answer)
- 'Denied, maintain FL310'
Correct answer: 'Unable, maintain FL310'
The bulletin only replaces 'negative' with 'that is not correct,' but 'unable' remains the standard ICAO/FAA phraseology for denying a request, and is not affected by this bulletin.
Question 4: A passage states: 'Radar contact is lost when the transponder return disappears from the display for more than two consecutive sweeps.' A controller notices a target missing for exactly two sweeps. What should the controller conclude?
- Radar contact is lost and the pilot must be notified
- Radar contact has not yet been lost under this definition (Correct answer)
- The aircraft has likely experienced a total electrical failure
- A pilot deviation report must be filed immediately
Correct answer: Radar contact has not yet been lost under this definition
The definition requires more than two consecutive sweeps without a return; two sweeps exactly does not meet the threshold, so radar contact is not yet officially lost.
Question 5: A procedure reads: 'Issue traffic advisories when traffic is within 5 miles laterally and 1,000 feet vertically, unless workload prevents it.' A controller is managing a high-traffic situation. Traffic is 4 miles lateral and 800 feet vertical from an aircraft. What does the procedure permit?
- The controller must always issue the advisory regardless of workload
- The controller may skip the advisory if workload is too high (Correct answer)
- The controller must issue the advisory only if requested by the pilot
- The controller must hand off the aircraft before issuing the advisory
Correct answer: The controller may skip the advisory if workload is too high
The procedure explicitly includes a workload exception, allowing controllers to forgo traffic advisories when workload prevents it.
Question 6: A memo reads: 'Runway incursion risk increases when multiple aircraft are cleared onto the same runway environment simultaneously. Clearances must be coordinated and communicated clearly.' What is the primary risk identified?
- Excessive fuel burn from holding patterns
- Simultaneous runway occupancy by more than one aircraft (Correct answer)
- Frequency congestion during busy periods
- Pilot workload from complex clearance phraseology
Correct answer: Simultaneous runway occupancy by more than one aircraft
The memo specifically identifies multiple aircraft cleared onto the same runway environment as the source of increased runway incursion risk.
Question 7: A passage about ATIS reads: 'ATIS is updated whenever any official weather observation is issued, or when certain conditions change such as the active runway or approach in use.' An ATIS is recorded at 0850. A new runway is activated at 0920, but no new weather observation has been issued. Should the ATIS be updated?
- No, because no new weather observation has been issued
- Yes, because a runway change requires a new ATIS recording (Correct answer)
- Only if the tower supervisor authorizes the update
- Only if a pilot requests updated information
Correct answer: Yes, because a runway change requires a new ATIS recording
The passage states ATIS is updated when certain conditions change, including the active runway, regardless of whether a new weather observation has been issued.
ATSA Reading Comprehension Skills 2
A NOTAM states: 'TFR EFFECTIVE 1400-1800 LOCAL.
ALL ACFT EXCEPT THOSE WITH ATC AUTH PROHIBITED BELOW FL180 WITHIN 30NM.' What does a pilot without ATC authorization need to do to fly at 14,000 feet within 20 nautical miles of the TFR center during the effective period?