CPC Air Traffic Control Procedures & Regulations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under FAR 91.123, when ATC issues a clearance that a pilot finds unable to comply with, the pilot must:
- Refuse the clearance immediately and land at the nearest airport
- Notify ATC as soon as possible and request an amended clearance (Correct answer)
- Comply anyway and file a report after landing
- Declare an emergency and proceed as desired
Correct answer: Notify ATC as soon as possible and request an amended clearance
FAR 91.123 requires pilots to request an amended clearance when unable to comply, but they must comply with ATC clearances unless an emergency exists.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a SIGMET (Significant Meteorological Information) issued by the NWS?
- To advise pilots of light turbulence below 10,000 feet
- To warn of weather conditions potentially hazardous to all aircraft (Correct answer)
- To report runway conditions at major airports
- To provide winds-aloft forecasts for IFR flights
Correct answer: To warn of weather conditions potentially hazardous to all aircraft
SIGMETs warn of significant meteorological conditions hazardous to all aircraft, such as severe turbulence, icing, or volcanic ash.
Question 3: In the ATC system, what does the term 'radar contact' signify when issued to a pilot?
- The aircraft has been positively identified and its position is known to ATC (Correct answer)
- The pilot must now squawk a specific transponder code
- ATC is tracking the aircraft but cannot provide vectors
- The aircraft has entered Class B airspace
Correct answer: The aircraft has been positively identified and its position is known to ATC
When ATC says 'radar contact,' it means the aircraft has been positively identified on radar and ATC is tracking its position.
Question 4: Which holding pattern entry is used when the aircraft's heading is within 70 degrees of the inbound course on the non-holding side?
- Parallel entry (Correct answer)
- Teardrop entry
- Direct entry
- Racetrack entry
Correct answer: Parallel entry
A parallel entry is used when the aircraft's heading falls within the sector on the non-holding side of the inbound course.
Question 5: Under what condition may an aircraft deviate from an ATC clearance to comply with a TCAS resolution advisory (RA)?
- Never; ATC clearances always take priority over TCAS
- Only if the captain has more than 1,000 hours total flight time
- Always; pilots must follow TCAS RAs even if they conflict with ATC instructions (Correct answer)
- Only during VMC conditions
Correct answer: Always; pilots must follow TCAS RAs even if they conflict with ATC instructions
FAA policy and ICAO standards require pilots to follow TCAS resolution advisories even when they conflict with ATC clearances, because TCAS RAs are safety-critical collision avoidance commands.
Question 6: What is the required transponder equipment for operation in Class B airspace?
- Mode A transponder only
- Mode C transponder with altitude encoding (Correct answer)
- Mode S transponder only
- No transponder required below 10,000 feet MSL
Correct answer: Mode C transponder with altitude encoding
FAR 91.215 requires a Mode C transponder with altitude encoding capability for operations within Class B airspace.
Question 7: When an aircraft is cleared for a visual approach, what are the minimum requirements the pilot must meet?
- The aircraft must be above the glideslope and have the runway in sight
- The pilot must have either the airport or the preceding aircraft in sight and be able to maintain visual conditions to the runway (Correct answer)
- Ceiling must be at least 1,000 feet and visibility at least 3 miles
- The flight must be conducted during daylight hours only
Correct answer: The pilot must have either the airport or the preceding aircraft in sight and be able to maintain visual conditions to the runway
A visual approach requires the pilot to have either the airport environment or the preceding aircraft in sight and be able to proceed in visual meteorological conditions.
CPC Air Traffic Control Procedures & Regulations 2
Under FAR 91.123, when ATC issues a clearance that a pilot finds unable to comply with, the pilot must: