CPC Separation Standards & Traffic Flow Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In terminal radar approach control (TRACON) airspace, the standard radar separation minimum is typically:
- 5 nautical miles
- 3 nautical miles (Correct answer)
- 7 nautical miles
- 1 nautical mile
Correct answer: 3 nautical miles
Terminal (TRACON) airspace uses a 3 nautical mile radar separation standard, which is smaller than the 5 NM en route standard.
Question 2: A super-heavy aircraft (such as an A380) requires increased wake turbulence separation. Following a Super aircraft, a Heavy aircraft must maintain at least:
- 3 nautical miles
- 4 nautical miles
- 5 nautical miles
- 6 nautical miles (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 6 nautical miles
FAA requires a Heavy aircraft following a Super (A380/AN-225) to maintain at least 6 nautical miles of separation.
Question 3: What does the term 'flow control' refer to in ATC traffic management?
- Controlling the flow of runway incursion reports
- Regulating the rate of traffic into a congested sector or airport (Correct answer)
- Managing the flow of communication on ATC frequencies
- Issuing speed adjustments to maintain IFR altitudes
Correct answer: Regulating the rate of traffic into a congested sector or airport
Flow control involves regulating the volume and rate of air traffic entering a congested area, sector, or airport to match system capacity.
Question 4: When applying visual separation, the controller may authorize a pilot to maintain separation from another aircraft if:
- Both aircraft are operating IFR in VMC
- The pilot of the following aircraft reports the traffic in sight and can maintain separation (Correct answer)
- The leading aircraft is at least 3,000 feet above the following aircraft
- Radar contact is established with both aircraft
Correct answer: The pilot of the following aircraft reports the traffic in sight and can maintain separation
Visual separation may be applied when the following pilot reports the traffic in sight and accepts responsibility for maintaining their own separation from it.
Question 5: A Ground Stop (GS) differs from a Ground Delay Program (GDP) in that a Ground Stop:
- Applies only to VFR traffic
- Stops all departures to a specific airport immediately with no EDCT issued (Correct answer)
- Is used only during military airspace activation
- Requires TFMS coordination with international centers
Correct answer: Stops all departures to a specific airport immediately with no EDCT issued
A Ground Stop immediately halts all or specified departures to an affected airport without issuing individual EDCTs, usually for short-term, urgent capacity issues.
Question 6: The RNAV SID (Standard Instrument Departure) helps traffic flow management by:
- Providing radar vectors to all departing aircraft
- Standardizing departure routes to reduce controller workload and improve traffic flow (Correct answer)
- Requiring all departures to climb to FL180 before turning
- Eliminating coordination requirements between TRACON and Center
Correct answer: Standardizing departure routes to reduce controller workload and improve traffic flow
RNAV SIDs provide standardized, published departure routes that reduce the need for individual controller routing instructions and improve overall traffic flow efficiency.
Question 7: When two aircraft are on opposite-direction courses at the same altitude, which type of separation is most critically important to establish first?
- Wake turbulence separation
- Vertical separation (Correct answer)
- Lateral separation
- Time-based separation
Correct answer: Vertical separation
When opposite-direction aircraft are converging at the same altitude, establishing vertical separation (altitude difference) is the most immediate priority to prevent a collision.
CPC Separation Standards & Traffic Flow Management 2
In terminal radar approach control (TRACON) airspace, the standard radar separation minimum is typically: