Cross-Country Planning Flashcards

On a cross-country flight, point A is crossed at 1500 hours and the plan is to reach point B at 1530 hours. Use the following information to determine the indicated airspeed required to reach point B on schedule.

Answer: 137 knots.

To determine the indicated airspeed required, first calculate the available time for the flight segment (30 minutes or 0.5 hours). Then, divide the specific distance between point A and point B (which for this problem is 68.5 NM) by the time in hours to find the required groundspeed. In the absence of other atmospheric data or wind, this required groundspeed (137 knots) is considered the target indicated airspeed for the flight.

On the calculator side of the flight computer, distance in miles is always found on which scale?

Answer: Outer.

On the calculator side of a flight computer (E6B), the outer scale is designated for distance in miles (or nautical miles) and also for speed. The inner scale, conversely, is primarily used for time in minutes.

On the calculator side of the flight computer, time is always found on which scale(s)?

Answer: Inner scale and far inner scale.

On the calculator side of a flight computer (E6B), time is represented on both the inner scale (for minutes) and the far inner scale (for hours). The inner scale typically ranges from 10 to 60 minutes, while the far inner scale provides corresponding hourly values.

How fast are you flying if you travel 2 miles in 1 minute?

Answer: 120 miles per hour.

To calculate speed, divide the distance traveled by the time taken. If you travel 2 miles in 1 minute, your speed is 2 miles per minute. To convert this to miles per hour, multiply by 60 (since there are 60 minutes in an hour), resulting in a speed of 120 miles per hour.

How fast are you flying if you travel 3 miles in 2 minutes?

Answer: 90 miles per hour.

To determine your speed, divide the distance traveled by the time it took. Traveling 3 miles in 2 minutes means you are flying at a rate of 1.5 miles per minute. To express this in miles per hour, multiply 1.5 by 60 (the number of minutes in an hour), which gives you 90 miles per hour.

How long will it take you to fly 300 miles at 120 miles per hour

Answer: 150 minutes.

To calculate the time required for a flight, divide the total distance by the speed. In this case, divide 300 miles by 120 miles per hour to get 2.5 hours. To convert this to minutes, multiply 2.5 hours by 60 minutes per hour, which equals 150 minutes.

How far will you travel if you fly at 100 miles per hour for 2 hours and 30 minutes?

Answer: 250 miles.

To determine the distance traveled, multiply your speed by the duration of the flight. First, convert 2 hours and 30 minutes into a decimal form of hours (2.5 hours). Then, multiply your speed of 100 miles per hour by 2.5 hours, which results in a total distance of 250 miles.

How fast are you flying if you travel 18 miles in 8 minutes?

Answer: 135 miles per hour.

To calculate your speed, divide the distance traveled by the time taken. Traveling 18 miles in 8 minutes means you are covering 2.25 miles per minute. To convert this rate to miles per hour, multiply 2.25 by 60 (the number of minutes in an hour), yielding a speed of 135 miles per hour.

How far will you travel if you fly at 110 miles per hour for 11 minutes?

Answer: 20 miles.

To calculate the distance traveled, multiply your speed by the duration of the flight. First, convert 11 minutes into hours by dividing by 60 (approximately 0.1833 hours). Then, multiply your speed of 110 miles per hour by this hourly time, which results in a total distance of about 20 miles.

A basic rule to remember when using the calculator side of the flight computer is

Answer: how fast goes first.

A fundamental rule for using the calculator side of the E6B is to always start by setting the 'rate' or 'how fast' value (e.g., speed, fuel burn rate) on the outer scale, aligning it with the 60-minute mark (the 'rate index') on the inner scale. This establishes the ratio for subsequent calculations of time, distance, or fuel consumed.

A basic rule to remember when using the calculator side of the flight computer is

Answer: "does the answer make sense?"

A crucial rule when using any calculation tool, including the flight computer, is to always perform a common sense check on the answer. This helps catch gross errors, such as misreading a scale or misplacing a decimal, ensuring the calculated value is reasonable in the context of the problem.

If you are using fuel at the rate of 8 gallons per hour, how many gallons will you use in 3 hours and 30 minutes?

Answer: 28 gallons.

To calculate the total fuel used, multiply the fuel consumption rate by the duration of the flight. First, convert 3 hours and 30 minutes into a decimal form of hours (3.5 hours). Then, multiply the fuel burn rate of 8 gallons per hour by 3.5 hours, which results in a total fuel consumption of 28 gallons.

How many gallons per hour are you using if you use 36 gallons in 4 hours and 30 minutes?

Answer: 8 gallons per hour.

To determine the fuel consumption rate, divide the total fuel used by the duration of the flight. First, convert 4 hours and 30 minutes into a decimal form of hours (4.5 hours). Then, divide the 36 gallons of fuel used by 4.5 hours, which calculates to a fuel consumption rate of 8 gallons per hour.

When using a navigation plotter, it is important to note that

Answer: zero miles is not at the physical end of the plotter.

When using a navigation plotter, it's important to note that the 'zero miles' mark is typically not at the physical end of the plotter. Instead, it's usually offset slightly from the end to allow for accurate measurement right up to the edge of a chart or for aligning with a specific point.

Typical scales on the navigation plotter are

Answer: Sectional and WAC.

Navigation plotters are designed with specific scales to match aviation charts. The typical scales found on a navigation plotter are the Sectional scale (1:500,000) and the WAC (World Aeronautical Chart) scale (1:1,000,000), allowing pilots to accurately measure distances on different types of aeronautical charts.

True course is

Answer: course referenced to true north.

True course is defined as the intended path of an aircraft over the ground, measured in degrees clockwise from true north. It represents the geographical direction of travel, uncorrected for wind or magnetic influences.

Magnetic course is

Answer: course referenced to magnetic north.

Magnetic course is the true course corrected for local magnetic variation. It is the intended path of an aircraft over the ground, measured in degrees clockwise from magnetic north, which is the direction a magnetic compass points.

Magnetic heading is

Answer: the direction the nose is pointed referenced to magnetic north.

Magnetic heading refers to the aircraft's orientation relative to magnetic north, which is the direction indicated by a magnetic compass. It is the actual direction the aircraft's nose is pointing, uncorrected for compass errors like deviation. This differs from true heading, which is referenced to geographic north.

True airspeed is

Answer: the speed of the aircraft through the air.

True airspeed (TAS) is the actual speed at which an aircraft moves through the surrounding air mass. Unlike indicated airspeed, TAS corrects for air density variations due to altitude and temperature. It is crucial for accurate navigation and flight planning, as it directly affects the time required to cover a certain distance through the air.

Which equation is correct?

Answer: TC + or - WCA = TH.

This equation represents the relationship between True Course (TC), Wind Correction Angle (WCA), and True Heading (TH). True Course is the desired path over the ground, while the Wind Correction Angle is applied to counteract the effect of wind. Adding or subtracting the WCA from the TC yields the True Heading, which is the direction the aircraft's nose must be pointed to maintain the desired course over the ground.