TBAS Instrument Comprehension 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On a three-pointer altimeter, the shortest needle points to 1, the medium needle points to 5, and the longest needle points to 3. What altitude is indicated?
- 1,530 feet (Correct answer)
- 15,300 feet
- 1,053 feet
- 10,530 feet
Correct answer: 1,530 feet
On a three-pointer altimeter, the shortest needle reads thousands (1,000), the medium needle reads hundreds (500), and the longest needle reads tens (30), giving a total of 1,530 feet.
Question 2: An aircraft is heading 090 degrees and makes a 90-degree left turn. What is the new heading?
- 180 degrees
- 000 degrees (360) (Correct answer)
- 270 degrees
- 045 degrees
Correct answer: 000 degrees (360)
Starting at 090 degrees (east) and turning left 90 degrees subtracts 90 degrees, resulting in 000/360 degrees (north).
Question 3: During a standard rate turn, how long does it take to complete a full 360-degree turn?
- 1 minute
- 2 minutes (Correct answer)
- 3 minutes
- 4 minutes
Correct answer: 2 minutes
A standard rate turn is 3 degrees per second, so 360 degrees divided by 3 degrees/second equals 120 seconds, or 2 minutes.
Question 4: In the Northern Hemisphere, a magnetic compass will do which of the following when turning toward north?
- Lead the actual heading
- Lag behind the actual heading (Correct answer)
- Show the correct heading instantly
- Oscillate rapidly back and forth
Correct answer: Lag behind the actual heading
Due to magnetic dip in the Northern Hemisphere, the compass lags when turning toward north, requiring the pilot to stop the turn before the compass reaches the north indication.
Question 5: If the attitude indicator shows the miniature aircraft below the horizon bar with wings level, what is the aircraft doing?
- Banking left
- Banking right
- Flying in a nose-low (descending) attitude (Correct answer)
- Flying in a nose-high (climbing) attitude
Correct answer: Flying in a nose-low (descending) attitude
When the miniature aircraft on the attitude indicator is below the horizon bar with wings level, the aircraft is in a nose-low, descending pitch attitude.
Question 6: Which instrument is used to determine the rate of altitude change rather than the actual current altitude?
- Altimeter
- Airspeed indicator
- Vertical speed indicator (VSI) (Correct answer)
- Attitude indicator
Correct answer: Vertical speed indicator (VSI)
The vertical speed indicator (VSI) shows the rate of altitude change in feet per minute, while the altimeter shows the current altitude.
Question 7: An aircraft climbs from 6,500 feet to 8,200 feet. How many feet did the aircraft ascend?
- 1,500 feet
- 1,700 feet (Correct answer)
- 2,200 feet
- 1,300 feet
Correct answer: 1,700 feet
8,200 minus 6,500 equals 1,700 feet of altitude gained.
TBAS Instrument Comprehension 2
On a three-pointer altimeter, the shortest needle points to 1, the medium needle points to 5, and the longest needle points to 3.
What altitude is indicated?