ATPL(A) 090 CommunicationsRevision notes and practice questions

090 CommunicationsFree sample, 10 questions

1. 1The abbreviation "TA" can stand for...

   1. Traffic Advisory and Transition Altitude
   2. Traffic Altitude and Terminal Altitude
   3. Traffic Advisory and Terminal Altitude
   4. Traffic Advisory and Traffic Altitude
   Show the answer

   Answer A. TA has two standard meanings. In ACAS/TCAS it is a traffic advisory, the caution-level alert that another aircraft is getting close, and in altimetry it is the transition altitude, at or below which vertical position is given as an altitude on QNH. The context tells which one is meant; "terminal altitude" and "traffic altitude" are not ICAO abbreviations.

2. 2A TCAS Resolution Advisory (RA) manoeuvre has been completed and the return to the ATC clearance or instruction has begun. Which phraseology should the pilots use?

   1. "Clear of conflict, returning to (assigned clearance)".
   2. "Clear of conflict and (assigned clearance) resumed".
   3. "RA terminated, returning to (assigned clearance)".
   4. "Clear of RA, returning to (assigned clearance)".
   Show the answer

   Answer A. Once the RA ends and the return to the clearance begins, the report is "clear of conflict, returning to (assigned clearance)". When the aircraft is back on it, the crew say "clear of conflict, (assigned clearance) resumed". "RA terminated" and "clear of RA" are not standard phrases.

3. 3Which statement about the following D-ATIS is correct?
   WSSS ATIS F 0230 METAR EXP ILS APCH SEGREGATED PARL OPS IN USE ARR RWY 02L DEP 02C JUNCTION OF TWY EP AND A3 INCLUDING RAPID EXIT TWY E3 SOUTHBOUND CLSD DUE WIP WIND 010 04 KT GUST 23 WIND DIR 320 V 040 10 KM FEW 1600 FT T 27/DP 26 QNH 1012 NOSIG ARR TO ACK INFO F WITH APP ON 120.3 AND DEP WITH DELIVERY ON 121.65

   1. The ATIS message is based on the 0230Z METAR; some taxiways are closed due to work in progress.
   2. Dew point is 26°C; information F is available for all traffic on 120.3 MHz.
   3. Runway 02C is in use for departures; information F is available for all traffic on 121.65 MHz.
   4. A wind shear warning is in force for departure information F; wind direction is 010°, variable between 320° and 040°, and wind speed is 4 kt.
   Show the answer

   Answer A. The header 'ATIS F 0230 METAR' shows that the message is built on the 0230Z METAR, and the junction of taxiways EP and A3, including rapid exit E3 southbound, is closed due to work in progress (WIP). Runway 02C is used for departures, but information F is acknowledged on 120.3 by arrivals and on 121.65 by departures, not by all traffic on one frequency. No wind shear warning is given.

4. 4An aircraft in the traffic circuit of a controlled aerodrome suffers a radio communication failure. What is the correct course of action?

   1. Rock the aircraft wings and flash navigational lights, at irregular intervals, to signal communication failure.
   2. Transmit blind, on the APP secondary frequency, the number of souls on board and remaining fuel.
   3. Transmit blind your messages, twice, and watch for instructions which may be issued by visual signals.
   4. Set the transponder code to 7700 and perform radio checks, at 1-minute intervals, to all aeronautical stations.
   Show the answer

   Answer C. In the circuit with communications lost, the pilot transmits each message blind, twice, in case the transmitter still works, and watches the tower for light signals, which are how instructions reach an aircraft that cannot hear. Rocking the wings and flashing lights are interception signals, 7700 is not the radio failure code, and repeated radio checks to all stations only clutter the frequency.

5. 5In flight, a pilot faces technical problems and decides to declare an urgency condition by radio. Which phraseology is correct?

   1. MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY
   2. URGENCY
   3. PAN PAN TECHNICAL
   4. PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN
   Show the answer

   Answer D. The radiotelephony urgency signal is PAN PAN, preferably spoken three times and pronounced like the French word 'panne'. MAYDAY is the distress signal, reserved for grave and imminent danger. 'URGENCY' and 'PAN PAN TECHNICAL' are not standard ICAO signals.

6. 6For an aircraft in flight working a control tower on VHF, when are the effective range and quality of the transmissions at their best?

   1. Low in altitude and far from the control tower.
   2. High in altitude and far from the control tower.
   3. High in altitude and close to the control tower.
   4. Low in altitude and close to the control tower.
   Show the answer

   Answer C. VHF signals travel in straight lines, so the radio horizon grows with the aircraft's height, and signal strength falls off with distance. The best range and quality are therefore obtained high up and close to the tower. Low and far away is the worst case, because the aircraft may be below the radio horizon.

7. 7Pilot A is flying 50 NM from the station and pilot B 100 NM from it. Compared with pilot A, pilot B receives a poorer quality transmission because of...

   1. Ionospheric refraction.
   2. Both signals would be the same quality.
   3. Increase in wavelength.
   4. Attenuation.
   Show the answer

   Answer D. Attenuation is the progressive loss of signal strength as a radio wave spreads out from the transmitter and is partly absorbed along its path. At twice the distance, pilot B receives a much weaker signal, so reception quality is poorer. Ionospheric refraction concerns HF sky waves rather than VHF line-of-sight reception, and the wavelength of a signal does not change with distance.

8. 8What is "SELCAL"?

   1. A system that allows radiotelephony contact to be established only between aircraft.
   2. A system in which radiotelephony communication between two stations can take place in both directions simultaneously.
   3. A system which permits the selective calling of individual aircraft over radiotelephone channels linking a ground station with the aircraft.
   4. A system provided for direct exchange of information between air traffic services (ATS) units.
   Show the answer

   Answer C. SELCAL (selective calling) lets a ground station alert one specific aircraft over an HF or VHF radiotelephony channel by transmitting that aircraft's assigned tone code. The decoder on board triggers a chime or light, so the crew do not have to keep a continuous listening watch. Communication in both directions at once is the definition of duplex, and direct exchanges between ATS units use ground links, not SELCAL.

9. 9Once a successful connection has been established, SELCAL is used...

   1. by the ATSU to send an appropriate clearance or instruction.
   2. by the pilot to broadcast an emergency message.
   3. by the ATSU to initiate a call.
   4. by the pilot to communicate with ground services.
   Show the answer

   Answer C. SELCAL works from the ground to the aircraft: the ATSU or radio operator transmits the aircraft's tone code to call it, and the cockpit decoder alerts the crew, who then reply by voice. The tones carry no clearance or instruction, and the pilot cannot use SELCAL to call anyone.

10. 10Approaching the destination aerodrome, the pilot listens to the ATIS broadcast. Assuming no CB is present, which clouds will the ATIS report?

    1. Clouds below 1500 m (5000 ft) or below the highest minimum sector altitude, whichever is greater.
    2. Only clouds below 1500 m (5000 ft).
    3. All clouds within the TMA concerned.
    4. All clouds at all altitudes in the vicinity of the destination airfield, and in areas where approach procedures are defined.
    Show the answer

    Answer A. An ATIS reports the cloud of operational significance: cloud below 1500 m (5000 ft) or below the highest minimum sector altitude, whichever is greater, plus any CB or towering cumulus at any height. Using only the 5000 ft limit would miss cloud where the MSA is higher. Cloud above that is not relevant to the approach, and the report is not a description of the whole TMA.