AAI JE ATC flashcards

38 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Radar separation minimum

In radar control, 5 NM lateral separation or 1000 ft vertical separation is applied between IFR aircraft below FL290; above FL290, 2000 ft applies unless the aircraft are in RVSM airspace.

Transition altitude

The altitude at or below which an aircraft's altimeter is set to the local QNH; above it, the altimeter is set to standard pressure 1013.25 hPa.

Clearance limit

The point to which an aircraft is granted an air traffic control clearance; a further clearance is required before proceeding beyond that point.

Standard holding pattern

Right-hand turns with one-minute inbound legs at or below 14000 ft and one-and-a-half-minute legs above 14000 ft; entry is via direct, parallel, or teardrop sectors.

Position report contents

A position report contains aircraft identification, position, time, flight level or altitude, next position and ETA, and the succeeding significant point, in that order.

QNH versus QFE

QNH is the altimeter setting that shows elevation above mean sea level on the ground; QFE shows height above the aerodrome reference point instead.

Wake turbulence categories

Aircraft are categorized by maximum take-off weight: Light up to 7000 kg, Medium 7000 to 136000 kg, and Heavy 136000 kg or more; Super applies to the A380.

QNE standard pressure

QNE is the standard altimeter setting of 1013.25 hPa (29.92 inHg), used at and above the transition level so all aircraft share a common pressure datum.

VOR principle

A VOR ground station transmits two signals whose phase difference varies with bearing; the airborne receiver compares them to display the aircraft's magnetic bearing from the station.

DME measurement

DME measures slant range by timing the round trip of interrogations to a ground transponder; indicated range exceeds true ground distance because of aircraft altitude.

ILS localizer

The localizer provides lateral guidance on a frequency band of 108 to 112 MHz, with a course width of about 5 degrees at the runway threshold.

Glidepath angle

The ILS glidepath is normally set at 3 degrees, giving a descent of about 318 ft per nautical mile; 2.5 to 3.5 degrees is the typical certified range.

Primary radar

Primary surveillance radar detects targets by receiving reflected radio energy from the aircraft itself, so it works without any cooperative equipment on board.

Secondary surveillance radar

SSR interrogates a transponder on board; Mode A returns identity, Mode C returns pressure altitude, and Mode S provides a unique 24-bit aircraft address.

ADS-B

Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast has aircraft transmit position, velocity, and identity derived from on-board navigation, typically once per second, for ground and airborne reception.

GNSS RAIM

Receiver autonomous integrity monitoring checks consistency among redundant satellite ranges in the receiver; RAIM prediction ensures the required integrity is available for the intended operation.

HF versus VHF

VHF (118–137 MHz) is line-of-sight and used for short-range voice; HF (3–30 MHz) uses ionospheric skywave for long-range oceanic communication.

Squawk code 7700

Setting transponder code 7700 signals a general emergency; 7600 indicates radio failure and 7500 indicates unlawful interference, and each alerts controllers distinctly.

Runway designator rule

The runway number is the magnetic heading rounded to the nearest 10 degrees and divided by 10; the reciprocal end differs by 18, for example 09 and 27.

PAPI indication

A PAPI shows four light units: two white and two red means on the correct glidepath, three or four red means below the path, and three or four white means above it.

Aiming point marking

A pair of broad rectangular stripes located about 300 m from the threshold on a precision approach runway, indicating where a normal approach should touch down.

TODA definition

The take-off distance available equals the take-off run available plus any clearway; the clearway is a prepared area over which an aircraft may climb to 35 ft.

ASDA definition

The accelerate-stop distance available equals the take-off run available plus any stopway, the area in which an aircraft can be stopped after an aborted take-off.

Aerodrome reference code

A two-element code: the first digit 1 to 4 reflects reference field length, and the second letter A to F reflects wingspan and outer main gear wheel span.

Threshold lights colour

Threshold lights show green when viewed from the approach side and red when viewed from the runway side, marking the beginning of the landing surface.

Average gradient formula

Gradient equals vertical distance divided by horizontal distance, expressed as a percentage; a 3 percent climb over 10000 ft of horizontal distance gains 300 ft.

Speed distance time

Distance equals speed multiplied by time; at 240 knots ground speed an aircraft covers 4 NM per minute, so 30 NM takes 7.5 minutes.

Clock angle problem

The minute hand moves 6 degrees per minute and the hour hand 0.5 degrees per minute; their relative angle changes by 5.5 degrees per minute.

Ratio and proportion

If a quantity is shared in ratio a:b:c, each share equals the total multiplied by that term and divided by the sum a+b+c.

Syllogism validity

A conclusion follows only if it is true in every arrangement of the premises; a single counterexample arrangement is enough to make it invalid.

Seating arrangement method

Fix one person as a reference, place the remaining people according to the stated left-right and facing constraints, then verify each clue against the final arrangement.

Number series technique

Check successive differences first, then ratios, then alternating or two interleaved sequences; squares and cubes with a constant offset are common patterns.

Direction sense rule

Track displacement with coordinates: north adds to y, south subtracts, east adds to x, west subtracts; the final distance is the square root of x squared plus y squared.

Active to passive voice

The object becomes the subject, the verb becomes a form of be plus the past participle, and the original subject moves to a by-phrase or is omitted.

Subject-verb agreement rule

A singular subject takes a singular verb; phrases between the subject and verb do not change agreement, and neither/nor agrees with the nearer subject.

Direct to indirect speech

In reported speech, present tense usually shifts to past, pronouns change to reflect the reporter, and time words such as now and today become then and that day.

Common aviation homophones

Words often confused in technical writing include altitude and attitude, course and coarse, weather and whether, and stationary and stationery.

Antonym and synonym items

Synonym questions ask for the closest meaning and antonym questions for the opposite; eliminate options whose connotation or register does not match the stem word.