CAA NZ ATPL Theory - Flight Planning flashcards
CAA NZ ATPL Theory - Flight Planning · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Great-circle distance
- Shortest path between two points on a sphere; computed using haversine or spherical cosine formula. One minute of latitude equals one nautical mile.
- Rhumb line
- A line of constant true track crossing all meridians at the same angle. It is longer than the great circle except on the equator or a meridian.
- Magnetic variation
- Angular difference between true north and magnetic north. In New Zealand it is approximately 18-22 degrees east, so magnetic track equals true track minus variation.
- AIRAC cycle
- A 28-day cycle on which aeronautical information changes take effect at 0901 UTC on a Thursday. Charts and navigation databases must be current for the flight date.
- Final reserve fuel
- Fuel required to hold for 30 minutes at 1,500 ft above the alternate aerodrome for turbine aircraft, or 45 minutes for piston aircraft.
- Contingency fuel
- Fuel allowance of 5 percent of trip fuel for IFR flights without an en-route alternate, or 3 percent with one. It may be reduced under an approved monitoring programme.
- Trip fuel
- Fuel required from take-off to landing at the destination, including climb, cruise, descent and approach, based on forecast winds and temperatures.
- Taxi fuel
- Fuel consumed before take-off, typically 10-15 minutes at idle or with APU running. It must be included in the total fuel calculation.
- MZFM
- Maximum zero-fuel mass, the structural limit for the aircraft without usable fuel. Zero-fuel mass equals take-off mass minus fuel load and must not exceed MZFM.
- CG limits
- Forward and aft centre-of-gravity limits, expressed as percent MAC. Forward limit is set by elevator authority; aft limit by stability and control.
- Load sheet
- Document showing dry operating mass, payload, fuel, take-off mass, landing mass, and CG position. The trim setting is derived from the computed CG.
- Last-minute change
- A small alteration to load after the load sheet is issued. It must be recorded; if it exceeds the allowed tolerance, a new load sheet is required.
- TODA
- Take-off distance available, equal to the take-off run available plus any clearway. It is the limiting distance for the take-off flight path.
- Balanced field length
- The field length at which the accelerate-stop distance equals the accelerate-go distance. V1 is chosen at this point to minimise field length.
- V1
- The decision speed at which, following an engine failure, the aircraft can either stop within the accelerate-stop distance or continue to 35 ft.
- Wet runway correction
- Landing distance is typically increased by 15 percent on a wet runway. Contaminated runways require braking-action and additive corrections from the AFM.
- Specific range
- TAS divided by fuel flow, expressed in nautical miles per kilogram. Maximum specific range occurs where a tangent from the origin touches the drag curve.
- Cost index
- Ratio of cost of time to cost of fuel. A higher cost index increases cruise speed and fuel burn; zero gives maximum range speed.
- Step climb
- A climb to a higher cruise level as fuel burns off and optimum altitude increases, reducing fuel burn and improving specific range.
- Equal time point
- The point on track where the time to return to the departure aerodrome equals the time to continue to the destination. Used for diversion decisions.
- Point of no return
- The point beyond which the aircraft cannot return to departure with the fuel available. It is computed before flight using forecast winds and fuel flow.
- Drift-down
- A descent to a lower level following an engine failure or cabin depressurisation, to the single-engine cruise level or 10,000 ft, whichever is higher.
- Alternate minima
- For a precision approach, ceiling 600 ft and visibility 3,200 m; for a non-precision approach, ceiling 800 ft and visibility 3,200 m, unless the State specifies otherwise.
- ISA temperature
- Standard atmosphere temperature equals 15 degrees Celsius minus 2 degrees per 1,000 ft of altitude. Deviation from ISA affects performance and fuel burn.
- Jet stream
- A narrow band of strong winds near the tropopause. A tailwind increases ground speed and reduces trip fuel; a headwind increases fuel burn.
- Foehn wind
- A warm, dry downslope wind on the leeward side of a mountain range. In New Zealand, northwesterly foehn winds east of the Southern Alps cause turbulence.
- Operational flight plan
- Document containing route, waypoints, winds, temperatures, fuel figures, masses, alternates and ETP or PNR. The pilot-in-command signs acceptance before departure.
- ATS flight plan
- ICAO-format plan giving aircraft identification, flight rules, type of flight, departure, destination, route, level, speed and estimated off-block time.
- EOBT
- Estimated off-block time, the time the aircraft is expected to commence movement. It determines when the ATS flight plan must be filed.
- Departure message
- A message sent by ATS after take-off to notify the destination and area control of the actual departure time. Delays over 30 minutes require a delay message.
- NOTAM
- A notice distributed by ATS containing information on changes to facilities, services or procedures. NOTAMs must be checked before flight and can amend the flight plan.
- Crosswind component
- Wind speed multiplied by the sine of the angle between wind direction and runway heading. The headwind component uses the cosine of the same angle.