Question
1. When is an alternate airport required?
2. What is the difference between a "turn coordinator" and a "turn and slip" indicator?
3. What logbook endorsements are required?
4. What is the instrument competency check?

Answer
1. Alternates
The briefer is not required to suggest an alternate if one isn't filed. the one-two-three- rule of FAR 91.169 requires an alternate: when the destination weather, one hour before and after your ETA, is forecast to be less than 2000 and three. If there are no published minimums, the weather must be at least 600/2 for a precision approach and 800/2 for a non-precision approach.

The filed alternate is the resort that you use in the event of a communications failure. The best alternate is a VFR one. Usually, after a missed approach you tell ATC where you plan to go. It does not have to be your filed alternate. What you have is at least two alternates, the real alternate and the filed alternate.

For example, on a plan from CCR to SAC METRO the filed alternate might be OAK. But if stratus fog or weather promises delays or difficulty, consider a mountain top airport such as Angwin near Calistoga. It is often above the stratus tops. Know your weather so you know your alternatives as well as your alternates.

There are a number of criteria for a real alternate: Is it a simple (familiar) approach? Are you properly equipped? Can you proceed under your own navigation (no radar)? Are other choices nearby? Are you proceeding to more favorable terrain? Do I know the terrain heights?

Know the rules applicable to a particular alternate. Is it a standard or a non standard alternate. Are there restrictions on its use as an alternate such as an operating tower, effective control zone, required altimeter setting, etc. Finally consider the availability of a a military PAR, ASR, or no gyro approach.

2. Both the turn coordinator and turn and slip indicator are the same in that they are electrically powered and have a gravity powered ball in a curved track to give the pilot a "grade" for coordination.

They are different in that the turn coordinator was developed in the 1960's as being more suited for autopilot operations. The turn coordinator reacts both to turn rate (or yaw) and roll. It is damped and gives a presentation of relative wings level condition. Turn coordinators seem to fail more often than attitude indicators.

The turn needle says only that the airplane is or is not turning.

The rate of turn for 360 degrees may be either a one or two minute bank angle. Older needles were for one minute.

3. IFR training logbook endorsements require logged instruction in:
1. Accurate control by instruments.
2. Navigation/ATC compliance by VOR and ADF
3. VOR, ADF, ILS approaches to minimums
4. Simulated/actual IFR. one 250 nm with different airport approaches of VOR, ADF, ILS
5. Emergencies: attitude, malfunction, communications, missed approaches. 61.65 c
4. When an IFR rated pilot does not meet the recency requirements within the 6 month period, or for the 6 months thereafter may not fly as PIC in IFR unless given and passing an IFR competency check.

Questions Looking for Answers
1. What are IFR rating requirements?
2. What flight requires IFR rating?
3. Is IFR rating required for IFR flight in uncontrolled airspace?
4. What privileges does IFR pilot have flying IFR in other categories and classes of aircraft?
5. What are IFR recency requirements?
6. When is an IFR competency check required?
8. What are IFR fuel requirements?
9. What pre-flight is required prior to IFR flight?
10. When is DME required?
11. Who is responsible for determining airworthiness of an aircraft?
12. What is minimum equipment for IFR flight? (Jep 1-2 FAR 91.205)
12a Never fly IFR without VFR sectionals immediately available. WAC charts do not have radio frequencies.
13. What information must be entered in the VOR long for a VOR Check?
14. When is a transponder required (FAR 91.215)
15. How often do the FAR's that the pitot-static system be checked for IFR flight?
16. What is the limitation for the use of non-aircraft electronic devices on IFR flights?
17. List the various ways and limits of checking a VOR's operation. What are the time limits and logging requirements?
18. What is a composite flight plan?
19. When is an IFR flight plan and clearance required? (FAR 91,173)
20, What does "VFR on top" mean? When is it used and what are its limitations? AIM
21. What are FDC NOTAMS and why are they important? Jepp 2-43, AIM
22. What are the standard IFR alternate minimums for precision, non-precision and "no approved..." approaches. See also question # 100.
23. What conditions must be met before ATC will approve random RNAV routes? (AIM , JAID US-315
24. What are factors the determine when direct routes are allowed? FAR 91.181
25. What are"Preferred IFR Routes" and when are they used? Where listed?
26. How can a pilot determine if the VORs will be accurate and usable at all altitudes and radials?
27. What airspeeds can and cannot be found on the airspeed indicator?
28. What effect does temperature and pressure have on altimeter indications?
29. Explain the operation of the pitot-static instruments.
31. Define: IAS, CAS, EAS, TAS
32. How does a forward C.G. affect flight characteristics? How does a rearward C.G. affect flight characteristics?
33. Describe the errors inherent in the magnetic compass and how they can be avoided and corrected.
33. Compass
Answer

Compass
The magnetic compass depends on the horizontal component of the earths' magnetic field. The directional properties of the lodestone were known to early man. The term magnet comes from the name of a region in southern Europe which was a major source for lodestone. The development of the magnet grew form a floating needle in a straw, to the needle in a cork, a pivoted needle, the pivoted card, the pivoted card in a bowl, to the use of gimbals, and finally the liquid chamber with a pivoted card.

Compasses were in use as early as the 12th century but their operation was imperfect and not fully understood. About 18090 Mathew Flinders discovered a solution to the problem of local attraction. Deviation as used in aviation. Flinder's Bars, large masses of unmagnetized iron, are universally used on ships. In 1838 Sir G. B. Airy used magnets and iron to neutralize effects of iron ships.

The initial dry card compass was developed by Lord Kelvin who determined that a cards steadiness depended on the natural period of vibration of card and needle. A light card with a heavy rim was suspended by a pyramid of threads to a central pivot point. This produced a steady card. The use of a liquid float chamber with the buoyancy of the magnet and card only slightly less than weight to reduce fraction. The liquid has a dampening effect as well.

34. Define: Pressure, density, true, absolute, and indicated altitudes.
35. Explain the use and terminology of "flight Levels.
36. What is the Coriolis Force and how does it affect winds aloft and on the surface? Jepp6-4
37. How is frost formed, and what are its effects?
38. Define what dewpoint is and why it is important.
39. What characteristics does "unstable air" have? Jepp 6-8
40. What characteristics does "stable air" have? Jepp 6-8
41. What is a temperature inversion and how does it form? Jepp 6-7
42. What is a standing lenticular cloud. Under what circumstances is it formed?
43. Describe the various types of clouds, their associated flight conditions, formations and characteristics.
44. What is wind shear and how does it occur? Jep 6-21
45. Describe the various types of ice, the characteristics of each and where formation is most likely.
45. Icing
Answer

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