Instrument Rating Exam

Describe the privileges of an instrument rating.

State the limitations of an instrument rating, including proficiency checks and recent experience requirements.

State limitations for the conduct of a flight under the IFR in a type rated aircraft.

Privileges and limitations conferred by an instrument rating

List the documents that must be carried on an IFR flight.

Documents

Standard radio communication phraseology used to conduct IFR operations in accordance with AIP.

Procedure to be followed in the event of loss of radio communications in different phases of flight.

Requirements for notifying ATC of changes in estimated time of arrival at waypoint in flight.

Symbology and interpretation of information published on charts used to conduct operations under the IFR.

Reporting requirements for a descent, approach and landing at an aerodrome outside controlled airspace.

Differences between 2D and 3D instrument approach operations.

Difference between the minimum altitude MDA and DA when published on an instrument approach chart and the pilot responsibilities.

How variations in temperature above and below ISA affect altimeter accuracy.

Pilot responsibilities when conducting 3D instrument approach operations in temperatures below ISA.

Validity period of flight plans submitted to ATC.

Pilot obligations for cancellation of SAR.

The circumstances in which a missed approach must be conducted.

The criteria for determining the published alternate aerodrome weather minimum specified for an aerodrome and its use in planning.

Aircraft separation standards from other IFR and VFR aircraft.

Operation of aircraft transponders.

Procedures, radiotelephony and charts

Seasonal variations in the location and frequency of frontal weather, tropical cyclones, dust devils, thunderstorms, jetstreams and fog, and their impact on IFR operations.

Weather phenomena

Requirements for obtaining meteorological information to conduct a flight under the IFR.

Interpret meteorological forecasts required to conduct an IFR flight to determine the operational requirements that apply in accordance with AIP.

Given air temperature in clear air or in cloud, determine approximate height of freezing level (3°C/1,000 ft clear air; 1.5°C in cloud).

Given pilot observations, predict the probability and likely duration of airframe icing, hail, microbursts/windshear and turbulence (including CAT).

Sources for obtaining updates to weather information in flight, including the Volmet service as detailed in AIP.

Meteorological information

Interpret meteorological information to determine the possibility of turbulence for the planned route.

Sources of altimeter QNH required to conduct operations under the IFR.

State the minimum meteorological conditions required for take-off.

Meteorological minima

Plan an IFR flight between aerodromes in Australia in accordance with the requirements specified in AIP (route limitations, aircraft performance, freezing level, cruising altitudes/levels).

Determine RNP requirements applicable to an IFR flight.

Flight plan

Describe alternate aerodrome requirements: weather, nav aids/approach procedures, aerodrome lighting, weather reports, divert time.

Determine holding fuel requirements for weather and traffic.

Requirements when weather at the planned destination deteriorates below alternate or landing minima after the flight commences.

The implications of each type of RAIM prediction on operational requirements.

Alternate requirements

Calculate LSALT for a route not specified in AIP charts.

Describe the requirements to establish the aircraft above the LSALT after take-off.

Requirements for descent below LSALT or minimum safety altitude by day and night under the IFR and night VFR.

Lowest safe altitude

The requirements to conduct visual circling by day or night.

The use of PEC when applied to a DA to determine AOM.

The normal gradient applied in each segment when designing an instrument approach procedure.

Tracking tolerance requirements: CTA avoidance, ground based navaids, navaids unavailable, notification requirements, order of precision of nav systems.

Speed limitations per AIP: below 10,000 ft; holding procedures; approach procedures; ATS-issued restrictions and cancellation.

Requirements for position fixing in accordance with the AIP.

Determination of aircraft performance category and implications for operations under the IFR.

Requirements associated with initial approach fix (IAF) and final approach fix (FAF) waypoints on an instrument approach chart.

Navigation requirements

Principles of operation, indications and limitations of ground-based radio navigation aids; rated coverage from AIP; pilot navigation tolerances.

NDB lateral azimuth guidance: coastal refraction errors, thunderstorm effect, signal integrity loss, turning errors, station passage.

NDB/ADF calculations: track to/from NDB, position fix from two bearings, drift, abeam bearing, inbound track intercept heading.

VOR CDI: scalloping indications, signal integrity loss, station passage indications.

VOR OBS settings for command indications on tracks to and from the VOR.

Determine aircraft position relative to VOR from CDI course deviation indications.

Determine aircraft position from VOR cockpit instrument indications.

Instrument indications when abeam the VOR on a given track.

DME: use and limitations, slant range effect, off-track errors, DME arrival procedures.

ILS and LOC: components including marker beacons, operational considerations, G/S fluctuations and course reversal errors.

Ground-based systems

GNSS system and principles: segments, satellite signal, pseudo-ranging, RAIM, masking function, operating modes, WGS84, PDOP/GDOP.

GNSS performance requirements: accuracy, integrity (RAIM/procedural/systems integration), availability, continuity of service.

GNSS accuracy degradation: ephemeris, clock, receiver, atmospheric/ionospheric, multipath, SA, interference errors.

Requirements for use of GNSS in IFR operations: en route, RNP instrument approaches, alternates, RNP operations.

Pilot actions for GNSS warnings and messages: loss of RAIM, 2D navigation, dead reckoning, database failures, GNSS fail, power fail.

Parameters for each segment: tracking tolerances, automatic waypoint sequencing, CDI sensitivity, RAIM availability (en route through missed approach).

Indications requiring a missed approach to be initiated.

Effect of baro-aiding availability on RAIM availability and prediction.

Effect of satellite unserviceability on the reliability of each type of prediction.

GNSS

Pilot responsibilities when conducting a 3D instrument approach using advisory vertical guidance on a 2D procedure.

The different kinds of 3D instrument approach procedures.

Components required for a GNSS landing system (GLS) instrument approach procedure.

Principles of operation of a GBAS or local area augmentation system (LAAS).

Validity of GLS guidance information beyond D-Max distance of the GBAS station.

Basic principles of PBN, including requirements for RNAV and RNP capability.

Core components of the PBN airspace concept: communications, navigation, surveillance (extended squitter ADS-B), ATM.

Navigation system performance requirements for PBN: accuracy, integrity, continuity, functionality, installation requirements.

Function of performance monitoring and alerting in a navigation system approved for PBN operations.

Basic principles

RNP specifications and system requirements: RNP 2 (en route), RNP 1 (terminal), RNP APCH – LNAV, LNAV/Baro VNAV, LP, LPV.

The meaning of the specified RNP value in terms of navigational accuracy.

RNP navigation system errors: FTE (flight technical error), PDE (path definition error), TSE (total system error), NSE/PEE.

RNP leg types: TF (track to fix), RF (constant radius), IF (initial fix), HF, HM, HA (hold types), DF, FA, CF.

Leg transitions in RNP operations: fly-by, fly-over, fixed radius (airspace design limitations).

Basic requirements for an RNP navigation authorisation: communications, navigation, surveillance, airworthiness, continued airworthiness, flight operations.

Basic principles of operation of a space-based augmentation system (SBAS) and published minimum altitudes available with SBAS.

SBAS and how it affects RNP approaches.

RNP specifications

Range of flight levels in which RVSM requirements apply within Australian airspace.

Operational requirements to conduct operations in designated RVSM airspace.

Requirements to ensure accuracy of aircraft altimeters within prescribed tolerances in RVSM airspace.

Vertical height tolerance applicable when levelling off at assigned flight level in RVSM airspace.

Procedures and standard communication phraseology for RVSM operations, including failure of 1 or all primary altimetry systems.

RVSM operations

Physiological factors affecting human performance in flight without visual reference: vestibular systems (semicircular canals and otoliths) and spatial orientation.

Circumstances aggravating vestibular disorientation: somatogravic illusions and somatogyral illusions.

Conditions causing visual illusions: false horizons, visual-cue illusions, relative motion illusions, flicker effect, black hole illusion, autokinesis.

GNSS operating procedures as safeguards against navigational errors: mode errors, data entry errors, data validation, automation complacency, non-standardisation, situational awareness.

Benefits of utilising a CDFA technique from a human performance limitations perspective when conducting an instrument approach.

Human factors in IFR operations