Private Pilot Solo Cross Country and Performance Review

Flashcards covering solo cross-country regulations, airport operations, airspace, weather theory, navigation, and aeronautical decision-making based on the provided transcript.

Solo Cross Country Endorsement Limitation

If an endorsement specifies landings at specific airports, the pilot may only land at those listed airports and nowhere else.

FAR 91.103 (Flight away from airport vicinity)

Requires runway lengths at airports of intended use and takeoff/landing distance data from the AFM/POH, in addition to weather, fuel, and traffic delay info.

AC 90-48D Average Reaction Time

A span of approximately 12 seconds; for two DA40s closing head-on at cruise, this leaves essentially zero margin to react if the threat is spotted late.

Minimum Safe Altitude: Congested Area

$1,000\,ft$ above the highest obstacle within a $2,000\,ft$ horizontal radius.

Minimum Safe Altitude: Non-congested Area

$500\,ft$ above the surface.

Minimum Safe Altitude: Sparsely Populated/Open Water

No closer than $500\,ft$ to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

VFR Cruising Altitude (Magnetic Course 0–179°)

Odd thousand + $500\,ft$ (for flights above $3,000\,AGL$).

VFR Cruising Altitude (Magnetic Course 180–359°)

Even thousand + $500\,ft$ (for flights above $3,000\,AGL$).

Operation Lights On (AIM 4-3-23)

The recommended practice of using aircraft lights anytime day or night, in the local practice area and en route, to improve conspicuity.

VFR Day Fuel Requirements (91.151)

Enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing plus $30\,minutes$ at normal cruise.

VFR Night Fuel Requirements (91.151)

Enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing plus $45\,minutes$ at normal cruise.

Wind Sock Orientation

The open/inflated end points into the wind, meaning the sock streams away from where the wind is coming from.

Wind Tee and Tetrahedron Orientation

The pointed or narrow end pivots to point into the wind, indicating the landing direction.

Segmented-Circle Traffic Pattern Indicators

"L" brackets that show the base-to-final turn direction for the runway landing in that direction.

AC 90-66B Recommended Radio Calls

Self-announce on CTAF before taxi, before takeoff, at key pattern positions (downwind, base, final), and when clear of the runway.

Standard Traffic Pattern Entry

A $45^\circ$ entry to the downwind leg at pattern altitude.

Danger of Descending into a Pattern

It is dangerous because you cannot see or avoid established aircraft below you and you arrive at an unpredictable position.

Inverse "C" Symbol

Indicates a non-standard traffic pattern is in use; the pilot must check the Chart Supplement for specific details.

*L Symbol

Airport lighting exists but is limited, such as part-time or pilot-controlled lighting.

Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) Conversion

$UTC - 6$ (e.g., $1700Z = 11:00\,AM$ local).

NOTAM(D)

Distant/distributed NOTAMs covering items like runway/taxiway closures or obstructions at or near an airport.

FDC NOTAMs

Regulatory NOTAMs issued by the FAA covering items like TFRs, chart data amendments, and procedure changes.

Pointer NOTAMs

Issued by a flight service station to highlight or make another NOTAM (like a TFR) more findable.

Pilotage

A navigation method involving referencing landmarks on a chart and identifying them visually.

Dead Reckoning

Flying a planned heading at a planned speed for a planned time to reach a destination based on calculation.

Radio Navigation

Using VOR, GPS, or other navaids for course guidance and distance information.

VOR Navigation Steps

1) Tune the frequency. 2) Identify the station via Morse code or green ID. 3) Select the desired course with the OBS/CRS knob.

DA40 Time En Route Estimate

Divide distance in NM by 2 ($120\,kt \approx 2\,NM/min$).

DA40 Fuel Burn Estimate Rule

Move the decimal on the $gph$ one place left to find gallons burned per 6 minutes, then scale to the leg duration.

Flight Following

VFR radar services including traffic advisories and safety alerts provided by TRACON or ARTCC.

"R" Suffix on FSS Frequency (e.g., 122.1R)

The FSS receives on that frequency (122.1) but transmits its reply on a different frequency, typically the paired NAV frequency.

Class A Airspace

$18,000\,ft\,MSL$ up to and including $FL600$, occurring nationwide.

Class B Airspace

A multi-tiered "wedding cake" shape around busy airports, typically extending from the surface to $10,000\,ft\,MSL$.

Class C Airspace

A two-tier shape with a $5\,NM$ surface core to $4,000\,ft\,AGL$ and a $10\,NM$ shelf starting at a higher altitude.

Class D Airspace

Found around towered airports without approach control; typically surface to $2,500\,ft\,AGL$ within a $4\text{--}5\,NM$ radius.

Class G Airspace

Uncontrolled airspace extending from the surface up to the base of the overlying Class E.

VFR Weather Minimums (Class B)

$3\,SM$ visibility and clear of clouds.

VFR Weather Minimums (Class C, D, and E below 10,000 MSL)

$3\,SM$ visibility; $500\,ft$ below, $1,000\,ft$ above, and $2,000\,ft$ horizontal from clouds.

VFR Weather Minimums (Class E at/above 10,000 MSL)

$5\,SM$ visibility; $1,000\,ft$ below, $1,000\,ft$ above, and $1\,SM$ horizontal from clouds.

MOA (Military Operations Area)

Special use airspace where no clearance is required for VFR, but pilots should check if it is active due to military training.

Airspace Requiring Mode C Transponder (91.215)

Class A, B, C; inside the Mode C veil; above Class B/C ceilings; and above $10,000\,ft\,MSL$ (if also above $2,500\,ft\,AGL$).

Coriolis Force (Northern Hemisphere)

Deflects moving air to the right, creating counterclockwise circulation around lows and clockwise around highs.

Three Conditions for Thunderstorm Formation

Moisture, unstable air, and a lifting mechanism.

Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate

Approximately $3^\circ C/1,000\,ft$.

Saturated Adiabatic Lapse Rate

Approximately $1^\circ C/1,000\,ft$.

AIRMET Sierra

Advisory for IFR conditions or extensive mountain obscuration; valid for $6\,hours$.

AIRMET Tango

Advisory for moderate turbulence, sustained surface winds $\ge 30\,kt$, or non-convective low-level wind shear; valid for $6\,hours$.

AIRMET Zulu

Advisory for moderate icing and freezing level heights; valid for $6\,hours$.

Convective SIGMET

Issued for severe thunderstorms ($wind > 50\,kt$, $hail \ge 3/4"$, or tornadoes) or lines of thunderstorms; valid for $2\,hours$.

Service Ceiling

The altitude at which the maximum rate of climb drops to $100\,ft/min$.

Density Altitude Effects

Higher density altitude increases takeoff/landing distance and decreases climb rate and engine performance.

PAVE Framework

A risk identification tool stands for Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, and External pressures.