Airplane IFR Quick-Review Study Guide

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering FAA IFR regulations, preflight requirements, departure/en route/arrival procedures, instruments, weather, and aeromedical factors.

Instrument Rating Cross-Country Flight Requirement

A flight of at least $250\,\text{NM}$ along airways or directed ATC routing, with an instrument approach at each airport, $3$ different kinds of approaches using navigation systems, and flown with a filed IFR flight plan.

Logging Instrument Time

Flight time logged only when the pilot operates the aircraft solely by reference to instruments under actual or simulated instrument flight conditions.

6 HITS

Instrument recency requirement within the last $6$ calendar months: $6$ instrument approaches, holding procedures and tasks, and intercepting and tracking courses through the use of electronic navigation systems.

Safety Pilot Qualifications

A pilot holding at least a Private Pilot certificate with appropriate category and class ratings, adequate vision forward and to each side, operating in an aircraft equipped with dual controls.

Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC)

A check required after remaining non-current looking back $12$ calendar months, conducted by a CFII, examiner, or approved person.

A.R.R.O.W.

Required aircraft documents for flight: Airworthiness certificate, Registration certificate, Radio station license (for international flights), Operating limitations and AFM, and Weight and Balance data.

A.V.I.A.T.E.

Mandatory aircraft inspections for IFR: VOR check every $30\,\text{days}$, Annual inspection every $12$ calendar months, $100\,\text{hour}$ inspection, Altimeter/static system every $24$ calendar months, Transponder every $24$ calendar months, and ELT every $12\,\text{months}$.

W.K.R.A.F.T.

Required preflight information for IFR flights: Weather reports and forecasts, Known traffic delays, Runway lengths of intended use, Alternatives available, Fuel requirements, and Takeoff and landing performance data.

I.M. S.A.F.E.

Preflight personal self-assessment checklist: Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol ($8\,\text{hours}$ bottle to throttle; less than $0.04\%$ blood alcohol), Fatigue, and Emotion.

P.A.V.E.

Risk management and personal minimums framework covering Pilot, Aircraft, EnVironment, and External pressure.

Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP)

A preplanned IFR departure procedure that provides obstruction clearance only and may be flown without an ATC clearance unless an alternate instruction (such as a SID or radar vector) is assigned.

Standard Instrument Departure (SID)

An ATC departure procedure providing obstruction clearance while reducing radio congestion and pilot/controller workload by simplifying clearances.

Standard Terminal Arrival (STAR)

An arrival procedure serving as a transition from the en route structure to a fix from which an approach procedure can begin.

1-2-3 Rule (§91.169)

An alternate airport is required if weather forecasts from $1\,\text{hour}$ before to $1\,\text{hour}$ after ETA indicate a ceiling less than $2{,}000\,\text{ft}$ and/or visibility less than $3\,\text{SM}$.

Standard Alternate Airport Weather Minimums

Weather minimums at ETA if none are specified: precision approach requires $600\,\text{ft}$ ceiling and $2\,\text{SM}$ visibility; non-precision approach requires $800\,\text{ft}$ ceiling and $2\,\text{SM}$ visibility.

IFR Minimum Altitudes (§91.177)

Unless otherwise authorized, $2{,}000\,\text{ft}$ above the highest obstacle within $4\,\text{NM}$ in mountainous terrain, or $1{,}000\,\text{ft}$ above the highest obstacle within $4\,\text{NM}$ in non-mountainous terrain.

IFR Minimum Fuel Requirements (§91.167)

Sufficient fuel to fly to the destination, fly to the alternate airport (if required), and continue for an additional $45\,\text{minutes}$ at normal cruising speed.

IFR Cruising Altitudes

Magnetic course $0^\circ\text{--}179^\circ$ requires odd thousands or Flight Levels; magnetic course $180^\circ\text{--}359^\circ$ requires even thousands or Flight Levels.

C.R.A.F.T.

Items in a basic IFR clearance: Clearance limit, Route, Altitude, Frequency (for departure), and Transponder code.

Clearance Void Time

The exact time at which an ATC clearance becomes void and takeoff is prohibited; the pilot must notify ATC within $30\,\text{minutes}$ if unable to depart.

Expect Departure Clearance Time (EDCT)

A runway release time issued for traffic management delays where an aircraft must depart within a window of no earlier and no later than $5\,\text{minutes}$ of the assigned time.

M.A.R.V.E.L.O.U.S. V.F.R. C.500

IFR mandatory reporting points: Missed approach, Airspeed change ($\pm 10\,\text{kt}$ or $5\%$ of TAS), Reaching holding fix, VFR on top, ETA change ($\pm 3\,\text{min}$ in non-radar), Leaving holding fix, Unforecasted weather, Outer marker (non-radar), Safety of flight, Vacating altitude, FAF (non-radar), Radio/nav failure, Compulsory point (non-radar), and unable $500\,\text{fpm}$ climb/descent.

Holding Pattern Standard Leg Timing

Outbound legs adjusted so inbound legs take $1\,\text{minute}$ at or below $14{,}000\,\text{ft}\text{ MSL}$, and $1.5\,\text{minutes}$ above $14{,}000\,\text{ft}\text{ MSL}$.

Maximum Holding Airspeeds

Up to $6{,}000\,\text{ft}\text{ MSL}$: $200\,\text{KIAS}$; $6{,}001\text{--}14{,}000\,\text{ft}\text{ MSL}$: $230\,\text{KIAS}$; above $14{,}000\,\text{ft}\text{ MSL}$: $265\,\text{KIAS}$.

Minimum En Route Altitude (MEA)

The lowest published altitude between radio fixes that assures navigation signal coverage and obstacle clearance ($1{,}000\,\text{ft}$ non-mountainous, $2{,}000\,\text{ft}$ mountainous).

Minimum Obstruction Clearance Altitude (MOCA)

An altitude providing obstacle clearance along the entire route segment and navigation signal reception within $22\,\text{NM}$ of the NAVAID.

Off-Route Obstruction Clearance Altitude (OROCA)

An off-route altitude assuring obstacle clearance within $4\,\text{NM}$ of the course ($1{,}000\,\text{ft}$ non-mountainous, $2{,}000\,\text{ft}$ mountainous), but not guaranteeing signal reception.

Lost Communications Altitude Selection (M.E.A.)

In IMC, fly the highest of: Minimum altitude prescribed for IFR, Expected altitude from ATC, or Assigned altitude last given by ATC.

Lost Communications Route Selection (A.V.E.F.)

In IMC, follow routes in order: Assigned route, Vectored route, last Expected route, or Filed route.

S.H.A.R.P-T.T.

Conditions when a procedure turn should not be flown: Straight-in approach, Holding in lieu of procedure turn, Arc (DME/GPS), Radar vectored, NoPT depicted on chart, Timed approach, or Teardrop course reversal.

Standard Rate Turn Bank Angle Formula

Approximated as $\frac{\text{TAS}}{10} + 5$ (for example, $120\,\text{KTAS} / 10 + 5 = 17^\circ$ of bank).

Descent Below MDA/DA Requirements (§91.175)

Requires normal maneuvers at a normal descent rate, flight visibility not less than approach minimums, and at least one distinct visual reference for the intended runway.

Visual Descent Point (VDP)

A defined point on the final approach course of a non-precision straight-in approach allowing normal visual descent from MDA to touchdown; calculated as $\frac{\text{HAT}}{300}$.

Contact Approach

An IFR approach requested solely by the pilot requiring at least $1\,\text{SM}$ reported ground visibility and remaining clear of clouds at an airport with an instrument approach.

Visual Approach

An ATC- or pilot-initiated IFR approach requiring at least $1{,}000\,\text{ft}$ ceiling and $3\,\text{SM}$ visibility, with the pilot maintaining visual contact with the airport or preceding traffic.

G.R.A.B. C.A.R.D.

Required IFR flight instruments: Generator/alternator, Radios (two-way and nav appropriate for route), Altimeter (sensitive adjustable), Ball (slip-skid), Clock (displaying hours, minutes, seconds), Attitude indicator, Rate of turn indicator, and Directional gyro.

VOR Receiver Tolerances (§91.171)

Checks every $30\,\text{days}$ must be within $\pm 4^\circ$ for VOT, ground checkpoint, repair station, and dual VOR comparisons; within $\pm 6^\circ$ for airborne checks and prominent ground landmarks.

D.E.P.S.

Required log entries for a VOR check signoff: Date, Error, Place, and Signature.

Distance Measuring Equipment (DME)

A UHF system ($962\text{--}1213\,\text{MHz}$) calculating slant-range distance via paired interrogation and reply timing between the aircraft unit and ground station.

Non-Directional Beacon (NDB)

A low/medium-frequency ground transmitter ($190\text{--}535\,\text{kHz}$) that points the aircraft Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) needle directly to the station.

Localizer

The lateral guidance component of an ILS operating on $108.1\text{--}111.95\,\text{MHz}$ (odd tenths) providing a total course width between $3^\circ$ and $6^\circ$ ($700\,\text{ft}$ at runway threshold).

Glide Slope

The vertical guidance component of an ILS operating on UHF frequencies ($329.3\text{--}335\,\text{MHz}$) with a standard width of $1.4^\circ$ and a typical slope angle of $2.5^\circ\text{--}3.5^\circ$.

Marker Beacons

Transmitters on $75\,\text{MHz}$ providing position fixes: Outer Marker ($4\text{--}7\,\text{miles}$, blue, dashes), Middle Marker ($\approx 3{,}500\,\text{ft}$, amber, dot-dash), and Inner Marker (CAT II DH, white, dots).

Required Navigation Performance (RNP)

Navigational standard requiring specified containment accuracy for $95\%$ of flight time: En route ($2.0\,\text{NM}$), Terminal/Departure ($1.0\,\text{NM}$), and Approach ($0.3\,\text{NM}$).

Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM)

A GPS function monitoring signal integrity; requires $5$ satellites (or $4$ with baro-aiding) for fault detection, and $6$ satellites (or $5$ with baro-aiding) for fault exclusion.

Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)

A differential GPS system broadcasting differential corrections back via geostationary satellites across a wide area to enable APV approaches like LPV and LNAV/VNAV.

Pitot Blockage Symptoms

If the ram air inlet is clogged with the drain open, airspeed drops to zero; if both the inlet and drain hole are clogged, the airspeed indicator behaves like an altimeter.

Static Port Blockage Symptoms

Altimeter freezes at the blockage altitude, VSI freezes at zero, and the airspeed indicator reads lower at higher altitudes and higher at lower altitudes.

Air Data Computer (ADC)

An electronic device processing pitot, static, and outside temperature inputs to compute indicated airspeed, true airspeed, vertical speed, and altitude.

Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS)

A solid-state sensor unit providing accurate pitch, roll, and magnetic heading data without moving parts, replacing traditional mechanical gyroscopes.

Magnetic Compass Turn Errors (UNOS)

In the Northern Hemisphere, compass turn error causes it to Undershoot turns to the North and Overshoot turns to the South.

Magnetic Compass Acceleration Errors (ANDS)

In the Northern Hemisphere on east/west headings, the compass indicates a turn toward North when Accelerating and toward South when Decelerating.

Convective SIGMET (WST)

Inflight convective hazard advisory issued hourly at $55\,\text{minutes}$ past the hour, valid for $2\,\text{hours}$; indicates surface winds $\ge 50\,\text{knots}$, surface hail $\ge 3/4\,\text{inch}$, tornadoes, or severe lines of thunderstorms.

SIGMET (WS)

Inflight non-convective advisory valid up to $4\,\text{hours}$ for weather hazardous to all aircraft: severe icing, severe/extreme turbulence or CAT, dust/sand storms reducing visibility below $3\,\text{miles}$, or volcanic ash.

AIRMET Types

Six-hour advisories for weather hazardous to limited-capability aircraft: Sierra (S) for IFR and mountain obscuration; Tango (T) for moderate turbulence, sustained winds $\ge 30\,\text{knots}$, or LLWS; Zulu (Z) for moderate icing and freezing levels.

Advection Fog

Fog produced when warm, moist air moves across a cooler surface; requires wind to form.

Radiation Fog

Fog that develops over land on calm, clear nights as the Earth's surface rapidly radiates heat and cools the air above it to its dew point.

Clear Ice

A dense, hard, and heavy ice formed by large supercooled water droplets freezing slowly into a smooth sheet, typically occurring between $-10^\circ\text{C}$ and $0^\circ\text{C}$.

Rime Ice

A rough, milky, opaque ice formed by small supercooled droplets freezing instantly upon contact at lower ambient temperatures.

Hypoxic Hypoxia

An insufficient supply of oxygen to the body as a whole caused by reduced barometric pressure at high altitudes preventing $O_2$ diffusion across lung membranes.

Hypemic Hypoxia

Hypoxia caused by the inability of blood hemoglobin to bind and carry oxygen molecules, due to carbon monoxide poisoning, blood loss, or anemia.

Histotoxic Hypoxia

Hypoxia caused by the inability of cellular tissues to utilize adequate oxygen delivered by the blood, commonly resulting from alcohol or drug use.

Stagnant Hypoxia

Hypoxia caused by poor circulation or lack of blood flow, resulting from excessive G-forces, shock, heart failure, or constricted blood vessels.

Part 91 Oxygen Flight Rules (§91.211)

Supplemental oxygen is required for flight crew after $>30\,\text{minutes}$ at $12{,}500\text{--}14{,}000\,\text{ft}$, continuously for flight crew above $14{,}000\,\text{ft}$, and provided for each occupant above $15{,}000\,\text{ft}$.

Decompression Sickness

Condition caused by inert nitrogen bubbling out of tissues and blood at low barometric pressures; divers must wait $12\,\text{hours}$ before flying up to $8{,}000\,\text{ft}$ cabin altitude and $24\,\text{hours}$ for higher altitudes.