Free Airline Transport Pilot Licence - Meteorology, radio aids to navigation and flight planning (Aeroplane) Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the Airline Transport Pilot Licence - Meteorology, radio aids to navigation and flight planning (Aeroplane) practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1Which atmospheric layer lies immediately above the Earth's surface?

   1. A.The stratosphere
   2. B.The troposphereCorrect answer: B
   3. C.The mesosphere
   4. D.The thermosphere

   Explanation: The glossary describes the troposphere as "The lowermost layer of the atmosphere" and says it begins at ground level. The other layers lie above it.

   Reference: Environment and Climate Change Canada weather and meteorology glossary — T, Troposphere

2. 2Which person or facility can accept a flight itinerary but cannot accept a flight plan solely in that capacity?

   1. A.An air traffic control unit
   2. B.A responsible personCorrect answer: B
   3. C.A flight service station
   4. D.A community aerodrome radio station

   Explanation: The AIM states "A flight itinerary shall be filed with a responsible person" or the listed ATS facilities. An ATC unit, FSS and CARS can accept a flight plan as well, while a responsible person acting only in that capacity is an itinerary recipient.

   Reference: Transport Canada Aeronautical Information Manual, Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Services — RAC 3.5.2, Filing a Flight Plan or Flight Itinerary

3. 3How does a SELCAL ground station selectively alert an aircraft?

   1. A.Coded tone pairs on the transponder interrogation channel
   2. B.Coded tone pairs on a VOR navigation channel
   3. C.Coded tone pairs on a radiotelephony channelCorrect answer: C
   4. D.Coded tone pairs on the weather radar channel

   Explanation: ICAO describes "transmission of coded tones to the aircraft over the radiotelephony channels." Transponder interrogation, VOR and weather radar channels are different systems and are not the SELCAL radiotelephony channel.

   Reference: ICAO NAT Doc 003 HF Management Guidance — 2.4.1, SELCAL operation

4. 4Which atmospheric boundary separates the troposphere from the stratosphere?

   1. A.The stratopause
   2. B.The mesopause
   3. C.The tropopauseCorrect answer: C
   4. D.The ionopause

   Explanation: The glossary defines the tropopause as "The boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere". The stratopause and mesopause are boundaries at higher levels; the ionopause is a different upper-atmospheric boundary.

   Reference: Environment and Climate Change Canada weather and meteorology glossary — T, Tropopause

5. 5An IFR aircraft in controlled airspace intends to change its filed cruising altitude. What must the pilot obtain before making the change?

   1. A.Approval from the flight service station
   2. B.Clearance from air traffic controlCorrect answer: B
   3. C.Approval from the responsible person
   4. D.Approval from the flight information centre

   Explanation: CAR 602.76(2)(b) requires the pilot to "receive an air traffic control clearance before making the intended change" in controlled airspace. An FSS, responsible person or FIC acting in that capacity does not provide that ATC clearance.

   Reference: Canadian Aviation Regulations, Department of Justice Canada — 602.76(2)(b)

6. 6When an aircraft receives its assigned SELCAL tone code, what cockpit indication is activated?

   1. A.A synthesized spoken clearance in the cockpit
   2. B.A light and/or chime call signal in the cockpitCorrect answer: B
   3. C.An illuminated transponder IDENT indication
   4. D.A weather-radar warning in the cockpit

   Explanation: ICAO says reception of the assigned code "activates a cockpit call system in the form of light and/or chime signals." It does not produce a spoken clearance, transponder IDENT or weather-radar alert.

   Reference: ICAO NAT Doc 003 HF Management Guidance — 2.4.1, SELCAL operation

7. 7Which two atmospheric layers meet at the stratopause?

   1. A.Troposphere and stratosphere
   2. B.Mesosphere and thermosphere
   3. C.Troposphere and mesosphere
   4. D.Stratosphere and mesosphereCorrect answer: D

   Explanation: The glossary describes the stratopause as "A boundary or zone of transition separating the stratosphere and the mesosphere". The tropopause separates the troposphere from the stratosphere, and the mesopause lies above the mesosphere.

   Reference: Environment and Climate Change Canada weather and meteorology glossary — S, Stratopause

8. 8For a Canadian flight plan with no specified SAR time, when must the arrival report be submitted at the latest?

   1. A.Immediately at the last reported ETA
   2. B.Twelve hours after the last reported ETA
   3. C.One hour after the last reported ETACorrect answer: C
   4. D.Twenty-four hours after the last reported ETA

   Explanation: The AIM sets the deadline at "where no SAR time is specified in the flight plan, one hour after the last reported ETA." An arrival report is due as soon as practicable after landing; 12 or 24 hours is too late, while the ETA itself is earlier than the stated latest deadline.

   Reference: Transport Canada Aeronautical Information Manual, Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Services — RAC 3.11, Closing a Flight Plan

9. 9Why must proper voice identification still be used after a SELCAL call?

   1. A.The code changes automatically after every voice contact
   2. B.The code identifies the ground station rather than the aircraft
   3. C.The code specifies the communication frequency but not the aircraft
   4. D.Aircraft with duplicate codes can operate in the same areaCorrect answer: D

   Explanation: ICAO cautions that "SELCAL should not be used as a substitute for proper voice identification procedures" because aircraft with duplicate codes can operate in the same area and respond. The code identifies an aircraft alert, not merely the station or frequency, and does not automatically change after each contact.

   Reference: ICAO NAT Doc 003 HF Management Guidance — 2.4.2, SELCAL operation

10. 10What holds Earth's atmosphere close to the planet?

    1. A.Solar radiation
    2. B.Earth's gravityCorrect answer: B
    3. C.Centrifugal force
    4. D.Earth's rotation

    Explanation: The glossary defines the atmosphere as "The mass of air held close to the earth by gravity." Solar radiation and Earth's rotation affect atmospheric behaviour, but they are not the force identified as retaining the atmosphere.

    Reference: Environment and Climate Change Canada weather and meteorology glossary — A, Atmosphere