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Instrument Rating- Oral Exam Guide

1. When do you need an IFR rating?
• Flying by instrument flight rules (IFR flight plan)
• Weather less than minimums for VFR
• Class A airspace
• Under special VFR within Class B, C, D, & E surfaces areas between sunset and sunrise
• Flying for hire with passengers on cross country flights greater than 50NM or at night
2. * Added from Exam Guide. What information must the PIC be aware of before flight?
• NOTAMS
• Weather reports & forecasts
• Known ATC traffic delays
• Runway lengths of airport at intended use
• Alternatives available if planned flight cannot be completed
• Fuel Available
3. Explain Currency
Currency is valid for the 6 months following check ride or proficiency check. Within those 6
months, Pilot must have logged 6 instrumented approaches including intercepting/tracking
courses using navigation systems, and holding procedures.
4. What happens when currency expires?
If beyond the 6 months, you must go and conduct the 6 instrument approaches with
intercepting/tracking course, and holding procedures in an FAA approved sim / training device
with a CFII, in an aircraft under the hood with safety pilot of CFII.
Finish the remaining activities in a sim or airplane with safety pilot
5. What happens if you exceed 12 months?
• Instrument proficiency check- check ride sequence with DE or CFII
6. What documents must pilots carry?
• Pilot License with Instrument Rating
• Valid Medical
• Photo ID
7. How to log instrument time?
• Location, name of approach, and name of safety pilot (if applicable)
8. What documents must be aboard for IFR?
• The airplane must be certified for IFR
• GPS Airworthiness Certificate and Instruction manual (supplemental AFM)
• Current GPS chip and logged
• VOR check and logged within 30 days of flight
• VFR (ARROW)JILI
• Instrument GRABCARD (VFR day and night) & AAV1ATE (tests and inspections for IFR)-
page 1-12 oral exam guide- pull up
9. When do you have to file an IFR flight plan and receive an IFR clearance?
• Whenever you are flying IMC in controlled airspace
10. What is a “void if not of by” clearance?
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• A clearance provided by ATC at non- towered airports to permit take off IFR from the
airport. Failure to become airborne by this time results in an automatically void IFR
clearance. The pilot is to request for a new IFR clearance. The pilot has 30 mins from the
clearance void time to notify ATC of their intentions if not airborne else search and rescue
will initiate.
• Clearance void if not off by 14:00. Can’t take off after 14:00. You have 30 mins from then
to call and tell them not off the ground. Unless they tell you call us back 14:20. Means you
have only 20 mins to call back and say didn’t take off.
11. When do I have to file an alternate? (1-2-3 rule)

When you have less than 3 SM visibility or less than 2000ft ceiling 1 hour before or 1 hour after
the ETA, then an alternate airport is required

12. What are the standard alternate airport minimum requirements to use published approach
procedures?
• Precision Approach: 600ft/2SM vis
• Non-Precision Approach: 800ft/2SM vis
• To follow these standard requirements unless specific airport minima specified in the
approach plate
13. Can I assign a VFR airport (no Instrument Approach Procedures) as an alternate?
• Yes, if you are able to leave the enroute structure and descend to the airport in VMC.
14. What are the fuel requirements for an IFR flight?
• To Final Destination: Fuel to your final destination plus 45 minutes reserve at normal
cruising speed
• If Alternate airport is required: Fuel to your final destination plus to your alternate plus
45 minutes reserve at normal cruising speed
15. Can you as PIC of an IFR flight allow portable electronic devices to be used by passengers?
• During critical phases of flight (Take-off and landing) please request passengers to stow
portable electronic devices that transmit or receive RF signals.
16. What are the takeoff minimums for IFR flight?
• Part 91: Unrestricted – This is our category
• Part 135 & 121 : Use Obstacle departure procedure and interpret standard minimums
i. Dependent on number of engines
1. 1-2 Engines require 1 SM vis
2. 3+ Engines require ½ SM vis
3. Airline Ops Specs generally ¼ Mile
17. After filing an IFR flight plan, can you take off VFR, fly controlled airspace and radio for your IFR
clearance?
• Yes, you can request it in the air but you should do so and receive it before entering IMC.
As long as you stay VFR.
18. Define the following terms
• MEA- Minimum En-route Altitude- provides reception for NavAids and obstacle clearance
• MOCA- Minimum Obstacle Clearance Altitude- provides clearance from obstacles/terrain
plus 2000’ mountainous and 1000’ non-mountainous regions
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• MORCA- Minimum Off-Route Clearance Altitude- provides obstacle clearance when

travelling off pre-set routes (i.e. victor airways). Large letters in brown in IFR sectional
That 107 shown on IFR enroute charts is MORCA. Its applicable for the quadrangle in which
the text is enclosed.
• MCA- Minimum Crossing Altitude- the altitude required to pass from one victor airway to
another via a transition point (VOR) when Lost Comm
• MRA- Minimum Reception Altitude- guarantees reception for NavAids and Comm at or
above this altitude
• MAA- Maximum allowable altitude- this is to help you from entering an altitude that 2
VORs operating on the same frequency could interfere and misguide you
• MVA- Minimum Vectoring Altitude- this is known to ATC, they factor this in when
providing radar vectors
19. How do you know what category your aircraft is in for IFR approaches?
• Check the maneuvering tables in the 2nd page of the approach plate book. the category is
based on the aircrafts speed (1.3Vso). With the known category you can check the table
on the approach plate itself for the DH and visibility
20. Name the components of an ILS system
• Beacons
• Localizer
• Glideslope
• Approach lighting of some kind (RAIL)
21. What color are the marker beacon lights?
• Blue finish
22. What is the difference between a localizer signal and a regular VOR signal?
• VOR is omnidirectional. LOC has one direction. 10 degrees on either side for VOR (5
degrees either side), only 5 degrees total for LOC (2.5 either side). LOC is 4 times more
sensitive so it keeps the airplane in a more tighter space.
23. What is compass locator outer/ middle marker?
• LOM Compass locator outer marker blue dash tones. It has an NDB its collocated so you
can fly to it (the NDB) (KRNT) middle 2 code hear.
• or LMM locator middle marker (KRNT) last 2 code hear. Amber.
• Inner marker is white.
24. What can you substitute for an outer marker?
• You can use NDB beacon or request a Precision Approach Radar (PAR)
• NDB approach plate, if it says ‘or GPS’ then you can fly GPS
25. What can you substitute for a middle marker?
• Any legitimate nav aid. Cross radial from a VOR, GPS fix, …. Anything published to get an
absolute fix.
26. When can you log instrument flight time?
• A person may log instrument time only for that flight time when the person operates the
aircraft solely (sole manipulator) by reference to instruments under actual or simulated
instrument flight conditions
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• Keep in mind when flying between cloud layers (not in cloud!) is not considered IFR – VFR
time- Spence’s comment
27. What are the conditions under which a pilot may conduct and log IAPs?
• Actual instrument flight conditions in an aircraft
• Simulated instrument flight conditions using a view limiting device flown in an aircraft
with a safety pilot.
i. Safety pilot is one with a minimum private pilot with the appropriate category
and class ratings required to operate that aircraft, valid appropriate medical to
act as flight crew member, and if flight required to be done on IFR flight plan, they
must have valid and current instrument rating
• Simulated instrument flight conditions conduced in any FAA approved flight simulator/
full flight simulator (FFS), flight training device (FTD), aviation training device (ATD) with
a CFII
• A combination of A) to C)
28. Explain VFR on top
• You want out of clouds due to turbulence- relief for yourself and/or passengers due to
discomfort or passenger motion sickness
• It’s still an IFR clearance so stay on your routing. But you can change altitudes- advisory
to notify ATC
• VFR cruising magnetic rules for altitude rules kick in! odd+500/even+500
• Clouds and Visibility Requirements
i. >10,000 ft. 5SM, 1 mile from clouds, 1000 ft. above or below
ii. <10,000 ft. 3SM 2000 ft. from clouds, 1000 ft. above, 500 ft. below
iii. Cannot exceed 18,000 ft. – CLASS A, IFR ONLY!
iv. Cannot descend below MEA
• Flying VFR on the top you have towering cumulus in front of you what should you do?
i. Request from ATC a deviation on route around it.

29. Explain Cruise Clearance

• Assigned altitude to MEA is your space. If you descend below it and report it, you need
permission to climb back up.
• This clearance also ALWAYS clears you for the approach as well.
30. Explain lost communication altitude requirements
• See #31
31. What do you do when you go lost communication?
• Check my radios + CBs? Headset jack? Co-pilot head set jack? Push to talk button?
• Squawk 7600
• Follow logic
i. If VFR, stay VFR and go land. After landing call ATC on ground and state your
arrival (Tell them you are ok)
ii. If IFR, follow rules for IMC
1. Routing
a. Last assigned
b. Last told to expect
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c. As Filed (flight plan)

2. Altitude (whichever is highest)
a. Last assigned
b. Last told to expect
c. MEA, but must also comply with MRA and MCA. Which ever is
the highest, fly it.
3. Time
a. If you haven’t got a clearance before lost COMM, go shoot
approach with full procedure turns if there is no clearance limit
b. If you were told to proceed to some point (i.e. PAE VOR) then you
hold until ETA. You can hold on the radial you arrived on if not
marked on the approach plate for that given point. If no ETA, just
go shoot it.
c. If you arrive late, just go shoot approach

32. What is the difference between a straight in approach and a straight in landing?
• Straight in approach does not require PT
• Straight in Landing
i. if the centerline of runway and approach heading are within 30 degrees of each
other, then you can do a straight in landing (lower DH minimum)
ii. If you are greater than 30 degrees for the approach, then you must circle and
land. Higher DH (circling minimum)
iii. This could also mean you have a really fast step down- see name of approach
(VOR OLM-A) look for the letter (A,B,C) indication
33. When is a procedure turn not required?
• It is not required when you are cleared straight in approach
• Transition route says NO PT
• Holding pattern given instead of PT (holding in lieu of PT)
34. When can you descend below MDA or DH?
• Decision Height (DH) is for precision approach GPS(LPV) or ILS – 200 ft AAE; usually lower
than MDA
• Minimum Decision Altitude (MDA) is for non-precision approach (i.e. VOR)
1. Visibility on approach procedure – 600 (1/2)
2. Normal maneuvers
3. Runway environment in-sight -Other lights on runway- runway lights, end of runway
lights, wind sock, etc. Rabbit lighting you can see okay, then come down but 100’ + TDZE.
Not lower until other requirements can be met.
4. VDP- Visual Descent Point (V) on the approach plate
i. PAPI/VASI out of service then you can see VDP, stay above MDS/DH until you get
passed the VDP
35. How can you check the VOR Receiver accuracy?

• VOT page 283 in chart supplements only 4 in WA

i. Insert procedure
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• Air and Ground FAA approved page 282 for WA

i. Ground +/- 4°
ii. Air +/- 6°
• Dual Receiver Check
i. Using 2 VORs you can dial in the same VOR frequency and check to see if the
difference between both of them is within 4°
• Single VOR check
i. If you can’t do a, b, or c, then do d especially if say you are 100 miles away from
nearest VOR or VOT.
ii. Take off VFR and go to nearest victor airways
iii. Using VFR sections, note the blue victor airway and find a landmark, get over the
landmark and check your VOR based on the radial. Its airborne check so apply +/-
6° tolerance band

36. How far from a Severe TS must you keep away?

• 20NM
37. Tail plane Stall: Ice Building up on the tail, high angle of attack and stalls.
38. Aircraft performance: Advantages and Disadvantages of FWD and AFT CG
• Aft CG less stable, better fuel economy
• FWD CG more stable, less desirable fuel economy
39. NOTAMs- types
• L- local NOTAMs- “like to know” unlighted crane, don’t go down Taxiway B with wing span
greater than 80ft
• D-Distance NOTAMs- VFR is out of service along route.
• FDC- regulatory in natures including changes to approach plate requirements such as DH
change or a new transition. Must comply with
40. Why is frost dangerous?
• Causes early airflow separation and loss in lift.
41. Scenario based – Icing. What would you do if you have RIME ice building.
• keep you speed up
• no flaps
• see if you can descend to an altitude below FL – advise ATC of situation
• Remember for this aircraft- flight is prohibited into known icing conditions check AFM.

42. Stratiform vs Cumuliform clouds

• Big puffy vertical vs more fog like cloud.
• Cumuliform is unstable so its got more turbulence in it
43. Service Volumes (off route fight)- page 27 Chart Supplements
• Terminal (T) from 1000’ to 12,000’ service guaranteed for 25 NM from VOR
• High (H) from 1000’ to 18,000’ service guaranteed for 40 NM from VOR
• Low (L) from 1000’ to 14,500’ and 14,500’ to 18,000’ service guaranteed for 40 NM and
100 NM from VOR respectively
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• Chart supplements shows (T) when its only Terminal. H assumes also L & T. L assumes also
T.

Circling Protected Area

1.3 Miles Cat A

1.5 Miles Cat B

Up to about 7000’, about that it extends but don’t worry about that.

AIRMETS vs SIGMETS

AIRMET: For Light A/C+ VFR identifying Light + Mod Icing and turbulence

SIGMET: For all aircrafts identifying significant weather conditions including sand storms, volcano
eruptions, etc.

Can you permit passengers to use portable electronic devices?

Restrict it to anytime but critical phases of flight (take off and landing). High RF outputting devices cannot
use at anytime.

Be able to read METAR/TAF

Standard lapse rate for icing- cruising 8000, OAT shows -4C, picking up ice. So go BELOW. 6000’

Types of icing to worry about:

Pitot ice, induction icing (carb aircraft), rime ice, clear ice, mixed ice, restrictions

My aircraft is prohibited to fly in known icing.

Other Items to Review and Know:

Grab Card

ELT Battery 50% or 1 hr accumulate use requires change

ALT static air

Know your airspeeds

Airspeed (mph)
Vr Rotation Speed 65 mph (55 kts)
Vx Best Angle of Climb 74 mph (64 kts)
Vy Best Rate of Climb 85 mph (74 kts)
VFE Flaps extension speed 115 mph (100 kts) or look for white arc
VA maneuvering speed 129 mph @ max gross weight
Vno maximum structural cruising speed 137 mph (119 kt)
Vne never exceed speed 168 mph (146 kts)
VG Best Glide Speed 83 mph (72 kts)
Vs0 55 mph (47 kts)
Vs1 64 mph (55 kts)
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Max Crosswind 17 kts