PDA

View Full Version : few pre-checkride questions


Baron Man
May 19th 04, 01:01 PM
1. what's a VDP and how does one compute it.
2. how many phases of an approach (IAP) and how do you tell each from the
other
3. what's a GRID MORA
4. what's a THINGS
5. what's the min ATC separation under IFR
6. drift-down?

Dave Butler
May 19th 04, 01:19 PM
Baron Man wrote:
> 1. what's a VDP and how does one compute it.

Visual Descent Point. If there's one published for the approach (ie. on the
chart), don't descend visually below the MDA until you pass that point. If
there's none published, you can compute one for yourself as a convenience. How
to compute it is a matter of personal preference. You probably want to compute a
VDP that will give you about a 3 degree descent.

> 2. how many phases of an approach (IAP) and how do you tell each from the
> other

Initial, intermediate, final, and maybe missed(?). Are those considered
"phases"? Dunno.

> 3. what's a GRID MORA

Minimum Off-Route Altitude. Don't know about the "GRID". Probably a reference to
the lat-lon grid on your enroute chart. There's a MORA for each quadrangle.

> 4. what's a THINGS

Don't know.

> 5. what's the min ATC separation under IFR

Good question. I should know this, but I don't.

> 6. drift-down?

What a feather does. :-)

Dave
Remove SHIRT to reply directly.

Andrew Sarangan
May 19th 04, 02:02 PM
"Baron Man" > wrote in news:E0Iqc.130638$WA4.21924
@twister.nyc.rr.com:

> 1. what's a VDP and how does one compute it.

This is in the AIM Chapter 5. The missed approach point of most
nonprecision approaches are at or past the runway location, making it
impossible to descend and land if you sight the runway at the missed
approach point. For this reason, a visual descent point (VDP) is sometimes
designated using a normal desent angle (typically 3 deg). It is intended to
provides terrain clearance below the MDA. It also means that if you don't
see the runway by the time you reach the VDP, you should start getting
ready for the missed approach procedure.


> 2. how many phases of an approach (IAP) and how do you tell each from
the
> other

Initial Approach Segment, Intermediate Approach Segment, Final Approach
Segment and Missed Approach Segment. This is just a guess.


> 3. what's a GRID MORA
Don't know, but I suspect you are referring to Off Route Obstacle Clearance
Altitude (OROCA), which are the large bold numbers in each lat/lon
quadrant. It gives you 1000' obstruction clearance.

Teacherjh
May 19th 04, 08:32 PM
> 4. what's a THINGS

Probably the name of an intersection. They are five letters long, and are
supposed to be pronouncable. An intersection is (usually) defined by two VOR
radials, or a VOR radial and a DME (distance) from that VOR. Intersections are
used as waypoints - upon reaching such a waypoint, you can do something (like
descend) as charted in the approach procedure.

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

Andrew Sarangan
May 19th 04, 10:02 PM
(Teacherjh) wrote in
:

>> 4. what's a THINGS
>
> Probably the name of an intersection. They are five letters long, and
> are supposed to be pronouncable. An intersection is (usually) defined
> by two VOR radials, or a VOR radial and a DME (distance) from that
> VOR. Intersections are used as waypoints - upon reaching such a
> waypoint, you can do something (like descend) as charted in the
> approach procedure.
>
> Jose
>


There is a fix named THING, but not THINGS. Could it be some kind of
acronym, like GUMPS?

Roy Smith
May 19th 04, 10:05 PM
In article >,
Andrew Sarangan > wrote:

> (Teacherjh) wrote in
> :
>
> >> 4. what's a THINGS
> >
> > Probably the name of an intersection. They are five letters long, and
> > are supposed to be pronouncable. An intersection is (usually) defined
> > by two VOR radials, or a VOR radial and a DME (distance) from that
> > VOR. Intersections are used as waypoints - upon reaching such a
> > waypoint, you can do something (like descend) as charted in the
> > approach procedure.
> >
> > Jose
> >
>
>
> There is a fix named THING, but not THINGS. Could it be some kind of
> acronym, like GUMPS?

Maybe it's what you say when the radios go dark? This Here Is Not Good
****.

Teacherjh
May 19th 04, 11:17 PM
> There is a fix named THING, but not THINGS. Could it be some kind of
> acronym, like GUMPS?

http://www.acronymfinder.com didn't have it as an acronym. Maybe it's a fix
named THNGS? I'd have to see what you are looking at in context to say more
(and be coherent).

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

Bob Noel
May 19th 04, 11:24 PM
In article >, "Baron Man"
> wrote:


> 6. drift-down?

A twin with one engine inop will drift down if above its
single-engine ceiling.

--
Bob Noel

John R. Copeland
May 20th 04, 12:45 AM
"Andrew Sarangan" > wrote in message =
. 158...
> There is a fix named THING, but not THINGS. Could it be some kind of=20
> acronym, like GUMPS?

Hey, they've moved THING!
It used to be a radar fix near Worthington, OH, on the NDB 27L approach
to KOSU, and Columbus approach would normally call it out for us.
It disappeared from there years ago, and I didn't know until now
that it's been redesignated elsewhere.
Thanks, Andrew. It's like finding a lost old friend :-)
---JRC---

John R. Copeland
May 20th 04, 12:47 AM
"Bob Noel" > wrote in message =
...
> In article >, "Baron Man"=20
> > wrote:
>=20
>=20
> > 6. drift-down?
>=20
> A twin with one engine inop will drift down if above its
> single-engine ceiling.
>=20
> --=20
> Bob Noel

And if you try to avoid THAT drift-down, you'll get spin-down. :-(
---JRC---

May 20th 04, 12:44 PM
500 feet vertically from vfr, 1000 feet vertically from other ifr, up
to FL 290.
Horizontally, depends on radar and distance from antenna, but I let
others verify this.
Of course, on a visual approach, while still technically ifr, you can
end up with very little separation indeed.
Stan
On Wed, 19 May 2004 12:01:40 GMT, "Baron Man" >
wrote:


>5. what's the min ATC separation under IFR

>
>
>

AirVespa
May 20th 04, 11:15 PM
"Dave Butler" > wrote in message
...
> Baron Man wrote:
> > 1. what's a VDP and how does one compute it.
>
> Visual Descent Point. If there's one published for the approach (ie. on
the
> chart), don't descend visually below the MDA until you pass that point. If
> there's none published, you can compute one for yourself as a convenience.
How
> to compute it is a matter of personal preference. You probably want to
compute a
> VDP that will give you about a 3 degree descent.
>
> > 2. how many phases of an approach (IAP) and how do you tell each from
the
> > other
>
> Initial, intermediate, final, and maybe missed(?). Are those considered
> "phases"? Dunno.

First is "arrival" then those 4.

>
> > 3. what's a GRID MORA
>
> Minimum Off-Route Altitude. Don't know about the "GRID". Probably a
reference to
> the lat-lon grid on your enroute chart. There's a MORA for each
quadrangle.

The GRID MORA is the MORA defined for a square/sector marked in the chart.
In the Jeppesen Low Altitude Charts is a green number marqued in the center
of the square/sector. It provides 1000ft minimum obstacle clearance.

>
> > 4. what's a THINGS
>
> Don't know.
>
> > 5. what's the min ATC separation under IFR
>
> Good question. I should know this, but I don't.

Depends on the context. Vertical, time or for radar vectoring?

>
> > 6. drift-down?
>
> What a feather does. :-)

nice! :-))

>
> Dave
> Remove SHIRT to reply directly.
>

Casey Webster
May 23rd 04, 06:20 PM
"John R. Copeland" > wrote in message >...
> Hey, they've moved THING!
> It used to be a radar fix near Worthington, OH, on the NDB 27L approach
> to KOSU, and Columbus approach would normally call it out for us.
> It disappeared from there years ago, and I didn't know until now
> that it's been redesignated elsewhere.
> Thanks, Andrew. It's like finding a lost old friend :-)
> ---JRC---

its a fix east of dallas now, on the dodge 3 arrival

John Harper
May 24th 04, 10:28 PM
Does it link up with WOTST, DODAD and no doubt others
people could think of...?

John

"Casey Webster" > wrote in message
om...
> "John R. Copeland" > wrote in message
>...
> > Hey, they've moved THING!
> > It used to be a radar fix near Worthington, OH, on the NDB 27L approach
> > to KOSU, and Columbus approach would normally call it out for us.
> > It disappeared from there years ago, and I didn't know until now
> > that it's been redesignated elsewhere.
> > Thanks, Andrew. It's like finding a lost old friend :-)
> > ---JRC---
>
> its a fix east of dallas now, on the dodge 3 arrival

Google