EXAM Prep Question.


An IFR flight in VH-OZY is estimating arrival at Sydney International Airport at 0623 UTC on a Wednesday.

TAF AMD YSSY 052325Z 0600/0700
34010KT 9999 SCT003 BKN014
FM060100 32010KT 9999 SCT020 SCT040
FM060300 32014KT 9999 SCT040
BECMG 0608/0609 30010KT 9999 -RA FEW010 BKN030
BECMG 0623/0700 30014KT 9999 -SHRA SCT020 BKN040
INTER 0621/0623 4000 RA BKN010
RMK FM061700 MOD TURB BLW 5000FT
T 05 10 09 07 Q 1015 1011 1009 1010
TAF3

The minimum alternate or holding requirements for this flight are -
Select one:
an alternate or 30 minutes holding is required
30 minutes holding is required
an alternate or 50 minutes holding is required
an alternate or 60 minutes holding is required


Answer Given.

VH-OZY has only one ILS and so does not qualify for the special alternate minima which means we will need to hold for the INTER (or carry an alternate).

ERSA FAC Sydney Kingsford Smith FLIGHT PROCEDURES - ESTIMATED TRAFFIC DELAYS. This says that for all General Aviation arrivals between 2100 and 0100 [7am to 11am], there are estimated traffic delays of 20 minutes daily except for Monday to Friday from 2100 to 0100 when it becomes 30 minutes if you are not capable of a Precision Runway Monitoring (PRM) approach. OZY does not have that capability, it is limited to specially equipped aircraft with suitably qualified crew who have met specific recency requirements.

You should carry 30 minutes traffic holding fuel + 30 minutes INTER holding fuel = 60 minutes holding fuel, or fuel for an alternate.

The correct answer is: an alternate or 60 minutes holding is required

---

Apart from the arrival delays. I don't get the application of the INTER if your ETA is 06:23. Inter starts at 21:00 ???

Many Thanks
Nick

Nick,

Where is this question from is it a Bob Tait Question so we can look it up ?

Yep it in the online practice exams (not in the IREX book). Many thanks Nick

Well what you need to look at firstly is that it is outside the taf3 3 hour period so the buffer s will apply.
The inter is valid for 0621 until 0623 so we have 30 minute deteriorations in the weather between these 2 times.
Because we are outside the taf 3 we have to add a 30 minute buffer to the end of the period. Meaning that we could have a deterioration at exactly 0623 that could last 30 minutes.
So that’s your extra 30 mins for holding.
If you arrived at 0633 10 minutes later you only need 20 minutes weather holding.
Hope this helps.

Thanks for the reply I am confused

INTER 0621/0623 4000 RA BKN010

This is from 21:00 to 23:00 ? No other INTER weather is is mentioned in the question. I arrive at 0623 UTC well outside of this inter weather?

Thanks for the all the help.