Hi Everyone, just passed my PPL written exam, but one of the questions that has been bugging me that I got wrong was the following:

Leaving Canberra on a heading of 105deg you overfly R424. What is the minimum flight level required?

You get the Sydney (3456) WAC extract which shows Mills Cross Telescope. ERSA shows R424 is lower limit SFC/3500 upper limit. It is also noted as RA3.

Any explanation of the answer would be much appreciated as it's obviously something stupid I'm missing.

Hi Jase,

Without reading the question and viewing all the information they provided, it is difficult to give a clear answer.

VFR flights must be flown at a cruising level appropriate to the magnetic track, which is:
(a) Between 000° and 179° - you fly at odd 1000's + 500 (1500ft/3500ft/5500ft)
(b) Between 180° and 359° - you fly at even 1000's + 500 (2500ft/4500ft/6500ft)
**However, this rule need only be followed when practicable, when cruising below 5000ft**

Given the heading/track you have provided, I would select 3500ft as the cruising altitude (provided cloud and terrain were not a factor).

Regards,

Ryan T

Hi
I had my PPL written recently a similar question came up .
PIC must subject to any contrary to ATC instruction,ensure that the cruising level of ACFT is appropriate to its M track when a VFR flight is conducted at a hit of ___?__feet or more above AMSL .

Thanks to Bob's RPL , PPL reading and sample exam. I passed .

A PPL question asked :
Pulling out and coming out of a steep dive what's happening to
a) stall speed ( increase or decrease)
b) stalling of angle of attack ( increase or decrease)
I am not sure about the exact wording of the question. But I know my answer was incorrect.
Dom

Hi All,
The main thing to remember about exam questions is they are testing your knowledge of the minimum legal limit/requirements. The question asks "What is the minimum flight level required?" and legally, you can fly over R424 at 3500'. If the AIP stated that to avoid restricted areas, you must plan X amount of feet above the upper limit, then it would be a different story.

So to answer the exam question, I would pick 3500'. Actual flight planning in the real world, I would pick some other level like 5500' to keep well clear or fly around the zone if the weather/terrain was more limiting.

I made the same mistake as everyone else does with these types of questions back when the exams used to be faxed to the school.

Domcheung,
Stall speed will increase because you're reach the stalling angle at a higher speed while pulling out of a dive or any other time you increase load factor (g force).
Stalling angle will stay the same for a given aerofoil useless you change it like using flap or control surface position (ailerons at max or near max AOA) or the shape changes such as ice or damage.

Hope this helps.

Mister W.