Then TRANS — Page 180, Lesson 185

I want to walk you through the answers section for the navigation and flight planning exercises. This is the kind of material you'd work through after completing a set of planning problems — the answers show you what a correct solution looks like, and they're packed with the specific phraseology, values, and formats you'll need to use in the real world. Let's start with question 33. The answer gives us three key items: the frequency 128.0 MHz, which is a VHF communication frequency you'd tune for an ATC unit. Then TRANS. LEVEL by ATC — that means the transition level, the flight level at which you change from using local QNH to the standard pressure setting of 1013.25 hPa, is assigned by Air Traffic Control. And TRANS ALT 4000’ — the transition altitude, the altitude below which you use local QNH, is set at 4000 feet. Question 34 describes a holding pattern or a route segment. From FL150 to 240 — that's the altitude band, flight level 150 up to flight level 240. You're inbound on the 151°(M) track, meaning your magnetic heading toward the fix is 151 degrees, and that track is based upon the 331 radial from PON — so the PON VOR's 331 radial defines that inbound track. You'll make a right-hand turn at its intersection with the 250 radial from ABB. The speed limit is maximum 240 IAS — indicated airspeed — and the base legs are 1.5 minutes long, which is the time you'd fly on each base leg of the hold. Question 35 lists a series of aircraft or operator callsigns with their equipment and altitude limitations. DPE 1H, 1P — that's one aircraft with a single hydraulic system and one with a single pneumatic system, or similar shorthand. DVL 1W above FL195 — one aircraft with a single weather radar, allowed above flight level 195. DVL 1H above FL195 — one with a single hydraulic system above FL195. CAN 1H FL130 maximum — one aircraft with a single hydraulic system, but limited to a maximum of flight level 130. LGL 1H — one with a single hydraulic system. CHW 1H and 1W above FL195 — one with a single hydraulic system and one with a single weather radar, both above FL195. Question 36 gives a position fix: 334 radial from PON VOR intersecting with the 280 radial at 26 NM DME from CRL VOR/DME. So you're defining a point using two VOR radials and a DME distance from one of them. Question 37 says Non-compulsory airspace fix — that's a fix you don't have to report at unless specifically instructed; it's not a mandatory reporting point. Question 38: 3 NM west of CRL cross at FL110 and descend to 4000’ on QNH. So you cross a point 3 nautical miles west of the CRL VOR at flight level 110, then begin a descent to 4000 feet, using the local QNH pressure setting. Question 39: Cross at and maintain 4000’ QNH — a simple altitude restriction, crossing a fix at 4000 feet on QNH. Question 40 gives two pressure values and a distance: 2260’ QNH and 1873’ QFE — that's 2260 feet on the local QNH setting, and 1873 feet on the aerodrome QFE setting. Then 5.7 NM — that's the distance, likely to a threshold or a fix. Question 41: Minimum Holding Altitude (MHA) 3000’ — the lowest altitude you can use in a holding pattern at that fix is 3000 feet. Question 42 gives us 820’ QNH and 433’ QFE, then a definition: A specified altitude or height in a non-precision approach or circling approach below which descent may not be made without visual reference. (ICAO). That's the definition of a Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) or Minimum Descent Height (MDH) — the altitude/height floor for a non-precision or circling approach. You cannot descend below it unless you have the required visual reference. Question 43: N4900.0 E00233.9 — that's a latitude and longitude coordinate: 49 degrees 00.0 minutes North, 002 degrees 33.9 minutes East. Question 44 gives two pairs: 13 829 ft / 4215 m and 11 811 ft / 3600 m. These are altitude conversions — feet to metres — and the note says to see the Airport chart for context. Question 45: Ceiling and visibility 4000 ft and 5000 m or more — that's the minimum weather conditions. Cross-wind less than 25 kt — the crosswind component must be below 25 knots. When in operation it will be transmitted on ATIS — the Automatic Terminal Information Service. And RNAV systems shall be FMS or multi-sensor type — so only Flight Management Systems or multi-sensor RNAV systems are approved, and you should see the Airport chart for details. Now, the next page gives us the Answer Airways Exercise 2 (LOG) — this is a completed navigation log for a flight from LFPG (Paris Charles de Gaulle) to EGLL (London Heathrow). Let me walk you through the columns. The first column is FROM — the departure point or waypoint. The second is TO — the next waypoint. Then AWY/FL — the airway or flight level. VRN. is variation — here it's 3W for 3 degrees west, and later 4W for 4 degrees west. W/V is wind velocity — direction and speed, like 303/70 meaning wind from 303 degrees at 70 knots. TR. is the true track. TR. HDG. is the true heading. TAS is true airspeed — here 185 knots initially, then 360, then 450 knots. WC is wind component — positive means tailwind, negative means headwind. GS is groundspeed. DIST is distance in nautical miles. EET is estimated elapsed time in minutes. ETA is estimated time of arrival. Let's read the first line: FROM LFPG, TO D18 BT — that's a waypoint. AWY/FL is blank. VRN. 3W. W/V blank. TR. 331 degrees true. TR. HDG. 328. TAS 185. WC blank. GS blank. DIST 18.5 NM. EET 6 minutes. ETA 0829. Second line: FROM D18 BT, TO TOC — top of climb. AWY ABB 8A. VRN. 3W. TR. 349. TR. HDG. 346. TAS 360. DIST 36 NM. EET 6 minutes. ETA 0835. Third line: FROM TOC, TO ABB. AWY A20. FL 240. VRN. 3W. W/V 303/70. TR. 349. TR. HDG. 346. TAS 450. WC -50 — that's a 50-knot headwind. GS 400. DIST 20 NM. EET 3 minutes. ETA 0838. And it continues through each leg: ABB to NASDA, NASDA to CLIFF, CLIFF to TIGER (where you transition to the STAR — Standard Terminal Arrival Route), then TIGER to D12 BIG, D12 BIG to BIG, and finally BIG to EGLL. The last column shows TOTALS at the bottom: 205 nautical miles total distance and 46 minutes total estimated elapsed time. This log is the kind of document you'd prepare before a flight and then use in the cockpit to monitor your progress against the plan. Every number has a purpose — the wind component tells you whether you're ahead or behind schedule, the headings keep you on track, and the ETAs let you know when to expect each waypoint.