Cessna 172S Steam Airport Operations — PPL Oral Exam Questions

DPE oral questions · airport operations

16 questions a DPE may ask in this section

1. Question 1 · PA.III

   Tower clears you 'for the option.' What does that actually allow you to do?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Touch-and-go, stop-and-go, low approach, missed approach, or full-stop landing — any of the five

   SourceAIM 4-3-22

2. Question 2 · PA.III

   As we taxi, I start pointing out a Gulfstream and asking about your favorite sports team. How should you respond?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Maintain sterile cockpit — politely tell examiner you need to focus on taxiing and monitoring ground frequencies, especially near intersections

   SourceACS Task II.D; Advisory Circular 120-71

3. Question 3 · PA.III

   We're taxiing and come across four yellow lines — two solid and two dashed. What does this mean and when can we cross?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Runway Holding Position Marking
   • Stop on SOLID side
   • Wait for explicit ATC clearance (towered) or ensure runway is clear (non-towered) before crossing

   SourceAIM 2-3-5; ACS PA.II.D.S8

4. Question 4 · PA.III

   Yellow text on black background — what does it say vs. black text on yellow background?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Yellow on black = Location Sign (you are here)
   • Black on yellow = Direction Sign (points the way to that taxiway)

   SourceAIM 2-3-8; AIM 2-3-9

5. Question 5 · PA.III

   On approach we see white arrows pointing toward a thick white line. Can we land on the portion with the arrows?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • NO — displaced threshold
   • Cannot LAND on that portion but CAN use it for taxiing, takeoff, and landing rollout from opposite direction

   SourceAIM 2-3-3

6. Question 6 · PA.III

   We're in the pattern and our radio just quit. Tower shows a steady green light. What's your plan?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Steady green in flight = cleared to land
   • Fly a normal pattern and land

   Source14 CFR 91.125; AIM 4-3-13; ACS PA.III.A.K3

7. Question 7 · PA.III

   We've landed with a dead radio. Tower flashes a white light at us. What are they saying?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Flashing white on the ground = return to starting point on the airport

   Source14 CFR 91.125; AIM 4-3-13

8. Question 8 · PA.III

   Tower asks you to land and hold short of Runway 22. Do you have to accept this?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • NO — PIC has final authority and can decline LAHSO
   • Must know Available Landing Distance (ALD) and confirm aircraft can safely stop
   • Student pilots cannot participate in LAHSO

   SourceAIM 4-3-11; ACS PA.IV.B.R3b

9. Question 9 · PA.III

   You see a circle labeled HS1 on the airport diagram. What does that signify?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Hot Spot — area on airport with history or potential risk of collision or runway incursion
   • Requires increased vigilance and heads-up taxiing

   SourceAIM 2-3-1; ACS PA.II.D.K6a

10. Question 10 · PA.III

    A heavy jet just landed on our runway. Where should you plan your touchdown to avoid his wake?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Stay at or above the jet's flight path
    • Touch down BEYOND the point where the jet's nose gear touched the runway

    SourceAIM 7-3-6; PHAK Chapter 14; ACS PA.III.B.R3

11. Question 11 · PA.III

    Lined up for takeoff and red lights embedded in the pavement turn on in front of us. What does this mean?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Runway Entrance Lights (RELs) or Takeoff Hold Lights (THLs) — unsafe to enter runway or begin takeoff due to conflicting traffic
    • Stop

    SourceAIM 2-1-6; ACS PA.III.A.K9

12. Question 12 · PA.III

    While taxiing, I start pointing out a cool vintage plane and asking about your favorite sports team. How do you respond?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Maintain Sterile Cockpit — politely tell examiner you need to focus on taxi and monitor ground frequencies to avoid runway incursion

    SourceAC 120-71; ACS PA.II.D.R1

13. Question 13 · PA.III

    We're 10 miles out from a non-towered airport. Nobody responding on CTAF. How do you determine the active runway and enter safely?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Use visual indicators — windsock or segmented circle
    • Standard procedure: cross field 500-1,000 feet above pattern altitude to observe, then enter on 45° angle to the downwind leg

    SourceAIM 4-3-3; AFH Chapter 8; ACS PA.III.B.S2

14. Question 14 · PA.III

    Ground says 'Taxi to Runway 19 via Alpha, cross Runway 14.' When we reach Runway 14 do we need a second clearance?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • No — controller explicitly said 'cross Runway 14' so you are cleared to do so
    • If they said 'hold short of Runway 14' you would stop

    Source14 CFR 91.129; AIM 4-3-18

15. Question 15 · PA.III

    What is the standard traffic pattern altitude and where do you find it if you're unfamiliar with the field?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Standard is 1,000 feet AGL but varies by airport
    • Find it in the Chart Supplement (formerly A/FD)

    SourceAIM 4-3-3; ACS PA.III.B.S5

16. Question 16 · PA.III

    There is an L-shaped bracket next to the runway indicator in the segmented circle. What does the base of the L tell you?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Base of the L indicates direction of the base leg — signifies whether airport uses left-hand or right-hand traffic for that specific runway

    SourceAIM 4-3-3; PHAK Chapter 14