Cessna 172S Steam Navigation & Cross-Country Planning — PPL Oral Exam Questions

DPE oral questions · navigation & cross-country planning

18 questions a DPE may ask in this section

1. Question 1 · PA.I.D.K1

   What is the difference between true course, magnetic course, and magnetic heading?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • True course: direction relative to true north (from sectional chart)
   • Magnetic course: true course corrected for magnetic variation (east is least, west is best)
   • Magnetic heading: magnetic course corrected for wind correction angle (WCA) and compass deviation

   SourcePHAK FAA-H-8083-25C Chapter 16

2. Question 2 · PA.I.D.K1

   How do you determine fuel requirements for a VFR cross-country flight?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Fuel to reach destination
   • Fuel to fly to alternate (if no alternate: VFR day = 30-minute reserve; VFR night = 45-minute reserve)
   • 14 CFR 91.151: VFR day — enough fuel to destination plus 30 minutes at cruise
   • 14 CFR 91.151: VFR night — enough fuel to destination plus 45 minutes at cruise

   Source14 CFR 91.151

3. Question 3 · PA.I.D.K2

   How does GPS relate to the sectional chart for flight planning?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • GPS gives direct routing — pilot must still understand how to interpret sectional charts
   • Sectional shows airspace, obstructions, restricted areas, TFRs (TFRs may not appear on sectional unless pre-planned)
   • GPS databases may be out of date — check AIRAC cycle
   • VFR pilot should always have a paper or electronic sectional backup to GPS
   • Situational awareness requires knowing where you are relative to airspace boundaries

   SourceFAR/AIM 1-1-17; PHAK Chapter 16

4. Question 4 · PA.I.D

   You used a single VOR for a checkpoint. Why would I want to see two VORs, and is a VOR even required for this flight?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • VOR not required for VFR
   • Two VORs allow cross-radial fix to pinpoint exact location
   • For PPL, pilotage and dead reckoning are primary skills tested

   SourceACS Task VI.A

5. Question 5 · PA.I.D

   You've filed a VFR flight plan. Walk me through activating it after departure and consequences of forgetting to close it.

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Contact FSS via radio to activate after takeoff
   • If not closed within 30 minutes of ETA, search and rescue procedures are initiated

   SourceAIM 5-1-4; ACS Task I.D

6. Question 6 · PA.I.D

   You now estimate arriving at destination with exactly 25 minutes of fuel remaining. Is this legal?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • No — Day VFR requires 30 minutes reserve after reaching destination at normal cruising speed
   • Must divert to closer airport

   Source14 CFR 91.151; ACS Task I.D

7. Question 7 · PA.I.D

   I want you to intercept and track the 180 radial inbound to the station. What course do you set in the OBS and what should TO/FROM show?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Set 000 (or 360) in OBS
   • Indicator should show TO — flying north toward the station from the south

   SourcePHAK Chapter 16; POH Section 9

8. Question 8 · PA.I.D

   What is RAIM and what do you do if RAIM NOT AVAILABLE appears enroute?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring — ensures GPS accuracy
   • Requires at least 5 satellites to detect a faulty signal (or 4 with baro input)
   • If lost: verify position every 15 minutes using another approved nav system or revert to alternate navigation

   SourcePHAK Chapter 16; POH Section 9

9. Question 9 · PA.I.D

   Landmarks no longer match the chart. You're unsure of your position. What are the 5 Cs?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Climb, Communicate, Confess, Comply, Conserve (reduce power for maximum endurance)

   SourcePHAK Chapter 16; ACS Task VI.D

10. Question 10 · PA.I.D

    30 miles from destination, line of unforecast thunderstorms across our path. Walk me through your diversion process.

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Identify alternate airport on chart or EFB
    • Note current position and time
    • Calculate new heading, estimate time and fuel to alternate ensuring legal VFR reserves

    SourcePHAK Chapter 16; ACS Task VI.C

11. Question 11 · PA.I.D

    Your passenger begins showing motion sickness and vomits. How does this change your flight plan?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Environmental and human factor hazard (Passengers in PAVE)
    • Use ADM to prioritize diversion to nearest suitable airport — passenger comfort and preventing pilot distraction

    SourceRisk Management Handbook Chapter 8

12. Question 12 · PA.I.D

    How do you identify TFRs along your route and what are the consequences of unauthorized entry?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Check NOTAMs via 1800wxbrief.com or FSS
    • Unauthorized entry can result in certificate suspension or military intercept

    SourceAIM 3-2-1; PHAK Chapter 15

13. Question 13 · PA.I.D

    During briefing you see a NOTAM (D) and an FDC NOTAM. What's the difference?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • NOTAM (D) — navigation facilities, airports, services (runway closures etc.)
    • FDC NOTAM — regulatory in nature, TFRs, amendments to instrument approach procedures
    • FDC NOTAM is legacy terminology — now called regulatory NOTAM since November 2021

    SourceAIM 5-1-3; 14 CFR 91.103

14. Question 14 · PA.I.D

    We are flying on a magnetic course of 190 degrees above 3,000 feet AGL. What altitudes are appropriate?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • 180-359° magnetic = even thousands + 500 feet (e.g., 4,500, 6,500, 8,500)

    Source14 CFR 91.159; PHAK Chapter 16

15. Question 15 · PA.I.D

    You're using an iPad with ForeFlight. What are the specific risks and how do you mitigate them?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • EFBs can overheat in direct sunlight or fail from dead battery/software crash
    • Mitigation: backup power supply, keep out of direct sun, secondary nav source (paper charts or onboard VOR)

    SourceACS Task I.D; ACS Task II.B

16. Question 16 · PA.I.D

    Why shouldn't you rely on pilotage alone, and how does dead reckoning act as a safety net?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Pilotage relies on visual landmarks which can be obscured by haze or weather
    • Dead reckoning uses time/speed/distance calculations to provide expected position even when landmarks are hidden

    SourcePHAK Chapter 16; ACS Task VI.A

17. Question 17 · PA.I.D

    You've just passed a checkpoint and groundspeed is 90 knots. Destination is 30 nautical miles away. How many minutes until we arrive?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • 30 NM ÷ 90 knots = 1/3 hour = 20 minutes

    SourcePHAK Chapter 16; ACS Task VI.A

18. Question 18 · PA.I.D

    We're flying in mountainous terrain. Why might your altimeter and magnetic compass be less reliable?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Cold weather = altimeter reads higher than actual altitude (must correct for terrain clearance)
    • Compass subject to dip errors, acceleration/deceleration errors, turning errors — especially in turbulence

    SourceAviation Weather Handbook Chapter 8; ACS Task VI.A