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Area III of 8

Air Traffic Control (ATC) Clearances and Procedures

7% of the Instrument Rating test, about 4 of the 60 questions. The FAA's test standard lists 2 tasks and 4 knowledge elements and 8 risk management elements for this area. Here is every one, plus sample questions to try.

What the FAA tests

From the Instrument Rating Airplane test standard, FAA-S-ACS-8C.

Task A. Compliance with Air Traffic Control Clearances

Knowledge: what you must know

  • IR.III.A.K1Elements and procedures related to ATC clearances and pilot/controller responsibilities for departure, en route, and arrival phases of flight, including clearance void times.
  • IR.III.A.K2Pilot-in-Command (PIC) emergency authority.
  • IR.III.A.K3Lost communication procedures and procedures for flights outside of radar environments.

Risk management: hazards you must be able to spot and manage

  • IR.III.A.R1Less than full understanding of an ATC clearance.
  • IR.III.A.R2Inappropriate, incomplete, or incorrect ATC clearances.
  • IR.III.A.R3ATC clearance inconsistent with aircraft performance or navigation capability.
  • IR.III.A.R4ATC clearance intended for other aircraft with similar call signs.

Task B. Holding Procedures

Knowledge: what you must know

  • IR.III.B.K1Elements related to holding procedures, including reporting criteria, appropriate speeds, and recommended entry procedures for standard, nonstandard, published, and non-published holding patterns.

Risk management: hazards you must be able to spot and manage

  • IR.III.B.R1Recalculating fuel reserves if assigned an unanticipated expect further clearance (EFC) time.
  • IR.III.B.R2Scenarios and circumstances that could result in minimum fuel or the need to declare an emergency.
  • IR.III.B.R3Scenarios that could lead to holding, including deteriorating weather at the planned destination.
  • IR.III.B.R4Holding entry and wind correction while holding.

Try a sample question

Air Traffic Control (ATC) Clearances and Procedures ยท IR.III.A.K1

You are departing IFR from an airport with no control tower. Your clearance ends: "Clearance void if not off by 1430. If not off by 1430, advise Center not later than 1445 of intentions." A slow passenger means you are still on the ramp at 1430. What must you do?

Practice all of air traffic control (atc) clearances and procedures

The full course has questions on every element listed here, with an explanation and FAA source for each.

See the courseFree mock test