ForAllPilotsFlying beyond limits
ATPL · free questions

Free ATPL general navigation 061 questions: 10 with answers

10 general navigation questions from the ATPL bank of ForAllPilots, with no account and no sign-up. Answer in your head, then open the answer: the right letter and its explanation are under each question. The full bank has 1,003 questions for this subject.

The 10 questions

  1. Question 1 · 061 01 Basics of navigation

    Given: True track=282°, Variation=8E, Drift=10R. Calculate the Magnetic Heading.

    • A249°
    • B264°
    • C279°
    • D272°
    Show the answer+

    Answer: B. 264°

    With 10° right drift, the heading is 10° left of track: true heading 272°. East variation is subtracted (variation east, magnetic least): magnetic heading 264°.

  2. Question 2 · 061 01 Basics of navigation

    An aircraft flies a true track of 240° at TAS 330 kt. Wind is 210°/45kt. Calculate the approximate groundspeed.

    • A290 kt
    • B246 kt
    • C335 kt
    • D334 kt
    Show the answer+

    Answer: A. 290 kt

    The wind from 210° is 30° to the left of the 240° track: headwind component 45 x cos 30° = 39 kt, crosswind 22.5 kt, wind correction angle about 4°. GS = 330 x cos 4° - 39 = about 290 kt.

  3. Question 3 · 061 01 Basics of navigation

    Given:True Heading = 180° TAS = 500 ktW/V 225° / 100 ktCalculate the GS?

    • A535 kt
    • B600 kt
    • C435 kt
    • D450 kt
    Show the answer+

    Answer: C. 435 kt

    The wind from 225° blows towards 045°, 45° off the reciprocal of the 180° heading. Resolving: southward 500 - 100 x cos 45° = 429 kt, eastward 71 kt. GS = square root of (429² + 71²) = about 435 kt.

  4. Question 4 · 061 01 Basics of navigation

    An aircraft departs from position A (04°10' S 178°22'W) and flies northward following the meridian for 2950 NM. It then flies westward along the parallel of latitude for 382 NM to position B. The coordinates of position B are?

    • A45°00'N 169°22W
    • B45°00'N 172°38'E
    • C53°20'N 172°38'E
    • D53°20'N 169°22W
    Show the answer+

    Answer: B. 45°00'N 172°38'E

    Flying north 2,950 NM along a meridian is 2,950' = 49°10' of latitude: 04°10' S becomes 45°00' N. Flying west 382 NM on the 45° N parallel is 382 / cos 45° = 540' = 9°00' of longitude: 178°22' W + 9° = 187°22' W, that is 172°38' E.

  5. Question 5 · 061 01 Basics of navigation

    At latitude 60°, a change of longitude of 250' (minutes of arc) corresponds to a departure (distance) of approximately:

    • A125 NM
    • B162 NM
    • C250 NM
    • D88 NM
    Show the answer+

    Answer: A. 125 NM

    Departure (NM) = change of longitude (minutes) x cos latitude = 250 x cos 60° = 125 NM.

  6. Question 6 · 061 01 Basics of navigation

    Given: GS = 435 kt.Distance from A to B = 1920 NM.What is the time from A to B?

    • A3 HR 25 MIN
    • B4 HR 10 MIN
    • C4 HR 25 MIN
    • D3 HR 26 MIN
    Show the answer+

    Answer: C. 4 HR 25 MIN

    Time = distance / groundspeed = 1,920 / 435 = 4.41 h, which is 4 h 25 min.

  7. Question 7 · 061 01 Basics of navigation

    Given: FL300, Mach 0.82, OAT -34°C. Calculate the approximate TAS.

    • A420 kt
    • B568 kt
    • C494 kt
    • D602 kt
    Show the answer+

    Answer: C. 494 kt

    The local speed of sound is about 38.94 x square root of the absolute temperature: OAT -34 °C = 239 K, so a = about 602 kt. TAS = Mach x a = 0.82 x 602 = about 494 kt.

  8. Question 8 · 061 01 Basics of navigation

    Isogonals are lines of equal :

    • Acompass deviation.
    • Bwind velocity.
    • Cpressure.
    • Dmagnetic variation.
    Show the answer+

    Answer: D. magnetic variation.

    Isogonals are lines connecting points of equal magnetic variation.

  9. Question 9 · 061 03 Great circles and rhumb lines

    Given a change of longitude of 25° and a mean latitude of 10°, calculate the approximate conversion angle.

    • A12.5°
    • B3.3°
    • C1.1°
    • D2.2°
    Show the answer+

    Answer: D. 2.2°

    Conversion angle = ½ x change of longitude x sin mean latitude = ½ x 25° x sin 10° = 12.5 x 0.174 = about 2.2°.

  10. Question 10 · 061 05 Time

    A position is located at longitude -75°. Using the standard 15°=1 hour rule, local mean time at this position is approximately how many hours behind UTC?

    • A7.5 hours
    • B5.0 hours
    • C3.0 hours
    • D7.0 hours
    Show the answer+

    Answer: B. 5.0 hours

    The mean sun moves 15° of longitude per hour. At 75° W local mean time is 75 / 15 = 5 hours behind UTC.

Each answer was checked again before publication; like every explanation on the site, these may contain errors. Some explanations were rewritten for this page, sometimes with the help of an AI. Spotted a mistake? Write to us at contact@forallpilots.com.

Going further

How ForAllPilots trains you

  • Series of 20 or 30 questions

    New questions, mistakes to review or a mix of both, with the answer and its explanation straight away.

  • Flashcards

    Question on the front, explained answer on the back, filtered by subject, to learn without a timer.

  • Timed mock exam

    100 questions in 150 minutes, drawn from the whole ATPL bank: a training format, not a copy of an official paper.

  • AI instructor, optional

    From €4.99 a month on top of the Private pilot or PRO offer: it quizzes you in writing and explains your mistakes. A beta tool, it does not replace an approved instructor.

ATPL access comes with the PRO offer (which also includes Private pilot): €19.99 a month, cancel anytime, or €129 once with the Exam Pass (18 months of access, nothing renews). Prices include all taxes.