ATPL radio navigation 062: practice questions and syllabus

What the syllabus covers

The topics of the EASA syllabus for this subject, with what each one lists.

1. 062 01Basic radio propagation theory

   basic principles, antennas, wave propagation.

2. 062 02Radio aids

   ground direction finding, NDB/ADF, VOR, DME, ILS, MLS.

3. 062 03Radar

   pulse techniques, ground radar, airborne weather radar, secondary surveillance radar and transponder.

4. 062 06Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS)

   GNSS, ground-based, satellite-based and aircraft-based augmentation systems.

5. 062 07Performance-based navigation (PBN)

   PBN concept, navigation specifications, use, operations, RNAV and RNP specification requirements.

Source: EASA, Easy Access Rules for Aircrew (AMC to Part-FCL)

The illustrated course

To understand before you answer: 14 chapters and 133 key points, 125 of them with a diagram or an illustration. The first chapter, « Radio waves, modulation and antennas », is free to read.

1. Radio waves, modulation and antennas
2. Wave propagation
3. Direction finding: VDF, NDB and ADF
4. The VOR
5. VOR indicators: CDI, HSI and RMI
6. DME
7. ILS and MLS
8. Primary radar and ground radars
9. Airborne weather radar
10. Secondary radar (SSR) and the transponder
11. GNSS: GPS and the other constellations
12. GNSS Integrity and Augmentation
13. Area Navigation: RNAV and FMS
14. Performance-Based Navigation (PBN)

ATPL radio navigation course: contents and chapter 1

3 questions to practise

Taken from the site's English bank and checked one by one. Read the question, choose your answer, then open the explanation. Like every explanation on the site, they may contain errors.

1. Question 1 · 062 02 Radio aids

   Of what use, if any, is a military TACAN station to civil aviation ?

   • AIt can provide a DME distance and magnetic bearing
   • BIt can provide DME distance
   • CIt is of no use to civil aviation
   • DIt can provide a magnetic bearing
   Show the answer+

   Answer: B. It can provide DME distance

   TACAN uses UHF and gives bearing on a military system that civil receivers cannot use. Its distance function is compatible with civil DME, so civil aircraft can use a TACAN for DME distance only.

2. Question 2 · 062 03 Radar

   In a primary radar using pulse technique, the ability to discriminate between targets in azimuth is a factor of:

   • Abeam width
   • Baerial rotation rate
   • CPulse Recurrence Rate (PRR)
   • Dpulse length
   Show the answer+

   Answer: A. beam width

   Azimuth target discrimination in primary radar depends on the radar beam's width (narrower beam gives finer angular resolution).

3. Question 3 · 062 06 GNSS

   What datum is used for the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) on a non-precision approach when using the NAVSTAR/GPS satellite navigation system?

   • AIf using Differential-GPS (D-GPS) the altitude obtained from the D-GPS, otherwise barometric altitude
   • BGPS altitude
   • CRadar altitude
   • DBarometric altitude
   Show the answer+

   Answer: D. Barometric altitude

   The datum for MDA on a GPS non-precision approach remains barometric altitude, not GPS-derived (WGS-84) altitude.

9 more free questions, no sign-up: Free ATPL radio navigation questions

How to approach this subject

For each aid, learn the principle and the typical error: VOR line-of-sight range (about 1.23 × (√transmitter height + √aircraft height) in NM, heights in feet), DME slant range (overhead the station it equals the aircraft's height), four satellites for a three-dimensional GNSS fix, primary radar (echo) versus secondary radar (transponder), and the three PBN errors: PDE, NSE and FTE.

How ForAllPilots trains you

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