PPL navigation 060: practice questions and syllabus
The EASA PPL navigation syllabus covers the Earth and time, directions and magnetism, charts, dead reckoning (track, heading, groundspeed, drift), in-flight navigation and radio navigation: VOR, ADF, DME, GNSS. With 842 questions, it is the largest subject of our PPL bank, and many ask for a calculation: groundspeed, compass heading, UTC time, VOR range.
- explained questions in the bank
- 842
- pass mark per paper (EASA)
- 75 %
What the syllabus covers
The topics of the EASA syllabus for this subject, with what each one lists.
1The Earth and time
solar system, apparent movement of the sun, great circles and rhumb lines, latitude and longitude, solar time, UTC, local mean time and standard time, date line, sunrise, sunset and civil twilight.
2Directions, distances and magnetism
true, magnetic and compass north, variation, deviation, isogonals, distance units and conversions, magnetic compass and aircraft magnetism.
3Charts
Mercator and Lambert projections, reading aeronautical charts, scale and relief, chart symbols, measuring tracks and distances.
4Dead reckoning
track, heading, wind, IAS, CAS, TAS and groundspeed, ETA, drift, flight computer, triangle of velocities, true altitude, comparing the DR position with the observed position.
5In-flight navigation
visual observation, position fixing, revising groundspeed, track corrections, wind calculation, revising the ETA, navigation log.
6Radio navigation
radio propagation and antennas, direction finding, NDB/ADF, VOR, DME, ground radar, secondary radar and transponder, GNSS (GPS, GLONASS or Galileo).
Source: EASA, Easy Access Rules for Aircrew (AMC to Part-FCL)
The illustrated course
To understand before you answer: 12 chapters and 91 key points, 91 of them with a diagram or an illustration. The first chapter, « The Earth, coordinates and distances », is free to read.
- The Earth, coordinates and distances
- Aeronautical charts
- True, magnetic and compass north
- Wind: drift and the wind triangle
- Airspeeds, altimetry and levels
- Time, distance, fuel: mental arithmetic
- UTC time, day and night
- Dead reckoning and pilotage
- VOR and direction finding
- ADF, NDB and RMI
- GPS (GNSS)
- Radar, transponder and services
5 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.
Question 1 · 1 The Earth and time
On 15 December, you are in Paris where the local time is 1145. You can deduce that the UTC time is:
- A0945.
- B1045.
- C1245.
- D1145.
Show the answer+
Answer: B. 1045.
In mainland France, from the last weekend of October until the last weekend of March, winter time applies: UTC+1.
Question 2 · 2 Directions, distances and magnetism
The true track is 180°. The local magnetic variation is 3° West. What is the corresponding magnetic track?
- A180°
- B177°
- C186°
- D183°
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Answer: D. 183°
Rule "variation West, add; variation East, subtract": MT = 180° + 3° = 183°.
Question 3 · 2 Directions, distances and magnetism
A distance of 37 kilometres between two towns is equivalent, in nautical miles (NM), to:
- A20 NM.
- B23 NM.
- C24 NM.
- D121 NM.
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Answer: A. 20 NM.
One nautical mile is 1.852 km (1 NM = 1.852 km), so 37 km = 37 / 1.852 ≈ 20 NM.
Question 4 · 4 Dead reckoning
Your ground speed is 120 kt. In one minute, you cover:
- A1.2 NM.
- B2 km.
- C2 NM.
- D1 NM.
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Answer: C. 2 NM.
120 kt = 120 NM in 60 minutes. In one minute: 120 / 60 = 2 NM.
Question 5 · 6 Radio navigation
The theoretical reception range of a VOR for an aircraft flying at an altitude of 900 ft is approximately:
- A60 NM.
- B40 NM.
- C100 NM.
- D20 NM.
Show the answer+
Answer: B. 40 NM.
The formula for the theoretical VOR range is: D = 1.23√H, where H is the aircraft's height in feet above the beacon, and D is in NM. The question refers to an altitude of 900 ft, but we will consider this to be the height above the VOR, which gives us: D = 1.23√900 = 1.23 x 30 = 36.9 NM. The closest value among the answers is 40 NM.
9 more free questions, no sign-up: Free PPL navigation questions
How to approach this subject
Navigation comes down to mental arithmetic and the order of corrections: true track, variation, magnetic track, drift, heading. Learn the simple rules: variation west, add it; variation east, subtract it; at 120 kt you cover 2 NM a minute; 1 NM is 1.852 km. Set out every calculation on paper.
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