Which aspects of a procedure turn are left to the pilot's discretion?

Prepare for the AC2 Advancement Test with comprehensive materials. Review flashcards and multiple-choice questions with explanations and hints. Start your journey to success today!

Multiple Choice

Which aspects of a procedure turn are left to the pilot's discretion?

When flying a procedure turn, the path and altitude elements are published and fixed, giving you the outbound course, the minimum altitude, and the distance of the outbound leg. What you can decide is exactly when to start the turn and how you execute it, in terms of turn type and rate. The point at which you begin the reversal and whether you use a standard-rate, shallow, or other rate of turn are left to you to manage wind, speed, and performance while staying inside protected airspace and lining up with the inbound course. The other parts—the outbound course, minimum altitude, and turn distance—are specified to ensure obstacle clearance and proper alignment with the approach, so they’re not discretionary.

When flying a procedure turn, the path and altitude elements are published and fixed, giving you the outbound course, the minimum altitude, and the distance of the outbound leg. What you can decide is exactly when to start the turn and how you execute it, in terms of turn type and rate. The point at which you begin the reversal and whether you use a standard-rate, shallow, or other rate of turn are left to you to manage wind, speed, and performance while staying inside protected airspace and lining up with the inbound course. The other parts—the outbound course, minimum altitude, and turn distance—are specified to ensure obstacle clearance and proper alignment with the approach, so they’re not discretionary.

More practice questions