ATS Surveillance: PrinciplesRadio Telephony — DGCA CPL practice questions
Question 1 of 16
The call-sign suffix for an Area Control Centre is:
All 16 questions — ATS Surveillance: Principles
Radio Telephony · DGCA CPL. The correct option is marked on each.
Q1. The call-sign suffix for an Area Control Centre is:
- A.Approach
- B.Tower
- C.Control✓
- D.Information
Why: ontrol. "Control" denotes the Area Control Centre (en-route).
Q2. The correct order of a position report is:
- A.Level, position, time, next
- B.Position, time, level, next point, estimate✓
- C.Time, next, level, position
- D.Estimate, position, level
Why: Position, time, level, next point and estimate (plus the point after).
Q3. "Maintain flight level 350" must be:
- A.Acknowledged "roger"
- B.Read back✓
- C.Not read back
- D.Read back only at night
Why: Level instructions are mandatory read-back items.
Q4. To enter a controlled airway, an aircraft needs:
- A.No clearance
- B.A clearance to join✓
- C.Only a squawk
- D.A landing clearance
Why: clearance to join. Joining controlled airspace requires a clearance to join.
Q5. An aircraft held over a fix is given:
- A.A take-off clearance
- B.A fix, level and an expected approach / onward clearance time✓
- C.A SELCAL code
- D.A runway
Why: fix, level and an expected approach / onward clearance time. Holding clearance gives the fix, level and EAT/onward-clearance time.
Q6. "Expect approach time three five" tells the pilot:
- A.To begin the approach now
- B.The time to expect release from the hold for approach✓
- C.To squawk 3500
- D.To climb to FL350
Why: The EAT is the time the aircraft can expect to leave the hold for its approach.
Q7. ADS-C provides:
- A.Voice communication
- B.Automatic datalink position reports at agreed intervals/events✓
- C.A glidepath
- D.Engine data to ATC
Why: utomatic datalink position reports at agreed intervals/events. ADS-C (Contract) sends automatic position reports over datalink.
Q8. CPDLC carries:
- A.Weather radar images
- B.Controller–pilot clearances and messages as text✓
- C.A glidepath signal
- D.The phonetic alphabet
Why: ontroller–pilot clearances and messages as text. CPDLC is a text datalink for ATC clearances and messages.
Q9. Over the ocean, separation is primarily:
- A.By primary radar
- B.Procedural (time/Mach), with HF/CPDLC reporting✓
- C.By VHF vectoring
- D.Not provided
Why: No radar/VHF — separation is procedural, using position reports and the Mach-number technique.
Q10. An oceanic clearance specifies:
- A.Runway and squawk
- B.Track, flight level and assigned Mach number✓
- C.A heading only
- D.A holding fix
Why: The oceanic clearance gives the track, level and Mach number.
Q11. The Mach-number technique keeps aircraft separated by:
- A.Vectoring
- B.Maintaining a constant time spacing through assigned Mach numbers✓
- C.Squawk codes
- D.Radio checks
Why: Same Mach on the same track keeps the time interval between aircraft constant.
Q12. SELCAL allows an oceanic crew to:
- A.Vector themselves
- B.Stop continuously monitoring HF until selectively called✓
- C.Land without a clearance
- D.Change their Mach number
Why: SELCAL alerts a specific aircraft, so the crew need not strain at HF static.
Q13. A large FIR is divided for control into:
- A.Runways
- B.Sectors✓
- C.Aprons
- D.Holding fixes only
Why: An ACC works the FIR in sectors, handing aircraft on between them.
Q14. "Report leaving flight level 350" requires the pilot to:
- A.Read back nothing
- B.Tell ATC when leaving FL350✓
- C.Maintain FL350
- D.Squawk ident
Why: A "report leaving/reaching" instruction asks for a call at that event.
Q15. ATS surveillance in continental area control commonly uses:
- A.Only HF
- B.Radar and ADS-B✓
- C.SELCAL
- D.Light signals
Why: Continental area control uses radar and increasingly ADS-B.
Q16. An aircraft crossing an airway is cleared to cross at:
- A.Any level it likes
- B.A level/time that keeps it separated from airway traffic✓
- C.Ground level
- D.The transition altitude only
Why: level/time that keeps it separated from airway traffic. A crossing clearance specifies a level/time providing separation.