ATPL - General Navigation BASICS OF
NAVIGATION The Solar System- INS
operation
The Solar System
1. What is the highest latitude listed below at which the sun will reach an altitude
of 90o above the horizon at some time during the year?
A – 0o
B – 45o
C – 66o
D – 23o
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: D
2. Assuming mid-latitudes (40o to 50o N/S). At which time of year is the
relationship between the length of day and night, as well as the rate of change
of declination of the sun, changing at the greatest rate?
A – Summer solstice and spring equinox
B – Spring equinox and autumn equinox
C – Summer solstice and winter solstice
D – Winter solstice and autumn equinox
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: B
3. What is the approximate date of perihelion, when the Earth is nearest to the
Sun?
A – Beginning of January
B – End of December
C – Beginning of July
D – End of March
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: A
,4. At what approximate date is the earth furthest from the sun (aphelion)?
A – Beginning of July
B – End of December
C – Beginning of January
D – End of September
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: A
5. 8335. Seasons are due to the:
A – Earth’s elliptical orbit around the Sun
B – inclination of the polar axis with the ecliptic plane
C – Earth’s rotation on its polar axis
D – variable distance between Earth and Sun
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: B
061-01-02 The Earth
1. A great circle track joins position A (59oS 141oW) and B (61oS 148oW).
What is the difference between the great circle track at A and B?
A – it increases by 6o
B – it decreases by 6o
C – it increases by 3o
D – it decreases by 3o
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: A
2. The angle between the plane of the Equator and the plane of the Ecliptic is:
A – 66.5 deg
B – 23.5 deg
C – 25.3 deg
D – 65.6 deg
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: B
,3. Given:
Value for the ellipticity of the Earth is 1/297. Earth’s semi-major axis, as
measured at the equator, equals 6378.4 km. What is the semi-minor axis (km)
of the earth at the axis of the Poles?
A – 6 356.9
B – 6 378.4
C – 6 367.0
D – 6 399.9
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: A
4. At what approximate latitude is the length of one minute of arc along a
meridian equal to one NM (1852 m) correct?
A – 45o
B – 0o
C – 90o
D – 30o
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: A
5. The maximum difference between geocentric and geodetic latitude occurs at
about:
A – 90o North and South
B – 60o North and South
C – 45o North and South
D – 0o North and South (equator)
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: C
6. What is the UTC time of sunrise in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
(49N 123 30W) on the 6th December?
A – 2324 UTC
B – 0724 UTC
C – 1552 UTC
D – 0738 UTC
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: C
, 7. The circumference of the Earth is approximately:
A – 43200 nm
B – 10800 nm
C – 21600 nm
D – 5400 nm
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: C
8. In order to fly from position A (10o00N, 030o00W) to position B (30o00N),
050o00W), maintaining a constant true course, it is necessary to fly:
A – the great-circle route
B – the constant average drift route
C – a rhumb line track
D – a straight line plotted on a Lambert chart
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: C
9. The diameter of the Earth is approximately:
A – 18 500 km
B – 6 350 km
C – 12 700 km
D – 40 000 km
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: C
10. At what approximate date is the earth closest to the sun (perihelion)?
A – End of June
B – End of March
C – Beginning of July
D – Beginning of January
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: D
NAVIGATION The Solar System- INS
operation
The Solar System
1. What is the highest latitude listed below at which the sun will reach an altitude
of 90o above the horizon at some time during the year?
A – 0o
B – 45o
C – 66o
D – 23o
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: D
2. Assuming mid-latitudes (40o to 50o N/S). At which time of year is the
relationship between the length of day and night, as well as the rate of change
of declination of the sun, changing at the greatest rate?
A – Summer solstice and spring equinox
B – Spring equinox and autumn equinox
C – Summer solstice and winter solstice
D – Winter solstice and autumn equinox
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: B
3. What is the approximate date of perihelion, when the Earth is nearest to the
Sun?
A – Beginning of January
B – End of December
C – Beginning of July
D – End of March
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: A
,4. At what approximate date is the earth furthest from the sun (aphelion)?
A – Beginning of July
B – End of December
C – Beginning of January
D – End of September
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: A
5. 8335. Seasons are due to the:
A – Earth’s elliptical orbit around the Sun
B – inclination of the polar axis with the ecliptic plane
C – Earth’s rotation on its polar axis
D – variable distance between Earth and Sun
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: B
061-01-02 The Earth
1. A great circle track joins position A (59oS 141oW) and B (61oS 148oW).
What is the difference between the great circle track at A and B?
A – it increases by 6o
B – it decreases by 6o
C – it increases by 3o
D – it decreases by 3o
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: A
2. The angle between the plane of the Equator and the plane of the Ecliptic is:
A – 66.5 deg
B – 23.5 deg
C – 25.3 deg
D – 65.6 deg
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: B
,3. Given:
Value for the ellipticity of the Earth is 1/297. Earth’s semi-major axis, as
measured at the equator, equals 6378.4 km. What is the semi-minor axis (km)
of the earth at the axis of the Poles?
A – 6 356.9
B – 6 378.4
C – 6 367.0
D – 6 399.9
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: A
4. At what approximate latitude is the length of one minute of arc along a
meridian equal to one NM (1852 m) correct?
A – 45o
B – 0o
C – 90o
D – 30o
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: A
5. The maximum difference between geocentric and geodetic latitude occurs at
about:
A – 90o North and South
B – 60o North and South
C – 45o North and South
D – 0o North and South (equator)
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: C
6. What is the UTC time of sunrise in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
(49N 123 30W) on the 6th December?
A – 2324 UTC
B – 0724 UTC
C – 1552 UTC
D – 0738 UTC
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: C
, 7. The circumference of the Earth is approximately:
A – 43200 nm
B – 10800 nm
C – 21600 nm
D – 5400 nm
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: C
8. In order to fly from position A (10o00N, 030o00W) to position B (30o00N),
050o00W), maintaining a constant true course, it is necessary to fly:
A – the great-circle route
B – the constant average drift route
C – a rhumb line track
D – a straight line plotted on a Lambert chart
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: C
9. The diameter of the Earth is approximately:
A – 18 500 km
B – 6 350 km
C – 12 700 km
D – 40 000 km
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: C
10. At what approximate date is the earth closest to the sun (perihelion)?
A – End of June
B – End of March
C – Beginning of July
D – Beginning of January
Ref: AIR: atpl, cpl; HELI: atpl, cpl
Ans: D
