International Ops

Question 1

When are fuel freeze point temperatures provided?

Answer 1

From US departure stations when:

Long range flag flights above 78 degrees

Polar routes October 1 thru April 30

Whenever a route temps forecast -65 degrees

Question 2

When can 207 minute ETOPS be used?

Answer 2

Available only for North Pacific north of 40 degrees N

May be used on flight by flight exception, only when weather or other conditions restrict use of 180 minute ETOPS

Dispatch must notify the Captain and provide rationale

Question 3

When can 240 minute ETOPS be used?

Answer 3

Use limited to South Pacific

Time based on fire extinguishing and other system limitations

Question 4

What is the relationship between hectopascals and millibars?

Millimeters of mercury?

Answer 4

Hectopascals and millibars are equal.

Millimeters, used in some regions, ARE NOT equal, and ATC should provide hectopascals upon request. If not, a conversion table is available in the FOM

Question 5

QNH setting in the UK?

Answer 5

When cleared to descend from a flight level to an altitude, ATC will provide the airport QNH.

IMMEDIATELY set QNH value on all altimeters

Question 6

What is QFE?

Answer 6

Not used at destinations served by United, but QFE is simply an altimeter indicating height above the runway. At touchdown, the barometric altimeter would read “0”

NEVER fly QFE heights. Always request QNH and fly an altitude

Question 7

If A3008 on a METAR indicates an altimeter setting of 30.08 inches of Mercury, what does Q1008 indicate?

Answer 7

An altimeter setting of 1008 hectopascals, or 1008 millibars of pressure

Question 8

When should you apply COLD WEATHER ALTIMETER CORRECTIONS?

Answer 8

Outside the U.S. and its territories and the OAT is colder than 0 degrees C (787 only)

Within the U.S., apply corrections only if directed by 10-7 page or notes on IAP page

Altimeter corrections apply IAF through MAP

Question 9

What constitutes a Flag Operation?

Answer 9

Any flight that does not begin and end in the 48 contiguous United States

Question 10

What is NAT HLA?

Answer 10

North Atlantic High Level Airspace

Question 11

What is NAT OTS?

Answer 11

North Atlantic Organized Track System

Built twice daily

Between FL290 and FL410, with 1,000 foot vertical separation

Majority of tracks separated by 1 degree of latitude (60 nm)

Question 12

What are PBCS tracks?

What is the separation?

What altitude?

Answer 12

Performance Based Communication and Surveillance

PBCS tracks are 1/2 degree of latitude, or 30nm

Operate FL350 to FL390

Question 13

What is NAT DLM?

Requirements?

Altitudes?

Answer 13

North Atlantic Datalink Mandate

Requires aircraft in NAT DLM airspace to have additional CNS equipment such as CPDLC, RNP 4 capability and ADS-C

NAT DLM airspace exists FL350 - FL390

Question 14

What are NARs?

Answer 14

North American Routes

Routes used between major airports in North America and the Atlantic Oceanic Control Area

Designated by number

Question 15

What is CMNPS?

Answer 15

Canadian Minimum Navigation Performance Specification

Question 16

What are the Canadian airspace designations?

Answer 16

SCA - Southern Control Area

NCA - Northern Control Area

ACA - Arctic Control Area

Question 17

What is NOR OTS?

Who is it for?

Where is it located?

Answer 17

Northern Organized Track System

For aircraft operating westbound between Europe and Western North America.

Begins at Edmonton/Reykjavik border between 66 and 78 degrees North and covers northern portion of Edmonton FIR

Question 18

ATS routes vs. PACOT routes?

Answer 18

ATS routes are published on charts and are a standing route system, eg NOPAC and CEP routes.

PACOT routes are flexible routes that are published daily

Question 19

TCDPs?

Answer 19

Terrain Critical Depressurization Procedures

Developed where the aircraft cannot rapidly descend to 10,000 feet due to mountainous terrain

Question 20

CNS?

Answer 20

Communication, Navigation and Survellance

Question 21

How do we choose an LDOC station?

Answer 21

Call GP, and ask for a dedicated LDOC frequency. Those listed on the chart may not be monitored

Question 22

What is the rule of thumb for HF frequency choice?

Answer 22

High sun equals high frequency

Question 23

When must you contact ARC with a revised ETA?

When must you advise variation in airspeed?

Answer 23

When the ETA for the next reporting point is incorrect by three minutes or more*

*except for NAT, with ADS-C

When the TRUE AIRSPEED varies in excess of 5 percent from true airspeed filed in flight plan

Question 24

AIREP Special?

Answer 24

Severe turbulence
Severe icing
Volcanic ash
Any other condition that would affect the safety of another aircraft
An unforecast condition that could significantly affect efficiency of another aircraft

If working with GP, precede the message with the phrase “AIREP Special.” The report will go to ATC and company

Question 25

What ETOPS rules do Polar routes utilize?

Answer 25

They are all on 180 minute ETOPS. 207 minute ETOPS are not allowed. 240 minute ETOPS may be permitted on a case-by-case basis

Question 26

In polar operations, what two times are controlling and listed on the OFP?

Answer 26

Wheels up time and Russian FIR time.

Question 27

What is the allowable time window for Russian FIR entry?

Answer 27

A ten minute window

Question 28

Which satellite communication service is available on Polar routes?

Answer 28

INMARSAT SATCOM is not available above 82 degrees North. Iridium Satlink is available along the entire route

Question 29

Difference between North Polar Operation per dispatch and FMS Polar Operations?

Answer 29

North Polar per dispatch means anything north of 78N is considered Polar for dispatch purposes The FMS automatically switches to polar operations (magnetic to true) when operating in an area above 82N except for the “keyhole area” between 80W and 130W above 70N

Question 30

What are the PBCF basics?

Answer 30

Fly to and land at destination Account for PBCF value of not less than 5 minutes, or if unavailable a minimum of 5% enroute Fly to the most distant alternate 30 minutes holding at 1,500 feet

Question 31

What are the additional factors that must be accounted for when using PBCF?

Answer 31

Winds and other weather conditions forecast Anticipated traffic delays One instrument approach and possible missed approach at destination Any other conditions that may delay landing of the aircraft