ATC ATC Separation Standards 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the standard horizontal radar separation minimum between IFR aircraft in en route airspace?
- 3 nautical miles
- 5 nautical miles (Correct answer)
- 10 nautical miles
- 1 nautical mile
Correct answer: 5 nautical miles
The standard horizontal radar separation in en route airspace is 5 nautical miles, though this can be reduced to 3 nautical miles in certain terminal environments with appropriate authorization.
Question 2: What vertical separation standard applies between IFR aircraft at or below FL290 in domestic US airspace?
- 500 feet
- 1,000 feet (Correct answer)
- 2,000 feet
- 3,000 feet
Correct answer: 1,000 feet
The standard vertical separation at or below FL290 is 1,000 feet; above FL290, Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) airspace allows 1,000 feet of separation up to FL410.
Question 3: What is RVSM and what vertical separation does it allow?
- Restricted VFR Separation Minima; 500 feet between aircraft
- Reduced Vertical Separation Minima; 1,000 feet between FL290 and FL410 (Correct answer)
- Required VHF Separation Monitoring; 2,000 feet above FL410
- Radar Verified Separation Method; 1,500 feet in all airspace
Correct answer: Reduced Vertical Separation Minima; 1,000 feet between FL290 and FL410
RVSM (Reduced Vertical Separation Minima) is the airspace between FL290 and FL410 where special equipment requirements allow vertical separation to be reduced from 2,000 feet to 1,000 feet, increasing airspace capacity.
Question 4: When does wake turbulence separation apply?
- Only when aircraft are on the same runway for landing
- Whenever a lighter aircraft follows a heavier aircraft in the same airspace or on approach (Correct answer)
- Only between heavy jets operating above FL180
- Only during instrument meteorological conditions (IMC)
Correct answer: Whenever a lighter aircraft follows a heavier aircraft in the same airspace or on approach
Wake turbulence separation is required whenever a lighter aircraft follows a heavier aircraft, as the vortices generated by the leading aircraft's wings can pose a serious hazard to the following aircraft.
Question 5: What minimum wake turbulence separation is required for a small aircraft following a heavy aircraft on final approach?
- 3 nautical miles
- 4 nautical miles
- 5 nautical miles (Correct answer)
- 6 nautical miles
Correct answer: 5 nautical miles
A small aircraft following a heavy aircraft on final approach requires 5 nautical miles of separation to allow wake turbulence to dissipate before the lighter aircraft passes through the same area.
Question 6: What is non-radar separation, and when is it used?
- Separation maintained using only visual reference from the control tower
- Procedural separation based on time, position fixes, or altitude when radar is unavailable (Correct answer)
- Separation provided by TCAS onboard equipment instead of ATC
- Reduced separation applied in visual meteorological conditions
Correct answer: Procedural separation based on time, position fixes, or altitude when radar is unavailable
Non-radar (procedural) separation uses time, position reports, altitude, or geographic fixes to maintain separation when radar coverage is not available or has failed.
ATC ATC Separation Standards 1
What is the standard horizontal radar separation minimum between IFR aircraft in en route airspace?