ATSA Speed and Distance Calculations 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An aircraft is cruising at 360 knots and is 180 nautical miles from its destination. What is the estimated time of arrival?
- 30 minutes (Correct answer)
- 45 minutes
- 20 minutes
- 60 minutes
Correct answer: 30 minutes
180 nm ÷ 360 knots = 0.5 hours = 30 minutes.
Question 2: A controller needs an aircraft to cover 240 nautical miles in 40 minutes. What groundspeed must the aircraft maintain?
- 360 knots (Correct answer)
- 240 knots
- 480 knots
- 180 knots
Correct answer: 360 knots
240 nm ÷ (40/60 hr) = 240 × 1.5 = 360 knots.
Question 3: An aircraft traveling at 450 knots — how many nautical miles will it cover in 20 minutes?
- 150 nm (Correct answer)
- 90 nm
- 225 nm
- 75 nm
Correct answer: 150 nm
450 knots × (20/60 hr) = 450 × 0.333 = 150 nm.
Question 4: Two aircraft are on a direct collision course 50 nautical miles apart, each flying at 300 knots toward the other. How many minutes until potential conflict if no action is taken?
- 5 minutes (Correct answer)
- 10 minutes
- 15 minutes
- 3 minutes
Correct answer: 5 minutes
Combined closure rate = 300 + 300 = 600 knots; 50 nm ÷ 600 knots × 60 = 5 minutes.
Question 5: Aircraft A is following Aircraft B on the same route. A is 20 nautical miles behind, traveling at 300 knots. B is traveling at 250 knots. How many minutes until A closes the gap to zero?
- 24 minutes (Correct answer)
- 20 minutes
- 30 minutes
- 40 minutes
Correct answer: 24 minutes
Closure rate = 300 – 250 = 50 knots; 20 nm ÷ 50 knots × 60 = 24 minutes.
Question 6: An aircraft covers 200 nautical miles in 30 minutes. What is its average groundspeed?
- 400 knots (Correct answer)
- 300 knots
- 600 knots
- 200 knots
Correct answer: 400 knots
200 nm ÷ 0.5 hr = 400 knots.
Question 7: ATC instructs an aircraft to cross a fix 60 nautical miles away in exactly 12 minutes. What speed must the aircraft maintain?
- 300 knots (Correct answer)
- 360 knots
- 250 knots
- 400 knots
Correct answer: 300 knots
60 nm ÷ (12/60 hr) = 60 × 5 = 300 knots.
ATSA Speed and Distance Calculations 1
An aircraft is cruising at 360 knots and is 180 nautical miles from its destination.
What is the estimated time of arrival?