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SimplyATPL › 033 Flight Planning and Monitoring

UK CAA ATPL(A) · Subject 033

ATPL Flight Planning practice questions

Flight Planning and Monitoring (033) covers planning a flight from start to finish: VFR and IFR charts, fuel planning for single-engine, light twin and MRJT aeroplanes, the ATS flight plan form, and in-flight monitoring and replanning. Many questions use CAP 697.

43original questions here
42questions in the practice paper
2 hourstime allowed
Start a timed 033 paper Try sample questions

Free, no sign-up. The practice paper uses the question count and time limit from CAA guidance for this subject. Check the CAA for the current figures before your exam.

About the exam

What to expect in 033 Flight Planning and Monitoring

It is a long paper with many multi-step calculations. Time management matters, so practising under a timer helps as much as the content.

In the practice desk you can sit a full 42-question paper under exam conditions, or drill one syllabus topic at a time. Questions you miss come back after 1, 3, 7, 16 and 35 days, so weak areas get repeated until they stick.

Syllabus

033 syllabus topics

Every topic below has practice questions, and you can drill any of them on its own.

  • 033 01Flight Planning for VFR Flights · 1 questions
  • 033 02Flight Planning for IFR Flights · 30 questions
  • 033 03Fuel Planning · 9 questions
  • 033 04Pre-Flight Preparation · 1 questions
  • 033 05ICAO Flight Plan (ATS Flight Plan, FPL) · 1 questions
  • 033 06Flight Monitoring and In-Flight Re-Planning · 1 questions
Try it

Sample ATPL Flight Planning questions

Five questions from the bank. Each one in the practice desk has a worked explanation like these.

Sample 1 · 033 04 · Pre-Flight Preparation

What is a pre-flight information bulletin (PIB)?

  1. AA list of aeronautical charts needed for the flight
  2. BA completed ICAO flight plan form submitted to ATS
  3. CA summary of the forecast weather along the route
  4. DA presentation of current NOTAM information of operational significance, prepared before the flight
Show the answer

Answer: D. A presentation of current NOTAM information of operational significance, prepared before the flight

ICAO Annex 15 defines a pre-flight information bulletin as a presentation of current NOTAM information of operational significance, prepared prior to flight. Pilots use it to check closures, restrictions and other changes along their route.

Sample 2 · 033 05 · ICAO Flight Plan (ATS Flight Plan, FPL)

In Item 15 of the ICAO flight plan, which entry correctly gives a cruising speed of 450 knots true airspeed?

  1. AM450
  2. BN0450
  3. CN450
  4. DK0450
Show the answer

Answer: B. N0450

Item 15 gives the cruising speed as N plus four digits for knots, K plus four digits for km/h, or M plus three digits for Mach number. 450 kt is therefore N0450.

Sample 3 · 033 03 · Fuel Planning

According to the Figure 4.4 notes, which statement about the holding fuel flow table is correct? Refer to CAP 697 Section 4, paragraph 4.1 in your own copy of the manual.

  1. AIt is based on a racetrack pattern with flaps extended; no correction applies for straight and level flight
  2. BIt is based on straight and level flight at 250 KIAS; increase by 5% for a racetrack pattern
  3. CIt is based on a racetrack pattern at the minimum drag speed, but not below 210 KIAS; reduce by 5% for straight and level flight
  4. DIt is based on a racetrack pattern at the minimum drag speed, but not below 250 KIAS; reduce by 10% for straight and level flight
Show the answer

Answer: C. It is based on a racetrack pattern at the minimum drag speed, but not below 210 KIAS; reduce by 5% for straight and level flight

Paragraph 4.1: the fuel flow is for a racetrack at minimum drag KIAS with a minimum permitted speed of 210 KIAS; for straight and level flight reduce the flow by 5%.

Sample 4 · 033 02 · Flight Planning for IFR Flights

Which of the following off-optimum conditions gives the LARGEST fuel mileage penalty at Mach 0.78? Refer to CAP 697 Section 4, Table 4.1 in your own copy of the manual.

  1. A8,000 ft below optimum
  2. B12,000 ft below optimum
  3. C2,000 ft above optimum
  4. D4,000 ft below optimum
Show the answer

Answer: B. 12,000 ft below optimum

Table 4.1 Mach 0.78: −20% at 12,000 ft below, −11% at 8,000 ft, −4% at 4,000 ft and −1% at 2,000 ft above.

Sample 5 · 033 02 · Flight Planning for IFR Flights

At 8,000 ft below the optimum altitude, which statement about the Table 4.1 penalties is correct? Refer to CAP 697 Section 4, Table 4.1 in your own copy of the manual.

  1. AThe penalty at Mach 0.78 is 10% and is less than the 11% for LRC
  2. BThe penalty at Mach 0.78 is 15% and the penalty for LRC is 11%
  3. CThe penalty at Mach 0.78 is 11% and is greater than the 10% for LRC or Mach 0.74
  4. DThe penalty is 10% for all three cruise modes
Show the answer

Answer: C. The penalty at Mach 0.78 is 11% and is greater than the 10% for LRC or Mach 0.74

Table 4.1: 8,000 ft below optimum is −10% for LRC/Mach 0.74 and −11% for Mach 0.78.

Practise all 43 033 questions
Revision tips

How to revise Flight Planning and Monitoring

  • Learn the fuel policy components in order: taxi, trip, contingency, alternate, final reserve and extra.
  • Practise the ATS flight plan items until you can fill them in from memory.
  • Sit at least a few full-length timed papers. The time pressure is part of the challenge in this subject.
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