Instrument Rating (IREX) - Bob Tait Aviation Theory Forum

LSALT calculation when No IAP - IREX online practice exam 3. Q . 24..

Nick Smit — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 15:25:38 +0000

IREX question — could someone please clarify?

Hi all, could someone please have a look at this question and explain why 2100 ft is considered the correct answer?

According to the AIP, my understanding is that the required altitude should be:

Grid LSALT + 500 ft = 1900 + 500 = 2400 ft (or 2600 ft depending on the chart/grid value used)

So I was expecting the answer to be closer to 2550/2600 ft, not 2100 ft.

Question:

You depart Caiguna (S32.16.8 E125.28.7) for Forrest (S30.51.3 E128.06) in VH-OZY. Your intention is still to return to Caiguna should an engine fail in IMC after departure. You plan to track to Forrest via W486.

To allow you to depart under these circumstances, there must be no more than four eighths cloud below an altitude of:

a) 2800 ft
b) 2100 ft (marked correct — can someone explain why?)
c) 2550 ft
d) 1813 ft

My understanding is that for an engine failure in IMC after departure, the return route clearance should consider LSALT + 500 ft, so I’m unsure where the 2100 ft comes from.

Would appreciate any explanation or AIP reference.

TIA

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IREX Questions

Christopher — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:09:09 +0000

Hi everyone,

I have a few questions and I have the exam soon.

If you only have 1 VHF + 1 HF Com and you need an alternate, and that alternate has PAL, do you need to carry 30 minutes holding fuel if flying by day AND/OR night or do you only need the holding fuel if you're flying at night? AIP ENR 1.1 10.7.4.4 doesn't really specify at what time of day you need it.

Will I have to calculate BOD for a certain destination aerodrome in the exam if I need to calculate holding fuel for BOD + 10 mins or will the BOD be given in the question?

The textbook says that you can use Grid LSALT in the calculation of alternate minima and takeoff minima for aerodromes withn no published IAP, however, the regs for visual approach requirements talk specifically about LSALT/MSA for "the last route segment". I looked up the specific definition of a route segment in the ERC low user guide and it says that a route segment has a defined LSALT, track, and distance etc. Doesn't that technically mean you can't use Grid LSALT because it's not a "route segment" LSALT?

Also, I was doing a practice exam and got this question:

You are approaching Townsville at 0312Z. You wish to obtain the latest meteorological reports for your arrival.

The time and frequency on which the next VOLMET for Townsville will be available are -

Select one:

0330 on HF

0400 on HF

the current time on VHF

0330 on VHF

I selected current time on VHF because I thought you could use the Bellenden Kerr VOLMET (119.75Mhz) or the Mt Blackwood VOLMET (119.85Mhz) but the correct answer was 0330 on HF. Is it based on the fact that you need to be on continuous listening watch on at least 1 VHF frequency and that's why you select the HF VOLMET? I'm a bit confused here as well.

Thank you

Question 2 Exercise 16 (Aug 2 2025 book)

8bpf — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 06:08:42 +0000

Sorry. Found my error!

IPC for CIR and PIFR Circling

Simon Helps — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 10:04:37 +0000

Greetings, I have been trying to find out if when I do an IPC, and it is signed off for both my CIR and PIFR, whether the Circling recency is two years for the PIFR? Typically, I do my IPC every two years and fly on my PIFR in the second year. I'm having trouble finding the actual requirement other than a CIR IPC circling being valid for 12 months, but not a lot of info on the PIFR FPA. Thanks! Simon

IREX revision exercise 2.1 qs 2

Angus — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 23:00:37 +0000

I was wondering why for the minimum nav aid requirement for IFR for an aircraft manufactured in 2010 can't use one RNAV TSO 129 plus either ADF/VOR? I thought under 11.09 (3) and (8) it can? Thanks in advance!

IREX online p201 95 or 94 minutes

Tim — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 15:45:18 +0000

Should the 95 be 94 ? (or what am I missing?) . . . IrexOnline_Page201.jpg

IREX online p187 | Fuel Holding with INTER

Tim — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 15:15:49 +0000

The line in red "you would only need 10 minutes holding fuel" ... is this correct ? or rather ... it contradicted by the sentence immediately before it ... and the explanation after it ? ? ? Shouldn't it read "You would NEED 40 minutes of fuel" That is, if holding "you require fuel to hold until 30 minutes AFTER the forecast cessation of the period". Hence, if the 30min/INTER starts at 08 ... it finishes at 8:30. Should you arrive at 8:20 .... you need 10 minutes of fuel to get you 8:20 to 8:30 and the 'extra' of the half hour 8:30 to 9am. You would NEED 40 minutes of fuel and NOT 10 minutes as is written. If this is not the case then read on because in the next example it is contradicted by the 'extra' holding fueld required after the 12 that takes it through to 12:30. IrexOnline_Page187.jpg

IREX online page 129 DEAD LINK to old CASA document

Tim — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 11:48:20 +0000

Page 129 references a CASA performance based navigation booklet from 2014 that no longer exists: https://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/lib100178/pbn-booklet.pdf Whilst it is out there on the interweb, it looks a little outdated in is probably superseded by content from the intervening 10 years. PBN_page124.jpg

Outdated question

isaac — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 18:01:31 +0000

Hi i may be wrong but i believe the question on what route to take from sydney to coffs harbour in the irex practice exams may be outdated. I have the current ERSA and the screenshot provided as an explanation of the answer given does not match the routes in the current ERSA.

VOR Intercept heading finding related problems

Nick Smit — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 00:03:20 +0000

** I re-read the question now it makes sense. question mentions To the VOR and From the VOR ** Hi All, IREX Page 67 question 25. Could somone please share his/her knowledge regarding below question type - VOR intercept heading find. When I am solving these questions- I can decide to turn right or left to intercept a radial 30,40,60 angel and can find associated heading. Questions does not explicitly mention whether to turn right or left to intercept the VOR. When I was checking the answer- In some cases BoB tait decided to turn left (towards the VOR station ) to intercept the radials In some cases Bob Tait decided to turn right (away) from the VOR station to intercept the radials In.. When I googled about these, I got answer choose- find most efficient turn or choose shortest parth. Can someone please explain how can we decide that.. Here question 25 - turning right towards the station should be shortest path to intercept radial of 090 at 045 degree. So answer should be 225 as red marked. Specially in this case turn toward the VOR station means right is the shortest distance to intercept radial of 090 coz the further we flying away from VOR station distance between radial increases.. ..Please see the attached photos..