Adf, RMI, ndb questions on IFR written still present?

[FlyingMonkey]

I had heard that they removed adf questions from the IFR written exam. A few questions:

1. Are there questions regarding adf bearings and headings?
2. Are there questions regarding RMI?
3. Are there questions regarding holding pattern entry around an NDB?

Thanks!


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[SbestCFII]

Not sure, but that stuff was still big as early as last year. IFR GPS has been mainstream now for a long time, but the only 1-2 GPS questions on the IRA exam were about RAIM. Learning the material for the test isn't necessarily bad. If you look at affordable planes for purchase, you'll notice that despite being 20 years into the GPS age, a lot of these planes are equipped with that "conventional" IFR gear. If you learn and train to fly with that gear, you can easily transition to IFR using GPS. When I purchased my last plane with it's dual Nav-Coms, ADF and DME, the first upgrade I did was pull out the ADF, DME and the second Nav-com and install a 430W. But until I did that, I flew the plane IFR conventionally and used a Garmin 396 for situational awareness and datalink weather data and it was fine. Maybe I'll look into the test bank and see what they're using now, but the FAA has been running about 15 years behind on this stuff for as long as I can remember.

 

[James331]

Well the RMI is still very relivent. Most EHSIs have RMI like pointers on them, knowing how to read a RMI is quite important and will make your life easier.

 

[SbestCFII]

True! I was just looking at a sample of 132 IRA test bank questions and skimming through there were 4 on GPS (none on WAAS), and I didn't see any on ADF/NDB/RMI. Link to the bank FYI:

https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/test_questions/media/ira.pdf

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Thanks for the link!

I've learned most of the adf and rmi stuff and I'm just reviewing now. Confused on the sample questions/answers for entering holding patterns around an NDB. I can do the VOR ones no problem.

My plane doesn't have ADF and it never will. I can't believe we have to learn about adf- does anyone still navigate with this anymore? I thought the NDBs were all being decommissioned?

Going to take the written in about a week. Almost ready to ace it.

 

[poadeleted20]

The FAA put out notice four months ago that they were removing certain question areas including ADF from the PP written, not the IR-A written. However, in an update a week ago, they announced deletion of several areas including ADF/NDB (but not RMI) from the IR-A written. See the latest announcement here.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Thank you Ron.

 

[MAKG1]

Thanks for the link!

I've learned most of the adf and rmi stuff and I'm just reviewing now. Confused on the sample questions/answers for entering holding patterns around an NDB. I can do the VOR ones no problem.

My plane doesn't have ADF and it never will. I can't believe we have to learn about adf- does anyone still navigate with this anymore? I thought the NDBs were all being decommissioned?

Going to take the written in about a week. Almost ready to ace it.

Holding patterns around NDBs aren't any different from holding patterns around VORs or GPS fixes. The only difference is that they don't have radials, but have bearings TO or FROM the station instead.