19 / 20

You are tracking directly towards a DME beacon with a steady headwind of 20 kt. At 1000 UTC your distance reads 18 NM, and by 1005 UTC it shows 8 NM. Based on this information, what is your approximate airspeed?

  • A

    100 kt

  • B

    120 kt

  • C

    140 kt

  • D

    160 kt

Let's solve this step by step:

  • At 1000 → the aircraft is 18 NM away.
  • At 1005 → the aircraft is 8 NM away.

So, in 5 minutes, the aircraft covered: 18 - 8 = 10 NM

Groundspeed = (10 NM ÷ 5 min) x 60 = 120 kt

Since the aircraft is flying into wind with a 20 kt headwind:

  • Airspeed = Groundspeed + Headwind = 120 + 20 = 140 kt

Your Notes (not visible to others)



This question has appeared on the real examination, you can find the related countries below.

Keyboard Shortcut Use Keyboard Shortcuts