Instrument Rating oral
Lost communications — instrument rating oral exam questions
Lost comms is the classic instrument oral scenario because it has no single memorized answer — you have to reason through 91.185 from the clearance you were actually given.
Route is the AVEF hierarchy: assigned, then vectored-to, then expected, then filed. Altitude is the highest of MEA/MOCA, what you were assigned, or what you were told to expect — segment by segment.
Then timing: when do you leave the clearance limit and start the approach. The examiner wants you to talk through a specific clearance, not recite the rule.
Questions you’ll get
- 1You lose comms in IMC. Walk me through 91.185 — route first, then altitude, then timing.
- 2Your clearance was "cleared to XYZ via V123, maintain 4,000, expect 8,000 ten minutes after departure." Comms fail at 4,000. What altitude do you fly on each segment?
- 3When do you leave the clearance limit and begin your approach? Give me both cases — with an EFC and without one.
- 4You are on vectors when comms fail. What route do you fly and why?
- 5What transponder code do you squawk, and what else can you try before committing to the lost-comms procedure?
- 6How does 91.185 interact with a hold at the clearance limit?
- 7If you regain comms halfway through, what do you do?
- 8What if you are VMC when comms fail — does 91.185 still apply?
Walk in ready
Write out AVEF and the MEA/assigned/expected altitude rule and practice applying them to three different clearances out loud. Nail the clearance-limit timing for both the "with EFC" and "no EFC" cases.
More IFR oral topics
PilotPrep is a study aid. It is not the FAA, it doesn’t replace your CFI or an endorsement, and practicing here doesn’t guarantee passing the practical. These are representative questions, not a script the examiner follows — always defer to your instructor and the current ACS and FARs.