Instrument Rating oral
Weather & alternates — instrument rating oral exam questions
The examiner gives you a destination forecast and asks two things: do you legally need to file an alternate, and does the one you picked qualify.
That is the 1-2-3 rule for filing and the standard vs. non-standard alternate minimums for qualifying — plus the "no alternate minimums" and "NA" notes on the approach charts.
They will also probe icing (structural vs. induction, known ice, what your airplane is approved for) and how you would use the weather to decide whether to launch at all.
Questions you’ll get
- 1Here is the destination TAF. Do you need to file an alternate? Show me the 1-2-3 rule applied.
- 2You filed this airport as your alternate. Does it qualify? What are the alternate weather minimums?
- 3What does a triangle with an "A" and "NA" on an approach plate tell you about using that airport as an alternate?
- 4What is "known icing," and is this airplane legal and safe to fly into the forecast conditions?
- 5Difference between structural and induction icing. How do you recognize and respond to each?
- 6The destination goes below minimums while you are en route. Walk me through your options and your fuel math.
- 7What weather products tell you about turbulence, icing, and convection for this route?
- 8Define "ceiling." How is it different from a broken layer at 2,500 reported as a variable ceiling?
Walk in ready
Drill the 1-2-3 rule and standard alternate minimums until you can apply them to a live TAF in under a minute. Know your airplane’s icing approval and have a clear personal rule for forecast ice.
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.