LevelMind

Do you need to request a step climb or step descent when flying in controlled airspace, or can you climb at your own discretion if you've entered your climbs in your fligthplan? And if you need to request it, do you Always have to request it, or if you're for example flying oceanic can you at that Point climb/descent at your own discretion?

Hello I'm wondering what the difference between the minimum flap retratction altitude (MFRA) and Acceleration height/altitude is. So usually the MFRA is 1000ft (I know it may vary from Airlines), and most Airlines seems to have their acc height at 1000ft aswell, but what is the departure requires a acc height of 1500ft for example. Is the MFRA then 1500ft above ground or is it still 1000ft like usual?

I was mainly asking how it's done in Europe, so I assume the answer to how it's done in European airspace is that you should always fly the restritctions unless explicitly cancelled.

Ok thanks again for the answers. Now, once again I see to get mixed answers, so is there a source anywhere that I can have as a reference? And are the answers based on what is done in Europe or in the US, etc?

By saying "unless the controller tells you otherwise" I assume you mean if the controller clears you to descend to a lower altitude? Since the second reply suggests that I should directly descend to 5000 feet in this case.

HI, When you're cleared on to a STAR and cleared to descend (NOT a "Descend Via" clearance) are you cleared to descend to the cleared altitude without respecting the published STAR altitude restrictions? For example: If you are cleared to descend to 5000 feet, but the next restriction in the STAR is at 7000 feet, are you cleared to descend directly to 5000 feet or do you need to fly the restriction of 7000 feet and then descend to 5000 feet? And does it work the same way on a SID? I've recently had a look into this topic, but all I've seen is mixed answers. Some say that you should respect the restriction, and some say otherwise. Now, I do understand that this might vary between countries, but I'm specifically asking about how it works in Europe (outside the UK), and especially in Scandinavia (since my homebase is in Scandinavia).

If I'm a jet aircraft flying IFR, and I climb out from a class D airspace, then inevitably I will get into class A airspace, so, do I need a specific clearance for that, is it all taken care of with me inital IFR clearance on the ground? Because, as far as I know, if you're flying VFR you will need an explicit clearance when entering, for example, class B airspace.

Hi, During some flights I've been told to report established on the ILS, and I do just that. But sometimes when ATC doesn't tell me to report established, is suppose I should'nt report established (quite simple i suppose) ? The reason why I'm asking this is because some controllers have asked me if I'm established on the ILS and they sound like they think I should've reported it to them even though they've never given me an explicit instruction to do so. So, overall, should you report established (on the ILS) to the APP controller, even though he's not told you to do so? Thanks.

Thanks for the repsonse! So, let's say a B737 or a Category C aircraft, what climb gradient would those be able to perform? 2,5% or 4%?

Hi, Looking at, for example, the charts for ILS 07 in ENML, there's two different CAT I approaches. One is called CAT I GA 4% and one CAT I GA 2,5%. So, from what I understand neither of these are CAT II or autoland capable, but why is there two different CAT I approaches and what's the difference between them other than that the minimas are different? And also, if you would want to fly the CAT I GA 4% does it have to be specifically activated like CAT II and CAT III has to be (what I mean is that CAT II/III is only operational during LVP, and I'm wondering if it's the same thing for CAT I GA 4%)?

Hi, At some airports that have a specific Delivery frequency, I've heard it common to just request the IFR clearance to you destination. And in that case, ATC might sometimes answer with start-up approved, and as far as I'm aware that only means that they have opened the flightplane, and not actually that you can start the Engines? But at some smaller Airports with no DLV frequency, it seems common to just request start-up and the clearance in the same call - and as a respone to that ATC will give you the start-up clearance, but in this case does it mean that you can start the Engines since you started of by asking for start-up? If that is the case what is the difference, and why does some Airport prefer if you directly ask for start-up clearance, instead of start by just requesting the clearance, or is it the same thing?

Usually when I fly into an airport I put my last waypoint into the flightplan and then let ATC decide what STAR i should fly and they give me the STAR clearance, since different STARs usually lead to different runways. But for example, in the UK, the same STAR can lead to the same runway. So, if you write the STAR you'll be flying already in your flightplan, do you still need a specific clearance upon arrival to fly it? And if so, what if you do not enter you're STAR, will they specificlly clear you on to a STAR then?

Hi, If I'm flying along in an airspace were there's a lot of traffic and the ATC is busy, and I come up to my first waypoint of a STAR without a clearance? I know that if there's a published holding you should fly that holding, but what if there is no published holding? Should you hold anyway, or start flying the STAR even though you don't have clearance for it?

Right, thank you. And back on the "squawk 2000" thing - when you get into radar coverage again, are you still meant to be squawking 2000, or how do you know when to stop squwaking 2000?

Ok thank you for the information. You said that you should squawk 2000, 30 minutes after entering Oceanic airspace (i.e. after leaving radar coverage). So, does that mean that when you are flying over the Atlantic you are flying without ATC and withour radar coverage? And also, why do you need to get an Oceanic clearance if you for example fly BIKF (Keflavik) to ENGM (Oslo), since in that case you are never flying via coordinates (ex. 5860N) or NATs, nor are you flying outside radar coverage?

Hi, When you are about 30 minutes from the oceanic entry point, you should contact the oceanic atc, and therefore you must leave your current frequency. So, can you just leave your current frequency without telling them in order to Contact oceanic? And also I've learnt that you should squawk 2000 about 30 min before entering oceanic - But I have seen a few aircraft flying over the Atlantic not squawking 2000, so have they been told to squawk otherwise?

Ok, so how does ATC tell you that you are allowed to fly the circling approach?

I'm wondering how they do it in real life.

As the title suggests: Do you need a specific clearance to fly a circling approach into a runway? Or does ATC clear you for a Visual approach and you may fly the circling approach if you wish?

Ok thank you, I might be wrong, but as far as I'm aware I didn't think the EAI on the 737 needed engine bleed air, and that only WAI needed bleed air. But I'm not 100% sure.

Ok, now another question regarding anti-ice; if engine anti-ice will be used during landing, when are you meant to turn it off again? When you get into the gate, or just when you have vacated the runway?

Hi, If the temperature is, for example, -5 degress, should you use anti ice for takeoff even when the skies are clear and there's no clouds?

Ok thanks

Ok thank you. And while we're on the topic of brakes, I thought I'd might as well ask if there is such thing as a brake check/brake test performed on the 737 while taxing out for departure or if that's only done on the airbus?

Hi, When setting the parking brake in a real 737 I've learnt that you need to press the brake pedals FULLY down and then set the parking brake, and that will lock the brake pedals so that they stay all the way down. Now, if that's the case, how are you then able to release the parking brake by pressing the brake pedals if they're already all the way down? (I know that you can release the parking brake by just pulling the parking brake lever, but it should also be possible by using the pedals) Thanks in advance