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Key Facts: NCAA Instrument Rating Theory Exam

50 Qs

The official exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions.

Nig. CARs Part 2 Guidelines

90 Mins

Time allowed to complete the examination.

NCAA Examination Standards

75%

Minimum passing score required by NCAA.

Nig. CARs Part 2

~₦50,000

Exam registration fee per attempt.

NCAA Licensing Schedule

5 Domains

Syllabus covers 5 core theoretical domain areas.

NCAA IR Syllabus

NCAA Instrument Rating Theory is a 50-question, 90-minute examination requiring a 75% passing mark for Instrument Rating candidates under Nig. CARs Part 2.

Sample NCAA Instrument Rating Theory Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the NCAA Instrument Rating Theory exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under Nig. CARs Part 2, what is the minimum recent instrument experience required within the preceding 6 calendar months to act as pilot-in-command under IFR?

A.3 instrument approaches, 3 hours of instrument time, and holding procedures

B.6 instrument approaches, holding procedures, and intercepting/tracking courses

C.10 instrument approaches and 6 hours of instrument flight in actual IMC

D.5 instrument approaches and a successful proficiency check with an NCAA examiner

Explanation: Nig. CARs Part 2 specifies that to maintain IFR PIC currency, a pilot must have performed at least 6 instrument approaches, holding procedures, and course intercepting/tracking within the preceding 6 calendar months.

2What is the minimum fuel reserve required for an IFR flight in a propeller-driven aircraft under Nig. CARs?

A.Fuel to destination, then to alternate, plus 30 minutes at holding speed

B.Fuel to destination, then to alternate, plus 45 minutes at normal cruising speed

C.Fuel to destination plus 60 minutes at normal cruising speed

D.Fuel to destination, then to alternate, plus 15 minutes at maximum power

Explanation: For IFR flight in propeller-driven aircraft, Nig. CARs requires sufficient fuel to fly to the destination aerodrome, then to the alternate aerodrome (if required), plus 45 minutes at normal cruising speed.

3Under Nig. CARs Part 2, when is an alternate aerodrome required to be specified in an IFR flight plan for destination weather?

A.When weather forecasts indicate ceiling below 1,000 ft or visibility below 3 km at ETA

B.When weather forecasts indicate ceiling below 2,000 ft or visibility below 5 km (3 SM) from 1 hour before to 1 hour after ETA

C.Only when the destination airport does not have a published precision instrument approach

D.For all night IFR flights regardless of forecast ceiling and visibility

Explanation: Under the 1-2-3 rule incorporated in Nig. CARs, an alternate is required unless for at least 1 hour before to 1 hour after ETA, the ceiling is at least 2,000 ft above airfield elevation and visibility is at least 5 km (3 SM).

4According to the semi-circular cruising rule, what IFR altitude should be selected when flying on a magnetic track of 090° in controlled airspace?

A.Even thousand-foot altitude (e.g., FL060 or 6,000 ft)

B.Odd thousand-foot altitude (e.g., FL050 or 5,000 ft)

C.Odd thousand-foot plus 500 feet (e.g., 5,500 ft)

D.Any altitude assigned by the pilot as long as it is above MEA

Explanation: On magnetic tracks from 000° to 179° (eastbound), IFR flights operate at odd thousand-foot levels (e.g., FL050, FL070, FL090). Westbound tracks (180° to 359°) use even thousand-foot levels.

5In standard ATC IFR clearances, what does the memory acronym 'CRAFT' stand for?

A.Course, Route, Altitude, Fuel, Transponder

B.Clearance limit, Route, Altitude, Frequency, Transponder

C.Control sector, Radial, Altitude, Frequency, Taxi route

D.Clearance limit, Radial, Approach, Fix, Transition

Explanation: CRAFT stands for Clearance limit, Route of flight, Altitude assigned/expected, Frequency for departure/contact, and Transponder squawk code.

6What does a Minimum En-route Altitude (MEA) publish on an IFR en-route chart guarantee along the entire route segment?

A.Obstacle clearance and acceptable radio navigation signal reception

B.Continuous radar coverage and VHF voice communications

C.Obstacle clearance only, without navigational signal coverage

D.Visual contact with terrain during daytime IMC conditions

Explanation: An MEA guarantees both terrain/obstacle clearance (1,000 ft non-mountainous, 2,000 ft mountainous) and acceptable navigation signal coverage (Navaid reception) along the entire segment.

7How does a Minimum Obstacle Clearance Altitude (MOCA) differ from a Minimum En-route Altitude (MEA)?

A.MOCA guarantees obstacle clearance along the segment, but nav signal reception only within 22 NM of a VOR

B.MOCA guarantees navigation signal reception along the whole route, but less obstacle clearance

C.MOCA applies only to RNAV routes, whereas MEA applies to conventional VOR airways

D.MOCA provides 2,000 ft obstacle clearance everywhere, whereas MEA provides 1,000 ft

Explanation: MOCA provides required obstacle clearance along the entire route segment, but acceptable VOR navigation signal reception is only guaranteed within 22 nautical miles (25 SM) of the VOR station.

8What is the minimum obstacle clearance required over designated mountainous terrain when establishing an IFR cruising altitude?

A.1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within 4 nautical miles of the intended course

B.2,000 feet above the highest obstacle within 4 nautical miles of the intended course

C.1,500 feet above the highest obstacle within 5 nautical miles of the intended course

D.500 feet above the highest obstacle within 2 nautical miles of the intended course

Explanation: In designated mountainous areas, IFR obstacle clearance requires at least 2,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 4 nautical miles from the course to be flown.

9In the event of a total radio communications failure in IMC, which altitude should be flown according to standard IFR lost communications rules?

A.The lowest of the assigned, expected, or minimum en-route altitude

B.The highest of the Assigned altitude, Expected altitude, or Minimum en-route altitude (MEA) for the segment being flown

C.Maintain the last assigned altitude until reaching the destination fix

D.Immediately climb to the Minimum Off-Route Altitude (MORA)

Explanation: Under lost communications rules in IMC, altitude selection for each segment follows the rule: fly the HIGHEST of the Assigned altitude, Expected altitude, or Minimum en-route altitude (MEA).

10Which route sequence priority must a pilot follow when experiencing two-way radio failure under IFR in IMC?

A.Filed, Expected, Vectored, Assigned

B.Assigned, Vectored, Expected, Filed (AVE F)

C.Direct to destination alternate regardless of clearance

D.Vectored, Assigned, Filed, Expected

Explanation: Route selection priority for lost communications in IMC follows AVE F: 1. Assigned route, 2. Vectored route (to fix specified in vector clearance), 3. Expected route in further ATC clearance, 4. Filed flight plan route.

About the NCAA Instrument Rating Theory Exam

The NCAA Instrument Rating Theory exam tests pilot candidates in Nigeria on Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), flight planning, radio navigation (ILS, VOR, NDB, DME, GNSS), holding procedures, instrument approaches, IFR weather/icing, altimetry corrections, and Nig. CARs Part 2 regulations.

Exam sponsor: Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

50 multiple-choice questions administered electronically in 90 minutes.

Time Limit

90 minutes

Passing Score

75%

Exam / Certification Fees

₦20,000

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: ~68%. Estimated pass rate for candidates completing an approved ATO Instrument Rating ground school. This describes exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep users or results from using our resources. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

20%

Instrument Flight Rules & Nig. CARs Regulations

Nig. CARs Part 2 IFR currency, alternate aerodrome requirements, fuel reserves, minimum flight altitudes (MEA, MOCA, MORA), and IFR clearance procedures.

20%

Flight Instruments & Glass Cockpit Avionics

Pitot-static instruments, gyroscopic principles, HSI, RMI, glass cockpit PFD/MFD, AHRS, ADC, and system error/failure diagnostics.

25%

Radio Navigation & PBN Systems

ILS, VOR, NDB, DME, TACAN, GNSS/RNAV, RNP levels, RAIM integrity monitoring, and navigational distance/radial calculations.

20%

Instrument Approach & Holding Procedures

SID, STAR, precision (ILS/GLS) and non-precision (RNP/VOR/NDB) approaches, holding entries, wind corrections, descent gradients, and MDA/DA corrections.

15%

IFR Meteorology & Human Factors

Structural icing, thunderstorm hazards, weather reports/forecasts (METAR/TAF), spatial disorientation, sensory illusions, and instrument scan technique.

Preparing for the NCAA Instrument Rating Theory Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 75%
Assessment: 50 multiple-choice questions administered electronically in 90 minutes.
Time limit: 90 minutes
Exam / certification fees: ₦20,000 Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

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NCAA Instrument Rating Theory: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master holding pattern entry sector determinations (teardrop, parallel, direct) based on inbound holding leg and aircraft approach heading.

2Practice rate-of-descent calculations for 3-degree glidepaths (ROD = Groundspeed × 5).

3Learn cold temperature altimetry correction calculations for MDA/DA when operating in temperatures below 0°C.

4Understand pitot-static failure symptoms (e.g. blocked static port causing altimeter to freeze and VSI to read zero).

5Familiarize yourself with Nig. CARs Part 2 recent experience requirements for IFR currency (6 instrument approaches, holding, track guidance within preceding 6 months).

6Study RMI and HSI track interpretation, including relative bearing formula (MB = MH + RB).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCAA Instrument Rating Theory exam?

It is a mandatory theoretical knowledge examination conducted by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) under Nig. CARs Part 2 for pilots seeking an Instrument Rating.

What is the passing score for the NCAA IR exam?

Candidates must achieve a minimum score of 75% to pass.

How many questions are on the exam and what is the time limit?

The official exam contains 50 multiple-choice questions with a time limit of 90 minutes.

What topics are covered on the NCAA IR Theory exam?

The exam covers Nig. CARs regulations, IFR flight planning, pitot-static and gyroscopic flight instruments, radio navigation (ILS, VOR, NDB, DME, GNSS/RNAV), instrument approach and holding procedures, IFR weather/icing, and human factors.

How much is the NCAA IR exam fee?

The registration fee is approximately ₦50,000 per attempt.

Free Practice Questions for NCAA Instrument Rating Theory

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