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Key Facts: CAA NZ ATPL Theory - Flight Planning Exam

30 Qs

Total multiple-choice & calculation questions.

CAA NZ / Aspeq Examination Guidelines

180 Mins

Time duration allowed for the examination.

Aspeq Exam Schedule

70%

Minimum passing score required.

CAA NZ Advisory Circular AC61-1

$108 NZD

Exam sitting fee.

Aspeq NZ Fee Schedule

3 Modules

Fuel Policy & Critical Points, Oceanic Operations, Payload & Fuel Management.

CAA NZ ATPL Syllabus

CAA NZ ATPL Flight Planning is a 3-hour examination requiring a 70% pass mark for prospective airline transport pilots in New Zealand.

Sample CAA NZ ATPL Theory - Flight Planning Practice Questions

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1Under NZ CAA and ICAO fuel policy for turbine-powered commercial transport aeroplanes, which components constitute the minimum required pre-flight Fuel Scheme (Ramp Fuel)?

A.Taxi fuel, trip fuel, contingency fuel, destination alternate fuel, final reserve fuel, and additional fuel (if required)

B.Trip fuel, contingency fuel, and payload reserve fuel only

C.Taxi fuel, trip fuel, and 45 minutes of holding fuel at cruise altitude

D.Trip fuel, 10% contingency fuel, and fixed 60-minute reserve fuel

Explanation: Standard ICAO and NZ CAA jet fuel policy requires Ramp Fuel to include Taxi Fuel, Trip Fuel (climb, cruise, descent, approach), Contingency Fuel, Destination Alternate Fuel (unless exempt), Final Reserve Fuel (30 minutes at 1500 ft AGL in ISA), and Additional Fuel if required for EDTO/isolated aerodrome operations.

2What is the standard minimum Contingency Fuel requirement for a jet aeroplane under NZ CAA flight planning regulations unless a specific reduced contingency scheme (e.g. RCF/DPP) is approved?

A.5% of the planned trip fuel or 5 minutes holding fuel at 1500 ft AGL in ISA, whichever is higher

B.10% of total ramp fuel regardless of flight duration

C.15 minutes of cruise fuel consumption at FL350

D.2% of the planned trip fuel plus 20 minutes alternate fuel

Explanation: Under standard CAA NZ and ICAO fuel rules, contingency fuel is specified as 5% of the planned trip fuel or an amount required to fly for 5 minutes at holding speed at 1500 ft above destination aerodrome elevation in ISA conditions, whichever is greater.

3What is the mandatory Final Reserve Fuel duration and operating condition for turbine-engine jet aircraft under NZ CAA rules?

A.30 minutes at holding speed at 1500 ft AGL above the aerodrome elevation under ISA conditions

B.45 minutes at normal cruise fuel burn at initial cruising level

C.60 minutes at long-range cruise speed at FL200

D.20 minutes at maximum continuous thrust at sea level

Explanation: For turbine-powered (jet) aeroplanes, Final Reserve fuel is defined as the amount required to fly for 30 minutes at holding speed at 1500 ft (450 m) above aerodrome elevation in standard ISA atmospheric conditions.

4When planning a flight to an Isolated Aerodrome where no destination alternate exists, what additional fuel policy requirement must be fulfilled?

A.Fuel to fly for 2 hours at normal cruise consumption above destination, including final reserve fuel

B.Fuel to hold for 30 minutes plus 10% of total payload mass

C.Standard 5% contingency fuel plus 15 minutes holding fuel only

D.Fuel to return to departure aerodrome regardless of distance

Explanation: When operating to an isolated aerodrome for which no suitable alternate exists, jet aircraft must carry additional fuel to fly for 2 hours at normal cruise consumption after arriving over the destination aerodrome, which includes the final reserve fuel.

5What items are accounted for within Taxi Fuel in a commercial jet flight plan?

A.Fuel expected to be consumed prior to takeoff, including APU burn, engine start, and ground taxi

B.Fuel consumed from engine start until reaching initial cruising altitude

C.Fuel required for taxiing at destination after landing

D.Unusable fuel trapped in fuel lines and tank sumps

Explanation: Taxi fuel is the expected fuel consumed before takeoff, covering auxiliary power unit (APU) operation, main engine start, ground taxiing, and pre-takeoff holding.

6Under NZ CAA operational rules, when is a Destination Alternate Aerodrome mandatory for IFR jet operations?

A.Unless weather reports/forecasts indicate ceiling and visibility will be well above planning minima for ETA +/- 1 hour, or if the aerodrome is isolated

B.Only when flying at night under visual meteorological conditions

C.Always required for international flights, but never for domestic flights

D.Only when operating with 1 engine inoperative

Explanation: A destination alternate is required for IFR flights unless meteorological forecasts for destination cover ETA +/- 1 hour and confirm weather conditions are at or above prescribed planning minima, or unless operating under isolated aerodrome rules.

7What is the definition of Additional Fuel in long-range EDTO / ETOPS flight planning?

A.Supplementary fuel required to ensure the aircraft can complete an en-route diversion following engine failure or depressurisation at the most critical point

B.Fuel added to allow for unexpected commercial payload increases at departure

C.Fuel held in reserve for unexpected runway holding at destination during peak hours

D.Extra fuel carried to reduce landing weight at destination

Explanation: Additional Fuel is mandatory in EDTO operations if the minimum fuel required to complete a diversion following an engine failure or cabin depressurisation at the critical point (plus holding and approach fuel) exceeds the standard sum of Trip + Contingency + Alternate + Final Reserve.

8What is the primary advantage of utilizing Decision Point Procedure (Reduced Contingency Fuel - RCF) in jet flight planning?

A.It allows contingency fuel to be calculated only from the decision point to destination, reducing overall takeoff mass and fuel burn

B.It eliminates the requirement for final reserve fuel completely

C.It permits the aircraft to fly without a primary destination aerodrome

D.It lowers the mandatory 30-minute reserve fuel to 15 minutes

Explanation: Decision Point Planning allows contingency fuel to be calculated from an en-route decision point to destination (or commercial alternate), rather than for the entire long-haul route, significantly reducing contingency fuel weight carried at takeoff.

9A Boeing 777 flight plan indicates: Trip Fuel = 12,000 kg, Contingency Fuel = 600 kg, Destination Alternate Fuel = 2,200 kg, Final Reserve Fuel = 1,500 kg, Taxi Fuel = 200 kg. What is the required Minimum Ramp Fuel?

A.16,500 kg

B.16,300 kg

C.15,700 kg

D.14,800 kg

Explanation: Minimum Ramp Fuel = Taxi Fuel + Trip Fuel + Contingency Fuel + Alternate Fuel + Final Reserve Fuel. Ramp Fuel = 200 + 12,000 + 600 + 2,200 + 1,500 = 16,500 kg.

10A long-haul jet flight has a planned Trip Fuel of 14,000 kg. The aircraft fuel flow at holding speed at 1500 ft AGL is 4,800 kg/hr (80 kg/min). Calculate the statutory minimum Contingency Fuel required.

A.700 kg

B.400 kg

C.500 kg

D.1,400 kg

Explanation: Standard Contingency Fuel is the higher of 5% trip fuel or 5 minutes holding fuel at 1500 ft AGL. 5% of 14,000 kg = 700 kg. 5 minutes holding fuel = 5 mins * 80 kg/min = 400 kg. Higher value = 700 kg.

About the CAA NZ ATPL Theory - Flight Planning Exam

The CAA NZ ATPL Flight Planning examination tests advanced jet performance, fuel policy, ETP/PSR calculations under normal, depressurised, and 1-engine inoperative scenarios, EDTO/ETOPS rules, Pacific/NAT oceanic navigation, RVSM, Mach number technique, ZFW/MTOW/MLW limits, and CG drift.

Assessment

30 questions administered electronically over 180 minutes.

Time Limit

180 minutes

Passing Score

70%

Exam Fee

$108 NZD (Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (exams via Aspeq))

CAA NZ ATPL Theory - Flight Planning Exam Content Outline

40%

Long-Range Jet Flight Planning & Fuel Policy

Contingency fuel, reserve fuel policies, Equal Time Point (ETP) calculations, Point of Safe Return (PSR) calculations, depressurisation and engine-out ETP scenarios.

30%

Oceanic & High-Altitude Navigation

Extended Diversion Time Operations (EDTO/ETOPS), NAT HLA and Pacific oceanic procedures, Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) flight levels, and Mach number technique.

30%

Payload & Fuel Management

Zero Fuel Weight (ZFW), Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW), Maximum Landing Weight (MLW), fuel burn calculations, center of gravity (CG) drift, and payload limitations.

How to Pass the CAA NZ ATPL Theory - Flight Planning Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 70%
Assessment: 30 questions administered electronically over 180 minutes.
Time limit: 180 minutes
Exam fee: $108 NZD

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CAA NZ ATPL Theory - Flight Planning Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the ETP formula D_ETP = (D * GS_out) / (GS_home + GS_out) and remember that headwind shifts ETP into the wind.

2Understand PSR endurance calculations: subtract holding and final reserve fuel before calculating safe outbound endurance.

3Differentiate fuel policy components: Taxi, Trip, Contingency (5% or 5 min), Alternate, Final Reserve (30 min jet), and Additional fuel.

4Memorize RVSM operational requirements: 2 independent altimetry systems, 1 autopilot altitude-hold system, 1 altitude alert, and 1 transponder.

5Practice multi-variable weight limiting problems to identify whether MTOW, MLW, or MZFW establishes maximum payload.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CAA NZ ATPL Flight Planning examination?

It is a mandatory theoretical examination administered by Aspeq on behalf of CAA New Zealand for pilots working toward their Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL).

What is the passing score and time limit?

The passing score is 70% and the exam time limit is 3 hours (180 minutes).

What types of calculations are tested?

The exam heavily tests Equal Time Point (ETP) and Point of Safe Return (PSR) under normal, 1-engine-out, and depressurised states, as well as fuel burn, payload limitations (MZFW/MTOW/MLW), and CG drift.

Are EDTO and Oceanic procedures included?

Yes, Extended Diversion Time Operations (EDTO/ETOPS), Pacific oceanic procedures, Strategic Lateral Offset Procedures (SLOP), RVSM flight level rules, and Mach number technique are core components.

How much does the exam cost?

The examination sitting fee is $108 NZD.