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DGCA Air Regulations · 176 questions

Rules of the Air: DGCA Air Regulations Questions and Answers

176 practice questions on Rules of the Air with answers and explanations, plus the key concepts and formulas, from the TrueHeading question bank.

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About this topic

Use this page to revise Rules of the Air for the DGCA Air Regulations paper. Below are the key ideas first, then 12 practice questions with answers and explanations, picked from the 176 questions in the TrueHeading bank for this topic.

In short: Three basic situations:

Open the full set in the student zone to answer every question, track your accuracy and take timed mock tests.

Key concepts: Rules of the Air

9 ideas to know cold.

Right-of-way rules?

Three basic situations:

  • Head-on: both turn right
  • Converging: the aircraft that has the other on its right gives way
  • Overtaking: the overtaking aircraft keeps clear by altering heading to the right
  • Landing aircraft: the lower aircraft has priority
  • Priority order of types: balloons, gliders, airships, powered aircraft
both turn rightHead-onthe aircraft withthe other on itsright gives waygiveshas wayConvergingovertaker altersto the right(stay clear)Overtaking

What is the semicircular rule?

Cruising levels depend on magnetic track.

  • Track 000° to 179°: odd thousands (FL 290, 310, 330…)
  • Track 180° to 359°: even thousands (FL 300, 320, 340…)
  • VFR flights add 500 ft (for example FL 35 or 3500 ft)
N 000°S 180°000°–179°ODD levels180°–359°EVEN levelsFL 290, 310…FL 300, 320…ICAO semicircular rule (RVSM). Magnetic track decides the level.

Tip: East is odd, west is even.

Minimum heights over the ground?

Except for take-off or landing:

  • Over congested areas: 300 m (1000 ft) above the highest obstacle within 600 m
  • Elsewhere: 150 m (500 ft) above ground or water
  • Never closer than 150 m to any person, vessel, vehicle or structure

VFR weather minima (ICAO, Classes B to E)?

Above 3050 m (10 000 ft) AMSL: 8 km visibility. At or below it: 5 km.

  • Distance from cloud: 1500 m horizontal, 300 m (1000 ft) vertical
  • Class B airspace: clear of cloud
  • Check the Indian AIP for the local minima

Navigation and anti-collision lights?

Red on the left, green on the right, white at the tail.

  • Anti-collision lights must be on in flight and whenever the engines run
  • Landing lights are used below 10 000 ft or in busy airspace as recommended

Transponder emergency codes?

Set on the SSR code:

  • 7700 emergency
  • 7600 radio failure
  • 7500 unlawful interference (hijack)

Tip: 7-5, 7-6, 7-7: hijack, radio, emergency (in that order).

Joining an aerodrome traffic circuit?

Standard circuit legs: upwind, crosswind, downwind, base, final.

  • Standard patterns are left-handed unless the airfield says otherwise
  • Check wind direction on the sock and give way to aircraft already in the circuit
  • Join by overhead, straight in or downwind as local rules allow
runwayDOWNWINDCROSSWINDBASEFINALUPWIND / take-offLeft-hand circuit: all turns are to the left

State the right-of-way rules.

An aircraft in distress has priority. Head-on: both turn right. Converging: the aircraft that has the other on its right gives way. Overtaking: keep to the right of the overtaken aircraft.

  • Landing aircraft have right of way over aircraft on the ground or in the air that are not landing
  • Lower aircraft on final has priority
  • Balloons > gliders > airships > aeroplanes

What are the ICAO VFR weather minima in Classes C, D and E?

Flight visibility 5 km, distance from cloud 1 500 m horizontally and 1 000 ft vertically, below 10 000 ft; 8 km above FL100.

  • Class G, at or below 3 000 ft AMSL or 1 000 ft AGL (whichever is higher): 5 km, clear of cloud and surface in sight
  • Special VFR needs an ATC clearance

Practice questions: Rules of the Air

Tap “Show answer” after you have tried each one.

Q1Two aircraft are approaching head-on at the same level. Each shall:

  1. descend
  2. alter heading to the right
  3. climb
  4. alter heading to the left
Show answer

Answer: B. alter heading to the right

Annex 2: when approaching head-on or approximately so, each shall alter heading to the right.

Q2When two aircraft are approaching to land, the aircraft at the higher level shall:

  1. turn right
  2. go around
  3. give way to the aircraft at the lower level
  4. have the right of way
Show answer

Answer: C. give way to the aircraft at the lower level

The lower aircraft has the right of way, but must not cut in front or overtake.

Q3The VFR visibility minimum in Class B, C, D and E airspace at and above 3 050 m (10 000 ft) AMSL is:

  1. 10 km
  2. 8 km
  3. 5 km
  4. 1.5 km
Show answer

Answer: B. 8 km

Below 3 050 m AMSL the minimum is 5 km (with cloud clearance 1 500 m horizontal and 300 m (1 000 ft) vertical).

Q4The transponder code for unlawful interference (hijack) is:

  1. 7600
  2. 7700
  3. 7000
  4. 7500
Show answer

Answer: D. 7500

7500 = hijack, 7600 = radio failure, 7700 = emergency.

Q5A pilot-in-command is responsible for compliance with the rules of the air:

  1. only in VFR
  2. whether or not acting as manipulating pilot, and may deviate to the extent necessary in the interest of safety
  3. only over land
  4. only while at the controls
Show answer

Answer: B. whether or not acting as manipulating pilot, and may deviate to the extent necessary in the interest of safety

The PIC has final authority and may deviate in an emergency, reporting to the authority.

Q6In the ICAO flight plan, the type of flight "S" means:

  1. scheduled air service
  2. military
  3. non-scheduled air transport
  4. general aviation
Show answer

Answer: A. scheduled air service

S = scheduled, N = non-scheduled, G = general aviation, M = military, X = other.

Q7The aircraft is intercepted. The interceptor makes an abrupt break-away manoeuvre consisting of a climbing turn of 90° or more without crossing the line of flight of the intercepted aircraft. This means:

  1. you are in a prohibited area
  2. follow me
  3. you must land
  4. you may proceed
Show answer

Answer: D. you may proceed

It is the Series 2 signal: "You may proceed".

Q8A series of red flashes from the tower to an aircraft in flight means:

  1. aerodrome unsafe, do not land
  2. return to land
  3. you are cleared to land
  4. continue circling
Show answer

Answer: A. aerodrome unsafe, do not land

Flashing red in flight: aerodrome unsafe, do not land.

Q9For night operations, the navigation lights of an aircraft are:

  1. white on both wings
  2. red on the left wing, green on the right wing and white at the tail
  3. green on the left, red on the right
  4. red on both wings
Show answer

Answer: B. red on the left wing, green on the right wing and white at the tail

Port red, starboard green, white tail.

Q10An aircraft taxiing and approaching head-on another aircraft shall:

  1. sound the horn
  2. increase speed
  3. stop or alter course to the right
  4. alter course to the left
Show answer

Answer: C. stop or alter course to the right

Annex 2: stop or, where practicable, alter course to the right.

Q11The towing of gliders or objects by an aircraft is permitted:

  1. only above 10 000 ft
  2. at any time
  3. only at night
  4. with authorisation and subject to the conditions stated
Show answer

Answer: D. with authorisation and subject to the conditions stated

Annex 2 allows towing subject to agreement between the operators and the state's conditions.

Q12A special VFR clearance allows an aircraft to:

  1. ignore ATC instructions
  2. enter a danger area
  3. fly in a control zone in weather below the normal VMC minima, with ATC permission
  4. fly IFR without an instrument rating
Show answer

Answer: C. fly in a control zone in weather below the normal VMC minima, with ATC permission

The flight must stay clear of cloud with the surface in sight and meet the minimum visibility set by the state (often 1 500 m).

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More DGCA Air Regulations topics

ICAO, Annexes & Conventions133 QAircraft Act, Rules & DGCA75 QRegistration & Airworthiness39 QLicensing & Medical45 QAir Traffic Services160 QAerodromes, Lighting & Marking173 QDistress, Emergency & Communications61 QAccidents, Incidents & Security35 QOperations, Crew & Public Health93 QHuman Performance & Limitations184 QCharges, Documents & Other142 Q
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