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PAR · 10% of the exam

Airport Operations practice questions

10 free Airport Operations questions for the Private Pilot Airplane (PAR) Knowledge Test exam, each with the correct answer and an explanation for every option.

Start the questionsFree 10-question PAR quiz

What this domain covers

Operating at airports: markings, lighting, traffic patterns and radio procedures.

Exam weight
10%
On a real exam
≈ 6 questions
In our bank
60 questions

Topics that come up most

  • Runway and taxiway markings and signs
  • Airport lighting and light-gun signals
  • Traffic patterns
  • Radio communication
  • Wake turbulence avoidance

How to study it

Use the test supplement's airport diagrams and signs repeatedly; recognition is most of this domain.

Sample Airport Operations questions

Try each one before opening the answer. Original questions written to the official exam objectives.

  1. Question 1

    A four-light PAPI shows two white and two red lights. The airplane is:

    • AFar too low
    • BSlightly high
    • CSlightly low
    • DOn glide path
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: D) On glide path

    • AIncorrect. That is four red.
    • BIncorrect. That is three white, one red.
    • CIncorrect. That is one white, three red.
    • DCorrect. Two white and two red indicate on glide path.

  2. Question 2

    When departing behind a large aircraft that just took off, a pilot should:

    • ALift off before its rotation point
    • BLift off after its rotation point
    • CStay low after takeoff
    • DTake off immediately
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A) Lift off before its rotation point

    • ACorrect. Lift off before the large aircraft's rotation point and climb above its path.
    • BIncorrect. This puts you below the wake.
    • CIncorrect. Vortices sink; stay above.
    • DIncorrect. Allow spacing.

  3. Question 3

    On many instrument runways, what color do runway edge lights show for the last 2,000 feet?

    • ARed, marking the departure end
    • BGreen, marking the threshold area
    • CBlue, matching the taxiway edges
    • DYellow, marking a caution zone
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: D) Yellow, marking a caution zone

    • AIncorrect. Red marks the runway end, not the last 2,000 feet.
    • BIncorrect. Green marks the threshold, not the caution zone.
    • CIncorrect. Blue is for taxiways.
    • DCorrect. Yellow lights show the final 2,000 feet.

  4. Question 4

    With a light crosswind, why are wake vortices especially hazardous on the runway?

    • AVortices rise above the traffic pattern and dissipate quickly
    • BVortices disappear in any crosswind
    • CThe upwind vortex can stay near the runway
    • DCrosswinds make vortices visible
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: C) The upwind vortex can stay near the runway

    • AIncorrect. Vortices sink, not rise.
    • BIncorrect. A light crosswind can keep them nearby.
    • CCorrect. A light crosswind can hold it in place.
    • DIncorrect. Vortices are usually invisible.

  5. Question 5

    What does a steady green light gun signal mean to an aircraft in flight?

    • AReturn for landing
    • BCleared to land
    • CGive way and continue circling
    • DAirport unsafe, do not land
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: B) Cleared to land

    • AIncorrect. That is flashing green in flight.
    • BCorrect. Steady green in flight means cleared to land.
    • CIncorrect. That is steady red.
    • DIncorrect. That is flashing red.

  6. Question 6

    A pilot is inbound to land at an airport with no operating control tower. Under recommended traffic advisory practices, when should the pilot begin monitoring and announcing on the CTAF?

    • AWhen about 3 miles from the airport
    • BWhen entering the downwind leg
    • CWhen about 25 miles from the airport
    • DWhen about 10 miles from the airport
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: D) When about 10 miles from the airport

    At airports without an operating tower, inbound pilots should begin monitoring and self-announcing on the CTAF about 10 miles from the airport and continue until clear of the movement area.

    • AIncorrect. 3 miles is too late. Other traffic needs earlier notice, and the recommended point is about 10 miles out.
    • BIncorrect. Pilots do report on downwind, but that is not the first call. Inbound aircraft should already be monitoring and announcing from about 10 miles out.
    • CIncorrect. 25 miles is farther out than recommended. The guidance is about 10 miles, which keeps calls relevant to local traffic and reduces frequency congestion.
    • DCorrect. The AIM recommends that inbound traffic monitor and communicate on the CTAF from about 10 miles out until clear of the movement area.

  7. Question 7

    While holding short of Runway 27 at a towered airport, a pilot hears: "N123AB, Runway 27, line up and wait." What should the pilot do?

    • ATaxi onto Runway 27, align with the departure direction, and remain stopped until cleared for takeoff
    • BTaxi onto Runway 27 and begin the takeoff roll once aligned, because the runway was specified
    • CRemain at the runway holding position markings until a takeoff clearance permits entering Runway 27
    • DTaxi onto Runway 27 and, if no further call is received within 90 seconds, depart on runway heading
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A) Taxi onto Runway 27, align with the departure direction, and remain stopped until cleared for takeoff

    'Line up and wait' means taxi onto the assigned runway, align with the departure direction, and hold there. It is never a takeoff clearance, so if the wait runs long, contact ATC.

    • ACorrect. LUAW tells the pilot to taxi onto the assigned departure runway, align with the departure direction, and wait for further ATC instructions. It is not a takeoff clearance.
    • BIncorrect. LUAW is not authorization for takeoff. The FAA warns that pilots who departed after reading back LUAW, without a takeoff clearance, have caused serious incidents.
    • CIncorrect. That describes a 'hold short' instruction. LUAW authorizes the pilot to enter the runway and line up.
    • DIncorrect. An aircraft should not stay in LUAW for more than about 90 seconds without further instructions. If no takeoff clearance comes in a reasonable time, the pilot should call ATC, not depart.

  8. Question 8

    A flashing green light gun signal directed at an aircraft on the ground means:

    • ACleared for takeoff
    • BCleared to taxi
    • CStop
    • DReturn to starting point
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: B) Cleared to taxi

    • AIncorrect. That is steady green.
    • BCorrect. Flashing green on the ground means cleared to taxi.
    • CIncorrect. That is steady red.
    • DIncorrect. That is flashing white.

  9. Question 9

    Helicopters in forward flight produce wake turbulence that is:

    • AAbsent, since spinning rotors don't create any wingtip-type vortices
    • BSimilar to fixed-wing wingtip vortices and can be strong
    • COnly present when hovering over water
    • DWeaker than a light airplane's in every case
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: B) Similar to fixed-wing wingtip vortices and can be strong

    • AIncorrect. Rotors create strong vortices.
    • BCorrect. Avoid the area behind and below them.
    • CIncorrect. Vortices form in forward flight too.
    • DIncorrect. Helicopter wakes can be stronger.

  10. Question 10

    When landing behind a large aircraft, how can a pilot avoid its wake turbulence?

    • ALand beyond its touchdown point
    • BLand before its touchdown point
    • CFly below its flight path
    • DLand right after it
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A) Land beyond its touchdown point

    • ACorrect. Stay above its flight path and touch down beyond its touchdown point.
    • BIncorrect. This flies through the wake.
    • CIncorrect. Vortices sink.
    • DIncorrect. Allow time for vortices to dissipate.

Airport Operations: FAQs

How much of the PAR exam is Airport Operations?

Airport Operations is 10% of the PAR exam by the official exam guide's weighting, which on a 60-question form works out to roughly 6 questions. The real exam's exact split varies by form.

What does the Airport Operations domain cover?

Operating at airports: markings, lighting, traffic patterns and radio procedures.

How should I study Airport Operations for PAR?

Use the test supplement's airport diagrams and signs repeatedly; recognition is most of this domain.

Where can I practise more Airport Operations questions?

This page has 10 free Airport Operations questions with answers. The ExamWize PAR question bank has 60 questions in this domain. Every practice exam result breaks your score down by domain, and Review Mode re-drills the questions you missed.

Other PAR topics

Also: 15 free questions across all topics, the PAR cheat sheet and the study guide.

Get Airport Operations exam-ready

The full PAR bank has 60 Airport Operations questions. Timed practice exams match the real exam's length and domain weights, every result shows your score per domain, and Review Mode re-drills the questions you missed.

See the full PAR practice examsTake the free diagnostic

Not affiliated with FAA; questions are original, written from the official exam outline, and never copied from the real exam.