EPTA Practice Test 1
Part I Task A. Readback and Hearback
1. ATC: HL123, Taxi via Alpha holding point Alpha 1
Pilot: Taxi via A holding point A1, HL123
2. ATC: HL123, good evening, descend to FL 210, maintain speed 280 kts
Pilot: Descend FL 210, maintain 280 kts, HL123
3. ATC: HL123, traffic departing Airbus 320 rolling, RWY 16 cleared to land, wind 220 at 7
Pilot: RWY 16 cleared to land, HL123
4. ATC: HL123, at CROWN, turn right heading 310, cleared for ILS RWY 34R Approach
Pilot: At CROWN, turn right heading 310, cleared for ILS RWY 34 R Approach, HL123
Part I Task B. Checking, Clarifying, Confirming, Informing
1. (Situation) You have just vacated the runway onto Quebec after landing, and ATC gives
you instructions. Acknowledge and respond accordingly.
ATC: HL123, turn right on Hotel and contact Ground 121.9
Pilot: Right on Hotel, contact Ground 121.9, HL123
2. (Situation) During your approach, ATC needs to vector you away so another aircraft with
an emergency can land first. Now ATC contacts you. Acknowledge and respond
accordingly.
ATC: HL123, turn left heading 240. We will get you back on your approach in just a
minute. We have an emergency aircraft coming in.
Pilot: Roger, turn left heading 240, HL123.
3. (Situation) You are on final approach and ATC gives you landing clearance. Acknowledge
and respond accordingly.
ATC: HL123, caution wake turbulence following a heavy B747, RWY 22L cleared to land.
Pilot: caution wake turbulence, RWY 22L cleared to land, HL123.
4. (Situation) While taxiing, ATC instructed you to turn left on Charlie taxiway, but your
aircraft type is too big for that taxiway. Respond to ATC accordingly.
ATC: HL123, taxi right on Bravo, left on Charlie, hold short of RWY 13L.
Pilot: Unable to taxi on taxiway Charlie. Aircraft is too large, HL123.
5. (Situation) Just after takeoff, you see a flock of birds heading towards the airport,
although they won’t affect your flight. Now ATC contacts you. Respond and inform them
of the birds.
EPTA Practice Test 1
ATC: HL123, contact departure 118.3, good day.
Pilot: Contact departure 118.3, and we just passed a flock of birds after takeoff. The
next aircraft may want to wait a minute, HL123.
6. (Situation) During cruise at FL280, you experience some mild turbulence and want to
request a higher altitude. Now ATC contacts you. Respond accordingly. Request climb FL
310
ATC: HL123, climb to FL 300.
Pilot: HL123, Request climb to FL 310 due to turbulence.
Part II Task A. Role-Play and Follow Up
[Flight Paths] In this scenario, you’ll be the pilot flying HL123, which goes through 3
flight phases: Approach, Landing, and Taxi.
[Initial Situation] You are currently flying 10 nautical miles left of the track to avoid
weather. There may be a slight change or alteration to your flight plan.
1.
(Prompt) Listen to the controller’s message and respond that you need approximately 10
nautical miles further on this course.
ATC: HL123, how much longer do you need on current course before returning to track?
Pilot: We need about 10 nautical miles more on the current course to stay clear of
weather, HL123.
2. (Prompt) Listen to the controller’s response and give a full readback.
ATC: HL123, roger, descend to FL260 due to traffic.
Pilot: Descend to FL260, HL123.
EPTA Practice Test 1
3.
(Prompt) Listen to the controller’s message, give a full readback, but ask for clarification
on the flight level to make sure you heard it correctly.
Approach: HL123, When ready, descend via STAR to FL130.
Pilot: When ready, descend via STAR, HL123, Confirm FL130?
4. (Prompt) Listen to Approach and give a full readback.
Approach: HL123, cancel speed restrictions until ORNGE.
Pilot: Cancel speed restrictions until ORNGE, HL123.
5. (Prompt) During your descent, you have flown into a cloud. Listen to Approach and
respond accordingly.
Approach: HL123, maintain visual separation from traffic ahead.
Pilot: Unable, we are currently in a cloud and cannot see the ahead traffic, HL123.
[Situation Update] You are now on final approach.
6. (Prompt) Contact Tower and ask for wind information.
Pilot: Tower, HL123, request current wind information
EPTA Practice Test 1
7.
(Prompt) Listen to Tower and give your full readback, then inquire about the braking
action.
Tower: HL123, Runway 16R Cleared to land.
Pilot: Runway 16R, cleared to land. And Tower, Request braking action on 16R? HL123.
[Situation Update] During your landing, your aircraft encounters deep water on the
runway and hydroplanes. You recover the aircraft and vacate on Taxiway A7, but hold
short of Taxiway A.
8. (Prompt) Report your position, as well as the water on the runway to Tower.
Pilot: Tower, HL123, currently on A7, holding short A. Just wanted to inform you that
there is some deep water on runway 16R between A2 and A3 and we hydroplaned
during roll out.
9. (Prompt) Listen to the controller’s response and respond accordingly.
Tower: HL123, roger, thanks for the information, contact Ground 121.9
Pilot: Contact Ground 121.9, HL123.
10. (Prompt) Listen to Ground and notify them Taxiway W8.
Ground: HL123, what taxiway do you enter the gate?
Pilot: We enter the gate from Taxiway Whiskey 8, HL123.
EPTA Practice Test 1
11. Follow Up Question:
You have just finished Task A, as the pilot of HL123.
What happened in this situation? From your own experiences, how common is it for this
type of situation to occur? Give an example.
In this situation, I avoided some weather during approach and followed ATC
instructions. I was unable to maintain visual separation with traffic because I could not
see them with the clouds. When I landed, there was deep water on the runway which
caused my aircraft to hydroplane, but we recovered quickly. I had to report the water to
ATC. In my experience, avoiding weather and following ATC instructions is common, but
not the hydroplaning. I have never experienced that before, even when there were wet
and slippery conditions at the airport.
Part II Task B. Extended Role-Play: Single Incident/Emergency Related
[Initial Situation] You are the pilot of HL123 and are ready for the approach to your
destination airport.
1. (Prompt) Listen and respond accordingly.
Approach: HL123, Cleared ILS RWY 36 approach.
Pilot: Cleared ILS RWY 36 approach, HL123.
[Situation Update] You have just flown through a large flock of birds. There doesn’t
seem to be any damage to your aircraft.
2. The controller contacts you.
Approach: HL123, descend to 3000ft.
 Report the flock of birds and give a full readback.
Pilot: Approach, we just flew through a large flock of birds. Descend to 3000, HL123.
3. (Continued…)
 Listen to the controller’s response and respond accordingly.
Approach: HL123, roger. Is there any damage to your aircraft?
Pilot: Negative, there doesn’t seem to be any damage, HL123.
4. While you are configuring the aircraft for the final approach, you notice a minor flaps
issue and want to test the approach configuration.
Approach: HL123, turn right heading 340, report established on the localizer, RWY 36.
 Respond negatively to ATC and request vectors to troubleshoot the problem.
Pilot: HL123, Unable, request vectors to troubleshoot a minor flaps problem
EPTA Practice Test 1
5. (Continued…)
 Listen to the controller’s response. Respond accordingly.
Approach: HL123, roger, turn left heading 200.
Pilot: Left turn heading 200, HL123.
[Situation Update] Suddenly during your turn, your right engine fails.
6.  Declare an emergency and request vectors back to the airport.
Pilot: MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, HL123, declaring an emergency, right engine failure,
request vectors for priority landing.
7. (Continued…)
 Listen to the controller’s response. Respond accordingly.
Approach: HL123, roger, turn right heading 340. You will be number one to land.
Pilot: Right heading 340, HL123, thank you.
8. (You are now on Tower frequency and they contact you.)
 Respond accordingly and request firetrucks and ambulances upon landing.
Tower: HL123, will you need any emergency assistance upon landing?
Pilot: Affirmative, request fire crews and ambulances upon landing, HL123.
Part II Task C. Reporting about Task B
[Now listen to the controller’s radiotelephony messages.]
ATC: HL123, Cleared ILS RWY 36 approach.
ATC: HL123, Descend to 3000ft.
ATC: HL123, Roger. Is there any damage to your aircraft?
ATC: HL123, Turn right heading 340, report established on the localizer, RWY 36.
ATC: HL123, Roger, turn left heading 200.
ATC: HL123, Roger, turn right heading 340. You will be number one to land.
ATC: HL123, Will you need any emergency assistance upon landing?
 Now answer the questions.
1. What happened to your aircraft (HL123)? Explain the nature of the incident.
In this situation, I flew through a flock of birds during approach. At first, the situation
seemed fine, but later there’s a minor flaps problem. We requested vectors for
troubleshooting, but there was a right engine failure.
EPTA Practice Test 1
2. How do you think the incident was handled by the air traffic controller? Do you feel the
situation could have been handled differently? Make a comment from a pilot’s point of
view.
I think this situation was handled well by ATC. They asked good questions. The situation
could have been handled differently. For example, they could have given us a different
runway, but this controller did a good job of keeping instructions and questions simple,
which is important in an emergency situation since we are very busy in the cockpit.