FAA Military Competency Practice Exam

When a helicopter and an airplane are converging at a 90-degree angle, which aircraft has the right-of-way if the helicopter is to the right?

1. The airplane, because it is larger.

2. The helicopter, because it is to the right.

3. The helicopter, because it is a rotorcraft.

4. Neither; the right-of-way is shared.

The correct answer is: The helicopter, because it is to the right.

In the situation where a helicopter and an airplane are converging at a 90-degree angle, the helicopter has the right-of-way because it is to the right of the airplane. Aviation regulations dictate that when two aircraft of different types are converging, the aircraft on the right has the right-of-way. This rule is consistent with the general right-of-way rules that apply to most aircraft interactions, helping to ensure safety and predictability in air traffic. While size and aircraft type can influence some aspects of flight operations, they do not override the basic right-of-way rules based on positional orientation. Therefore, the correct answer emphasizes the significance of the aircraft positions relative to each other rather than their sizes or classifications.