FAA Ground School Practice Test

If a pilot is flying south and receives the advisory "TRAFFIC 3 OCLOCK, 2 MILES, NORTHBOUND," which direction should they look?

1. Northeast

2. Southwest

3. Directly to the right

4. To the left

The correct answer is: Directly to the right

When a pilot is flying south, the clock reference system is oriented relative to their position and heading. In this case, if the pilot receives an advisory that there is traffic at "3 o'clock," this indicates that the traffic is located directly to the right of the pilot's current heading. Since the pilot is facing south, the "3 o'clock" position corresponds to a direction that is perpendicular to their current heading and to their right side. Thus, for the pilot to locate the traffic that is reported as "2 miles, northbound," they should look directly to the right. Understanding this clock reference system is crucial for maintaining situational awareness in flight and for effective communication with air traffic control.