Question

You are inspecting the lighted towers approximately 8 NM SW of the Corpus Christi Intl Airport (CRP). What is the lowest cloud cover that will enable you to inspect the top of the tower?

1) 1,104 feet MSL
2) 1,604 feet MSL
3) 1,054 feet MSL

Answer 1

Without the height of the tower, an exact answer to the student's question about the cloud cover altitude necessary for visual inspection cannot be determined. The cloud cover altitude must be higher than the tower to be visible. The mathematical process would involve viewing angle calculations considering observer elevation, tower height, and distance.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student is inquiring about estimating the minimum altitude of cloud cover to visually inspect the top of a lighted tower near Corpus Christi International Airport while maintaining a distance of 8 nautical miles (NM) to the southwest. Unfortunately, without specific information on the height of the tower, a precise answer cannot be provided. However, one can deduce that for visual inspection, the cloud cover altitude must be higher than the tower's altitude to allow for a clear line of sight.

If assuming a theoretical height of the tower and then applying the given altitude options, that information combined with the distance from the tower and the observer's elevation (if not at sea level) would enable one to calculate whether the towers could be resolved at the various cloud cover altitudes listed.