Aircraft Notes

What is the main purpose of the aircrafts structure?

Transfer lift from wings to support the load, and protect passengers/payload

What do the tail surfaces do?

Provide balancing forces for the lateral and vertical axis

What is a yoke?
Is a Y-type control handle used by the pilot. Controls both elevators and ailerons

What is a trike?
Undercarriage of two main wheels and either a nose or tailwheel.

How do you apply pressure on the rudder without applying brakes?

Pressing on the lower portion of the pedal

Which way does the propellor of your aircraft rotate, when viewed from the
cockpit?
clockwise from behind
Why is an engine lubricated?

reduce frictionprovide coolingprovides protection

What provides this lubrication?

Engine oil
What oil system does the pilot need to check?

Check oil quantity before each flight

What type of oil does your engine use?

Aero 100, SAE 50

Why have two magnetos?

Incase one fails the other will keep the engine running. Also provides marginal
increase in power and efficiency.
Why fly on both?

To prevent engine failure in the case that one magneto fails.

Why keep the mixture full rich for all circuit operations?

Reduce chance of damage when changing power settings

What if the propeller has dents/chips in the leading edge?

Reduce propeller performances and may critically affect strength

Why does the pilot drain fuel before each flight?

To check for impurities, water, and fuel type for safe operation.
What do you look for when draining fuel?

Impurities, water, and fuel colour/type

When do you use carburettor heat?

When you suspect icing and often during decent

What happens if the pitot cover is left on for take off?

The indicated airspeed would be zero, you would not take off.
What is indicated by the white arc on the ASI?

Operating speed range with flaps extended

How often should you check alignment of the heading indicator? and with what?

As soon as in straight and level flight and then every 20 minutes

What is a canard?

the forward wing found on some aircraft

A pusher has the propeller pushing the air whereas a conventional tractor
configuration pulls the aircraft along?

Most light aircraft have the tractor/puller propeller

Explain the riggers angle of incidence?

The angle between the fuselage, and a line through the main plane and tail
plane
What is a stabilator?

The whole horizontal section of the tail plane moves with pitch control
What is the main feature of a fowler flap?

They move back and down

What is a chock?

Objects placed to prevent the aircraft moving when parked

What happens to the ignition if the alternator fails?

Nothing - ignition and electrical system are independent

With an RH above 50% and the OAT at 20C, carburettor icing can readily occur
_____

During any decent

Carburettor heat is usually used to ____ after the carburettor after ice has formed

deice
What does the carburettor do?

Control the quantity of fuel and air that enters the engine
What does mixture control do?

Controls the mixture of fuel and air for best engine performance at different air
pressures
Why have both throttle and the mixture control?

Mixture controls fuel/air ratio, throttle controls quantity.

Why reduce the throttle before the propeller rpm when reducing power?

Reducing the throttle first ensures you don't overcharge your engine and cause
detonation
What causes and aircraft with a single propeller to want to veer on take-off?

The propeller torque reaction and slipstream effect on the tail. Tailwheels also
have the gyroscopic effect
Why does the aircraft's fuel system have a boost pump?

Boost pump provides safe backup incase mechanical fuel pump stops
Which aircraft do or do not have a fuel boost pump?

Many high wing planes have gravity fed fuel systems so may not need boost
pump
If the break pedal has no resistance and, when you apply the break, the pedal
goes to the floor what would you do?

Try and stop on the grass to the side of any runways or taxiways
Explain the difference between pitot, total, static and dynamic pressures?

Static pressure = atm pressure outsideDynamic = pressure caused by

movement through the airPitot = total pressure = Static + dynamic
How is air pressure used to indicate airspeed?

Use pitot pressure and - static pressure to get dynamic pressure which indicates
airspeed
Why is airspeed not always accurate?

Different attitudes mean pitot tube not always in most efficient angle to measure
accurately
How is airspeed used to indicate angle of attack?

High angle of attack = slower airspeed

What does the altimeter read in a climb if the static port is blocked?

indicate the altitude at which the blockage occured

What would the VSI read if the static port was blocked?

zero even if climbing or descending

Why use a vacuum system to drive the gyros?

Just so that there is a second source of independent energy to rotate gyros

Why have electric standby instruments?

Electricity is a reliable and independent supply

Why does the magnetic compass read backwards?

The card sometimes oscillates, take your time