Basics

Question 1

Types of altitudes

Indicated, pressure, density, true, absolute

Answer 1

Indicated altitude: uncorrected altitude read from dial when set to local pressure setting
Pressure altitude: altitude above standard 29.92 Hg plane
Density altitude: pressure altitude corrected for nonstandard temp
True altitude: actual height above MSL
Absolute altitude: height above airport elevation

Question 2

Types of speeds

Indicated, calibrated, equivalent, true, MACH, ground speed

Answer 2

Indicated: read directly from ASI
Calibrated: IAS corrected for instrument and position errors
Equivalent: CAS corrected for compressibility errors
True: actual speed through air. EAS corrected for nonstandard temp/pres
MACH: ratio of TAS to local speed of sound
Ground Speed: actual speed over ground. TAS corrected for wind

Question 3

Static port blockage effect on…

ASI, ALT, VSI

Answer 3

ASI: shows correct if you maintain alt where blockage occurred. At higher alt, indicated lower, at lower alt, indicated higher

ALT: freezes on alt where blockage occurred

VSI: freezes on 0

*after verifying a blockage, switch static sources or break VSI window (expect reverse indication on VSI)

Question 4

When using alternate static source…

Answer 4

ASI: reads faster
ALT: reads higher
VSI: momentarily shows climb

Question 5

Pilot blockage

Answer 5

ONLY the ASI is affected!

Ram air blocked and drain hole open: drops to 0
Ram air blocked and drain hole clogged: acts like altimeter, no longer reliable

Question 6

Gyroscopic instruments

Answer 6

Attitude indicator: rigidity in space, pitch and bank info (may have small accelerate/decelerate and rollout errors)
Heading indicator: rigidity in space, reflects changes in heading, must calibrate with magnetic compass
Turn coordinator: principle of precision, rate of turn and roll

Question 7

Magnetic compass errors

Answer 7

Deviation
Variation
Magnetic dip
Oscillation
North/south turning (UNOS)
Acceleration/Deceleration (ANDS)

Question 8

IFR taxi cockpit check

Answer 8

Magnetic compass: full of fluid, swings freely, known headings, deviation card installed
Airspeed: 0
Attitude: erect and correct +/- 5* within 5 min of engine start
Altimeter : set to local or field elevation, correct within 75ft of elevation
Turn coordinator: shows correct turn and ball swings opposite
Heading :set and indicates known headings and correct turns
Vertical: 0
Nav/comm: set
GPS: set

Question 9

Enroute weather information sources

Answer 9

EFAS:enroute flight advisory service 122.0 “flight watch”
TWEB: Alaska only
HIWAS: hazardous inflight weather advisory service (select VORs)
ATIS
AWOS
ASOS
ATC weather advisories (airmet, sigmet)

Question 10

Convective SIGMET

Valid how long?

Answer 10

Convective weather significant to all aircraft. Issued 55 min past every hour. Valid 2 hrs.
Surface winds equal or greater than 50kts
Hail at surface greater than 3/4 diameter
Tornadoes
Embedded thunderstorms
Line of thunderstorms 60 mi affecting 40% of length
Thunderstorms with heavy+ precipitation 40% of 3,000mi area
ALWAYS implies severe turbulence, icing, LLWS

Question 11

SIGMET

Answer 11

Non connective potentially hazard weather affecting all aircraft
Icing
Clear air turbulence
Dust storms, sandstorms, vis less than 3 mi
Volcanic ash

Question 12

AIRMET
T
Z
S

Answer 12

Significant weather phenomena of lower intensity that can affect all aircraft but potentially hazardous to aircraft with limited capability.
T turbulence with surface winds 30+ Kat
Z icing with freezing level heights
S mountain obscuration

Question 13

Conditions necessary for formation of a thunderstorm…

Answer 13

Sufficient water vapor
Unstable temp lapse rate
Uplifting force (front passage, mountains, heating from below)

Question 14

Thunderstorm hazards…

Answer 14

Limited visibility
Severe Turbulence 
Wind shear
Strong up drafts and down drafts
Icing
Hail
Heavy rain
Lightening
Tornadoes

Question 15

Life cycle of a thunderstorm…

Answer 15

Cumulus stage: 3-5 mi height, lifting action begins, 3000fpm
Mature: 5-10 mi height precipitation from cloud base, updraft 6000fpm, down drafts 2,500fpm, hazards most severe
Dissipating: 5-7 mi high, strong down drafts, cell is dying out

Question 16

Define fog and list types

Answer 16

Cloud that begins within 50 ft of surface, when temp and dew point meet.

Radiation: calm clear night, ground cools rapidly due to radiation release
Advection: warm moist air moves over cold surface, wind required
Ice: temp below freezing and water vapor turns directly into ice crystals
Upslope: moist stable air forced up a terrain slope and cooled to dew point by adiabatic cooling
Steam: cold dry air moves over warm water

Question 17

Types of icing

Answer 17

Structural: clear, rime, mixed
Instrument: ice formed over instruments/sensors, pitot static sys
Induction: reduces amount of air for engine intake.
Carb ice-steep temp drop in Venturi. Any temp, high humidity
Frost: ice crystals caused by sublimation when temp/dp below freezing

Question 18

Define hypoxia and its types

Answer 18

Insufficient supply of oxygen to body cells

Hypoxic: insufficient O2 to body as a whole (pressure decrease/increase)
Hypemic: inability of blood to carry O2 (insufficient blood, bleeding, anemia, CO2 poisoning)
Histotoxic: inability of blood to USE the O2. (Alcohol/drugs)
Stagnant: blood not flowing to a body tissue (heart problems, Gs, constricted blood vessel)

Question 19

Oxygen requirements for pressurized and non pressurized cabins

Answer 19

Non pressurized…
12,500-14,000 crew uses O2 for any period of flight over 30 min
Above 14,000 crew uses O2 at all times
Above 15,000 each occupant provided with O2

Pressurized…
Above FL250 10 min of O2 for each occupant
Above FL350 one pilot at controls must wear and use O2 mask unless 2 pilots are at the control with quick donning masks and the AC is at or below FL410
If one pilot leaves the controls above FL350,the other pilot must wear and use the O2 mask regardless of type

Question 20

Hyperventilation

Answer 20

Condition which occurs when excessive amount of CO2 is eliminated from the blood as a result of breathing too rapidly. Similar symptoms to hypoxia. breathing into a bag or talking aloud helps recovery.

Question 21

Decompression sickness

Answer 21

Inert gasses (nitrogen) are released rapidly from solution in the body fluids as a result of low barometric pressure. Can cause join pain (the bends) can also damage brain. More likely after scuba diving. Wait 12 hrs after diving if going up to 8,000ft. 24 if you’re going higher.

Question 22

Primary instruments for straight and level flight?

Answer 22

Heading indicator (bank)
Altimeter (pitch)

Question 23

Primary instruments for climbing turn?

Answer 23

Airspeed indicator (pitch)
Turn coordinator (bank)

Question 24

Primary instrument for descent at constant rate?

Answer 24

VSI (pitch)
Heading indicator (bank)