Ground School 1.2

Question 1

What are the four forces of flight?

Answer 1

• Thrust
• Drag
• Lift
• Weight

Question 2

What does it mean when forces are in ‘equilibrium’?

Answer 2

The opposing forces are equal, resulting in unaccelerated flight.

Question 3

What causes lift in an airplane?

Answer 3

The pressure differential created by faster-moving air over the top of the wing.

Question 4

What is the shape of a wing called?

Answer 4

Airfoil

Question 5

What is the curve of the airfoil referred to as?

Answer 5

Camber

Question 6

What is the chord line of a wing?

Answer 6

An imaginary line connecting the leading edge to the trailing edge.

Question 7

What is the angle of attack abbreviated as?

Answer 7

AOA

Question 8

What happens if the angle of attack becomes too great?

Answer 8

Airflow becomes disrupted, reducing lift and increasing drag.

Question 9

What is the critical angle of attack?

Answer 9

The angle at and beyond which lift is sharply reduced and drag is sharply increased.

Question 10

At what angle of attack do most general aviation aircraft stall?

Answer 10

Between 15 to 20 degrees.

Question 11

How does altitude affect the amount of lift an airplane requires?

Answer 11

In less dense air, the airplane must travel faster to achieve the same lift.

Question 12

What are the three axes of rotation in an airplane?

Answer 12

• Vertical axis
• Lateral axis
• Longitudinal axis

Question 13

What is yaw and how is it controlled?

Answer 13

Yaw is rotation on the vertical axis and is controlled by the rudder pedals.

Question 14

What is pitch and how is it controlled?

Answer 14

Pitch is rotation on the lateral axis and is controlled by the elevator.

Question 15

What is roll and how is it controlled?

Answer 15

Roll is rotation on the longitudinal axis and is controlled by the ailerons.

Question 16

What occurs when making a turn in an airplane?

Answer 16

All three axes of rotation are used.

Question 17

What should you do to maintain a shallow turn?

Answer 17

Hold aileron and rudder pressure into the turn.

Question 18

What is the overbanking tendency during steep-banked turns?

Answer 18

The outside wing flies a bigger arc and travels faster than the inside wing.

Question 19

What is load factor?

Answer 19

The total lift produced divided by the weight of the airplane, measured in Gs.

Question 20

How does load factor affect stall speed?

Answer 20

An increase in load factor raises the stall speed.

Question 21

What is maneuvering speed abbreviated as?

Answer 21

VA

Question 22

What happens at maneuvering speed?

Answer 22

You can apply full deflection of any one control without damaging the airplane.

Question 23

What is the proper procedure for climbing?

Answer 23

Add power, maintain coordinated flight with rudder, pitch up, and check airspeed.

Question 24

What is the recommended descent rate for small airplanes?

Answer 24

Typically around 400 to 500 feet per minute.

Question 25

What are the two forms of drag acting on an airplane?

Answer 25

* Induced drag * Parasite drag

Question 26

How does induced drag vary with airspeed?

Answer 26

Induced drag decreases as airspeed increases.

Question 27

How does parasite drag vary with airspeed?

Answer 27

Parasite drag increases as airspeed increases.

Question 28

What is a good glide ratio for the Cessna Skyhawk?

Answer 28

About 9 to 1.

Question 29

Fill in the blank: The angle of attack at which an airplane stalls is ______.

Answer 29

[specific to the wing design and not affected by weight]

Question 30

What is the glide ratio of a Cessna Skyhawk?

Answer 30

About 9 to 1

Question 31

How far can a Cessna Skyhawk glide for every foot of altitude lost?

Answer 31

About 9 feet forward

Question 32

What is the glide distance for every 1,000 feet above ground?

Answer 32

Roughly 9,000 feet across the ground (about 1.5 nautical miles)

Question 33

What happens to glide speed as weight decreases?

Answer 33

Glide speed changes with weight

Question 34

What is the lift-over-drag ratio based on?

Answer 34

The shape of the airplane

Question 35

True or False: Glide distance changes with weight.

Answer 35

False

Question 36

What are the left-turning tendencies of an airplane caused by?

Answer 36

Torque, slipstream, P-factor, gyroscopic precession

Question 37

What is the effect of P-factor on propeller thrust?

Answer 37

Produces more thrust on the right side

Question 38

When do you need to use right rudder?

Answer 38

At high power settings and low airspeeds

Question 39

When do you need to use left rudder?

Answer 39

At low power settings and high airspeeds

Question 40

What indicates correct rudder pressure?

Answer 40

Your body is not pushed sideways

Question 41

What does the slip/skid indicator show?

Answer 41

Whether the correct amount of rudder pressure is applied

Question 42

What is ground effect?

Answer 42

Occurs when within one wingspan distance from the surface

Question 43

What happens to lift and drag in ground effect?

Answer 43

More lift and less drag

Question 44

What can premature lift-off in ground effect cause?

Answer 44

Settling back to the runway

Question 45

What should you do to avoid overshooting your touchdown point?

Answer 45

Reduce power as the airplane descends into ground effect

Question 46

What are primary flight controls?

Answer 46

Ailerons, elevator, and rudder

Question 47

What are secondary flight controls?

Answer 47

Trim tabs and flaps

Question 48

What do trim tabs do?

Answer 48

Neutralize or reduce pressure on primary flight controls

Question 49

What is the function of flaps?

Answer 49

Increase lift, increase drag, decrease stalling speed

Question 50

What is the recommended flap setting for a normal takeoff in Skyhawk SP models?

Answer 50

0° to 10°

Question 51

What should you maintain after reducing flap setting during climb?

Answer 51

Elevator back pressure

Question 52

What could happen if you forget to raise the flaps after takeoff?

Answer 52

Extra drag will slow your climb

Question 53

When should you use full flaps during landing?

Answer 53

In normal situations