Instruments

Question 1

What is the drawn / inscribed line called that indicates your magnetic heading on a magnetic compass?

Answer 1

This is a lubber line.

Question 2

Describe the CHT gauge.

Answer 2

The cylinder head temperature (CHT) gauge indicates engine cylinder head temperature via a probe placed on a engine cylinder. Not all aircraft have a CHT gauge installed.

Question 3

Which are the bank instruments?

Answer 3

Attitude Indicator
Heading Indicator
Magnetic Compass
Turn Coordinator

Question 4

What are the primary instruments for pitch, bank, and power during straight-and-level flight?

The __________ is primary for pitch, the __________ is primary for bank, and the __________ is primary for power during straight-and-level flight. (IFH Chapter 5)

Answer 4

The altimeter is primary for pitch, the heading indicator is primary for bank, and the airspeed indicator is primary for power during straight-and-level flight. (IFH Chapter 5)

Question 5

May you legally turn off your aircraft’s strobe lights and/or rotating beacon while “in the clouds”?

Answer 5

Yes, you can.

Question 6

What are static wicks?

Answer 6

Static wicks are the plastic coated metal wires that extend from the trailing edges of the ailerons and elevators. They are used to minimize static electricity interference with the aircraft radios. They work by allowing static electricity to discharge from the airframe into the surrounding air.

Question 7

What is magnetic variation?

Answer 7

Magnetic variation is the compass error caused by the fact that magnetic north and true north are not in exactly the same place.

Question 8

What does the abbreviation “WE:ANDS” stand for?

Answer 8

Note: many people have been taught the abbreviation “ANDS.” However, in our experience, almost an equal number promptly forget what this actually means, even if they know what it stands for. “WE:ANDS”, in our experience, works better as a memory aid.

WE:ANDS means “WEST EAST: Accelerate NORTH, Decelerate South”

In other words when on a westerly or easterly heading, accelerate and the magnetic compass will show a turn to the north, decelerate and it will show a turn to the south.

Question 9

What do the red Vs on the electronic flight display shown here indicate?

Answer 9

These red chevrons indicate that the aircraft is in a nose high (high pitch) unusual attitude and suggest the pilot pitch forward (bring the nose down) to get out of it.

In the case of a nose high unusual attitude, the unusual attitude recovery protection displays red chevrons which point back to the horizon line.

Question 10

Do aircraft engines controlled by FADEC have magnetos?

Answer 10

No

Question 11

What is northerly turning error in a magnetic compass?

Answer 11

This is the largest of the dip errors of a magnetic compass.

Question 12

What is DTK in a modern FMS/GPS/PFD navigation display?

Answer 12

Desired Track

Question 13

What is the effect of a blocked pitot tube (pitot tube drain hole blocked as well) on the airspeed indicator?

Answer 13

The indicated airspeed will increase with altitude gain and decrease with altitude loss. Airspeed readings will be completely unreliable.

Acts as an altimeter

Question 14

What is true airspeed?

Answer 14

True airspeed is calibrated airspeed (CAS) corrected for nonstandard pressure and temperature.

Question 15

What is position error as it applies to the static system?

Answer 15

Under some flight conditions, particularly at a high angle of attack with the landing gear and flaps down, the air around the static port may be disturbed to the extent that it can cause an error in the indication of the altimeter and airspeed indicator.

Question 16

What are the primary instruments for pitch, bank, and power during a level, standard-rate turn?

Answer 16

The altimeter is primary for pitch, the turn coordinator is primary for bank, and the airspeed indicator is primary for power during a level, standard-rate turn. (IFH Chapter 5)

Question 17

What are the three fundamental instrument flight skills?

Answer 17

Cross check
Interpretation
Aircraft control

Question 18

What is the major advantage of a turn coordinator over the older turn-and-slip indicators?

Answer 18

The older turn-and-slip indicator only detects rotation around the vertical axis, missing rotation around the longitudinal axis that often happens first in normal flight. In contrast, the turn coordinator, angled 30° upward, senses both roll and yaw using a symbolic aircraft dial for display, with some gyros powered by air or electricity.

Question 19

What is DTK in a modern FMS/GPS/PFD navigation display?

Answer 19

The FMS/PFD/MFD navigation display also shows the desired track to the active waypoint

Question 20

Is a “whiskey compass” required for IFR flight?

Answer 20

Strictly speaking, no, though a “magnetic direction indicator” is required.

Question 20

When making a turn to the south from a heading of north, the compass will ___________________.

Answer 20

Decelerate

Question 21

A pilot is flying at 5000’ MSL with his altimeter correctly set to the current altimeter setting of 29.92”. He continues to fly into a region where the current altimeter setting should be 28.36”, but he does not adjust his altimeter (he leaves it at 29.92”) and the altimeter continues to read 5000’. What is the pressure altitude where he is currently flying?

Answer 21

5000 feet. Recall that pressure altitude is the altitude read off the altimeter when the pressure setting is set to 29.92”.

Question 22

What is the circling height AGL for a category A aircraft?

Answer 22

1140 feet AGL (1300 MSL). Quite high!

Question 23

What is the range of the barometric scale on most altimeters?

Answer 23

The range of the scale is from
28.00 to 31.00” Hg
, or 948 to 1,050 milibars.

Question 24

As PIC, you know that it is your responsibility to ensure that the aircraft you intend to fly is airworthy and in a condition for safe flight. In reviewing the dispatch log, you find that it has been 45 days since the last VOR check was performed. Can you legally depart on a night VFR cross-country flight?

Answer 24

Yes. The VOR check is required only if the aircraft is being used for **IFR.**

Question 25

What is DTK in a modern FMS/GPS/PFD navigation display?

Answer 25

It is the intended course for the active leg in the flight plan.

Question 26

What is the typical standard en-route sensitivity for an FMS unit?

Answer 26

When operating en route, the FMS maintains a sensitivity of 5 nautical miles (NM); that is, a CDI displaying course indications from the FMS deflects full-scale when the aircraft drifts 5 NM to either side of the desired track to the active waypoint. An aircraft is considered to be en route when it is more than 30 NM from the origin and destination airports programmed into the flight plan. There are and have been some units that use different values. Consult your specific unit's documentation.

Question 27

You are preparing for a night VFR flight. Conditions are well above VFR minimums, and you plan to remain in the local practice area. What equipment must you have?

Answer 27

Source of electricity, anticollision light, fuses (if your aircraft can make use of spare fuses), position lights, landing light (if used for hire).

Question 28

This is not normal. At 2nm before the final approach waypoint the FMS/GPS should have switched to approach mode. 2 nautical miles prior to reaching the final approach waypoint, the FMS/GPS RNAV unit should automatically switch to approach sensitivity. At this stage, the FMS/GPS RNAV further increases RAIM requirements, and increases the CDI sensitivity from 1 NM to 0.3 NM (i.e., a full-scale CDI deflection occurs if you are 0.3 NM or more from the desired course). As long as the annunciation for approach mode is displayed, you may continue the approach. **If, however, the computer fails to switch to approach mode, or the approach mode annunciation disappears, you must fly the published missed approach procedure. You are not authorized to descend further or to the MDA. Making changes to the FMS/ GPS RNAV after reaching the 2 NM point could result in automatic cancellation of the approach mode.**

Question 29

An aircraft is in cruise flight when the static port(s) become blocked. The pitot tube remains unblocked. Explain the effect on the airspeed indicator during cruise and the subsequent descent.

Answer 29

As long as the aircraft remains at the same altitude the Airspeed indicator work normally since the correct static pressure is sealed in the case. When the aircraft descends the static pressure in the case will be lower than it should be. Thus, the airspeed will begin to read progressively higher as the aircraft descends. If the aircraft climbs the airspeed will begin to read progressively lower.

Question 30

When the aircraft descends the static pressure in the case will be ____________ than it should be. Thus, the airspeed will begin to read progressively _____________ as the aircraft descends. If the aircraft climbs the airspeed will begin to read progressively ____________.

Answer 30

When the aircraft descends the static pressure in the case will be **lower** than it should be. Thus, the airspeed will begin to read progressively **higher** as the aircraft descends. If the aircraft climbs the airspeed will begin to read progressively **lower.**

Question 31

Describe the stall warning system on the Cessna 1 72N.

Answer 31

The pneumatic-type stall warning system has an inlet in the leading edge of the left wing, an air operated horn near the upper left corner of the windshield, and the associated plumbing. As the airplane approaches a stall, the low pressure on the upper surface of the wings moves forward around the leading edge. This low pressure draws air through the warning horn, resulting in an audible warning at 5 to 10 knots above the stall in all flight conditions.

Question 32

What would happen if the pilot failed to detect a clogged pitot tube during the preflight inspection (but the pitot drain hole remained clear)?

Answer 32

The airspeed indicator would read zero during the entire takeoff roll, as there would be no dynamic pressure being transmitted to the airspeed indicator.

Question 33

What is acceleration error in a magnetic compass?

Answer 33

Acceleration error is a form of dip error. As an aircraft accelerates, the aft end of the card tilts up. When it decelerates, the aft end tilts down. This error is most pronounced on east-west headings.

Question 34

An FMS will switch to terminal mode when within _______ nautical miles of the destination airport. Terminal mode increases the sensitivity of the CDI to _________ nautical miles.

Answer 34

An FMS will switch to terminal mode when within **30** nautical miles of the destination airport. Terminal mode increases the sensitivity of the CDI to **1** nautical miles.

Question 35

What is the effect of a pitot tube blockage on the vertical speed indicator?

Answer 35

None!

Question 36

What would be the effect of a complete static port blockage on an aircraft's altimeter?

Answer 36

**The altimeter would not show any change with gain or loss of altitude - it would continue to indicate the altitude at which the blockage occurred.**

Question 37

What is compass deviation and how do we correct for it?

Answer 37

Deviation is error in the magnetic compass indication due to magnetic fields in the aircraft created by radios or other electrical equipment.

Question 38

You're flying an aircraft in IFR conditions. Bad news - the static ports are blocked. Worse news - either the aircraft has no alternate static source inside the aircraft or that too has somehow become inoperable. Your altimeter is now effectively inoperable. Imagine that you don't have any GPS or any other means of vertical navigation (ATC, ILS localizers, etc). You need to get that altimeter working. What can you do?

Answer 38

Smash the glass on the VSI

Question 39

What are the most dangerous aspects of structural icing?

Answer 39

**Ice can alter the shape of an airfoil, which can cause control problems, change the angle of attack at which the aircraft stalls, and cause the aircraft to stall at a significantly higher airspeed. Ice can reduce the amount of lift an airfoil will produce and greatly increase drag.**