1.1: The Airplane and Flight Controls

Question 1

What are the basic components of the airplane?

Answer 1

1. Fuselage
2. Wings
3. Empennage (tail section)
4. Landing gear

Question 2

What is the function of the nose wheel?

Answer 2

The nosewheel (or tailwheel) is designed to steer the airplane on the ground. It is not stressed for excessive impacts or loads. It is designed to carry only the weight of the forward (or rearward) portion of the airplane.

Question 3

What are the classifications of landing gear?

Answer 3

1. Fixed

2. Retractable

Question 4

What is the fuselage?

Answer 4

The fuselage is the main component of the airplane. It serves as the common attachment point for the other major structural units of the airplane. It also houses the crew, passengers, cargo, instruments, and other essential equipment.

Question 5

What are the two movable surfaces of the wing?

Answer 5

1. Ailerons

2. Wing flaps

Question 6

Comparing high wing vs. low wing airplanes, what are two differences?

Answer 6

1. Airplanes with high wings are more susceptible to the effects of wind while the airplane is on the ground.
2. Airplanes with low wings tend to allow better visibility above and around the plane while in flight and are less susceptible to the effects of wind while the airplane is on the ground.

Question 7

What are the axis of rotation in which the airplane moves?

Answer 7

1. Lateral - from wing tip to wing tip (pitch)
2. Longitudinal - from nose to tail (roll)
3. Vertical - line extending vertically through the intersection of the lateral and longitudinal axes.

Question 8

What is the lateral axis of rotation?

Answer 8

The lateral (pitch) axis is an imaginary line from wingtip to wingtip.

1. Rotation about the lateral axis is called pitch and is controlled by the elevator. This rotation is referred to as longitudinal control or longitudinal stability.

This may seem confusing, but consider that, as the airplane rotates about the lateral axis, the longitudinal axis (the front to rear axis) moves up and down.
2. The rotation is similar to a seesaw. The bar holding the seesaw is the lateral axis, but the rotation is longitudinal.

Question 9

What is the longitudinal axis of rotation?

Answer 9

The longitudinal (roll) axis is an imaginary line from the nose to the tail.

1. Rotation about the longitudinal axis is called roll and is controlled by the ailerons. This rotation is referred to as lateral control or lateral stability.

This may seem confusing, but consider that, as the airplane rotates about the longitudinal axis (i.e., rolls), the ends of the lateral axis (the line through the wingtips) moves up and down.

Question 10

What is the vertical axis of rotation?

Answer 10

The vertical (yaw) axis is an imaginary line extending vertically through the intersection of the lateral and longitudinal axes.

1. Rotation about the vertical axis is called yaw and is controlled by the rudder. This rotation is referred to as directional control or directional stability.
2. The rotation is similar to a weathervane, in which the post holding the vane is the vertical axis but the rotation is directional.

Question 11

What are the primary flight controls of an airplane?

Answer 11

1. Ailerons
2. Elevator
3. Rudder

Question 12

What are the ailerons?

Answer 12

The ailerons are located on the rear of each wing near the wingtips. The ailerons are used to control roll (rotation about the longitudinal axis).

1. The ailerons are located outboard on the wings and move in opposite directions. If one is up, the other is down.
2. The imbalance of lift caused by the movement of ailerons causes the airplane to bank.

Question 13

What is the elevator?

Answer 13

The elevator is the primary control device for changing the pitch attitude of an airplane about the lateral axis. It is usually located on the fixed horizontal stabilizer on the tail of the airplane.

Question 14

What is the horizontal stabilizer?

Answer 14

A horizontal stabilizer provides longitudinal (pitch) stability. While the stabilator pivots around a hinging point, the horizontal stabilizer is a fixed airfoil.

Question 15

What is the vertical stabilizer?

Answer 15

The vertical stabilizer provides directional stability. Vertical stabilizers are constructed in the same style as the fuselage and airfoils and provide directional control and stability around the aircraft’s vertical axis.

Question 16

What is the rudder?

Answer 16

The rudder is attached to the rear of the vertical stabilizer. Controlled by the rudder pedals, the rudder is used to control yaw.

Question 17

Name the secondary flight controls:

Answer 17

1. Wing flaps
2. Spoilers
3. Trim systems
4. Leading edge devices

Question 18

What are three functions of the wing flaps?

Answer 18

1. They permit a slower landing speed, which decreases the required landing distance.
2. They permit a comparatively steep angle of descent without an increase in speed, which makes it possible to clear obstacles safely when making a landing approach to a short runway.
3. They may also be used to shorten the takeoff distance and provide a steeper climb path.

Question 19

What are spoilers?

Answer 19

Spoilers are high-drag devices mounted on the upper surface of each wing that are deployed to “spoil” or disrupt the smooth flow of air over the wings, reducing the lifting force and increasing drag.

They are found on gliders and some high-speed aircraft.

Question 20

How are trim systems used?

Answer 20

Trim systems are used to relieve the pilot of the need to maintain constant pressure on the flight controls. These devices are small airfoils attached to, or recessed into, the trailing edge of the primary control surfaces (i.e., elevator, aileron, and/or rudder). They include trim tabs, antiservo tabs, and ground adjustable tabs.

Question 21

What are examples of trim systems?

Answer 21

1. Trim tabs are attached to the trailing edge of the elevator.
2. An antiservo tab is attached to the trailing edge of the stabilator and moves in the same direction as the trailing edge of the stabilator.
3. ground adjustable tabs.

Question 22

What is an antiservo tab?

Answer 22

An antiservo tab is attached to the trailing edge of the stabilator and moves in the same direction as the trailing edge of the stabilator.

Question 23

What is the most common flap used on general aviation airplanes?

Answer 23

Slotted flap – a portion of the trailing edge similar to a plain flap but with a gap between the trailing edge of the wing and the leading edge of the flap

• Permits air to pass through and delays the airflow separation along the top of the wing.
• The most common flap used on general aviation aircraft today.
• When lowered, high-pressure air from the lower surface of the wing is ducted to the upper surface of the flap, delaying airflow separation.

Question 24

What is one purpose of wing flaps?

A. To enable the pilot to make steeper approaches to a landing without increasing the airspeed.
B. To relieve the pilot of maintaining continuous pressure on the controls.
C. To decrease wing area to vary the lift.

Answer 24

To enable the pilot to make steeper approaches to a landing without increasing the airspeed.

Question 25

One of the main functions of flaps during approach and landing is to

A. decrease the angle of descent without increasing the airspeed.
B. permit a touchdown at a higher indicated airspeed.
C. increase the angle of descent without increasing the airspeed.

Answer 25

increase the angle of descent without increasing the airspeed.

Question 26

What is the purpose of the rudder on an airplane?

A. To control yaw.
B. To control overbanking tendency.
C. To control roll.

Answer 26

To control yaw.

Question 27

Which is not a primary flight control surface?

A. Flaps.
B. Stabilator.
C. Ailerons.

Answer 27

Flaps

Question 28

The elevator controls movement around which axis?

A. Longitudinal.
B. Lateral.
C. Vertical.

Answer 28

Lateral

Question 29

Which statement is true concerning primary flight controls?

A. The effectiveness of each control surface increases with speed because there is more airflow over them.
B. Only when all three primary flight controls move in sequence do the airflow and pressure distribution change over and around the airfoil.
C. Primary flight controls include ailerons, rudder, elevator, and trim systems.

Answer 29

The effectiveness of each control surface increases with speed because there is more airflow over them.

Question 30

Which of the following is true concerning flaps?

A. Flaps are attached to the leading edge of the wing and are used to increase wing lift.
B. Flaps allow an increase in the angle of descent without increasing airspeed.
C. Flaps are high drag devices deployed from the wings to reduce lift.

Answer 30

Flaps allow an increase in the angle of descent without increasing airspeed.

Question 31

Which device is a secondary flight control?

A. Spoilers.
B. Ailerons.
C. Stabilators.

Answer 31

Spoilers

Question 32

Trim systems are designed to do what?

A. They relieve the pilot of the need to maintain constant pressure on the flight controls.
B. They are used during approach and landing to increase wing lift.
C. They move in the opposite direction from one another to control roll.

Answer 32

They relieve the pilot of the need to maintain constant pressure on the flight controls.