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Commercial Checkride Guide > Aerodynamic and Performance > Flashcards

Aerodynamic and Performance Flashcards

1
Q

What are the four forces of flight?

A

Lift
Weight
Thrust
Drag

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2
Q

How is lift created?

A

Lift is created by the pressure difference between the top and bottom surfaces of an aircraft’s wing. Air traveling faster over the top surface creates lower pressure, while slower air at the bottom the wing creates higher pressure. This pressure differential generates an upward force called lift.

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3
Q

What are the primary flight controls?

A
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4
Q

What are the secondary flight controls?

A

Flaps
Leading edge devices
Spoilers
Trim systems

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5
Q

Explain the different types of drag

A
  • Parasite drag
    • Form drag
    • Skin friction drag
    • Interference drag
  • Induced drag
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6
Q

What are the Piper Archer V-speeds?

A
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7
Q

Describe the various components of an airfoil

A
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8
Q

What is angle of incidence?

A

The angle of incidence is the fixed angle between the aircraft’s wing and the longitudinal axis of the fuselage.

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9
Q

What is center of gravity? What happens when it moves forward/aft?

A

The center of gravity (CG) is the point where the aircraft’s total weight is considered to be concentrated and balanced

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10
Q

What is Forward CG?

A

A forward CG (center of gravity) refers to a position where the aircraft’s center of gravity is located closer to the front of the aircraft

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11
Q

What is Aft CG?

A

Aft CG (Center of gravity) is when the aircraft’s center of gravity is positioned closer to the rear, towards the tail.

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12
Q

Describe the characteristics of a forward and an aft CG?

A
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13
Q

What is an angle of attack?

A

The angle of attack is the angle between the chord line and the relative airflow.

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14
Q

What is the critical angle of attack?

A

The critical angle of attack is the angle at which an aircraft’s wing reaches the maximum angle of attack before airflow begins to separate from the wing’s surface, leading to a loss of lift and the onset of a stall.

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15
Q

What causes a wing to stall?

A

The wing will stall anytime the critical angle of attack is exceeded

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16
Q

What are the different types of airspeeds?

A

IAS (Indicated Airspeed): The speed read right off the Airspeed Indicator

CAS (Calibrated Airspeed): Calibrated airspeed is indicated airspeed corrected for instrument and positional errors.

TAS (True Airspeed): True airspeed is the actual speed of an aircraft relative to the air through which it is moving. It is CAS corrected for non-standard temperature and pressure.

GS (Ground Speed): Ground speed is the horizontal speed of an aircraft relative to the Earth’s surface. It’s true airspeed corrected for wind.

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17
Q

What are the different types of altitudes?

A

Indicated Altitude: The altitude indicated in the altimeter

Pressure Altitude: Altitude corrected for non standard pressure.

Density Altitude: Pressure Altitude corrected for non standard temperature.

True Altitude: True altitude is the vertical distance of the airplane above sea level.

Absolute Altitude: Absolute altitude is the distance measurement of your airplane above the ground.

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18
Q

How do we calculate pressure altitude and density altitude?

A
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19
Q

What is stability?

A

Stability is the ability of an aircraft to correct for disturbances, maintain or return to a specific flight condition.

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20
Q

Explain static and dynamic stability

A

Static stability is the initial tendency of your aircraft to return to its original position when it’s disturbed.

Dynamic stability is how your airplane responds to a disturbance over time.

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21
Q

What factors affect air density?

A

Heat: warm air expands so is less dense

Height (altitude): air at higher altitudes is less dense

Humidity: A parcel of humid air is less dense because water molecules take up more room and
spread out the air molecules.

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22
Q

What are the maximum ramp, takeoff & landing weights for the airplane?

A

2550lbs

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23
Q

How does wind affect takeoff and landing?

A

Headwinds decrease takeoff and landing roll – Tailwinds increase the takeoff and landing roll

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24
Q

How much does one gallon of 100LL weigh?

A

6 lbs

25
Q

When would you want to climb at Vx and Vy?

A

Vx is used to clear an obstacle
Vy is used to get to altitude in the shortest amount of time

26
Q

Discuss the left turning tendencies

A

TORQUE: Torque is an example of Newton’s third law, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When the propeller spins to the right, it creates a force that tries to roll the airplane to the left.

GYROSCOPIC PRECESSION: Gyroscopic precession is the phenomenon where a force applied to a spinning object is felt 90 degrees ahead in the direction of rotation. For a clockwise-rotating propeller, this means that forces applied to the propeller result in a left-turning force on the aircraft.

P FACTOR / ASYMMETRICAL LOADING: The descending propeller blade has a greater angle of attack when the airplane is pitched up, therefore the right descending blade creates more lift. This causes a left yawing tendency.

SPIRALING SLIPSTREAM: The spiral slipstream is the flow of air that wraps around the fuselage and strikes the tail from the left side. This airflow creates a force that pushes the tail to the right, causing the airplane to yaw to the left.

27
Q

Explain parasite drag and the different kinds of parasite drag

A

Parasite drag is simply caused by the structure of the aircraft (shape, material, construction type)

Form drag: Caused by the shape and size of the aircraft, creating resistance as it moves through the air.

Skin drag: Results from the friction between the air and the surface of the aircraft. The roughness or smoothness of the aircraft’s surface affects this type of drag.

Interference drag: Occurs when the airflow around different parts of the aircraft interacts, such as where the wing meets the fuselage. This interaction can create turbulent flow and increase drag.

28
Q

Explain induced drag

A

Induced drag is a type of aerodynamic drag that occurs as a result of the lift generated by the wings, it is a byproduct of lift.

29
Q

What is the chord line?

A

The chord line is an imaginary straight line drawn from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wing.

30
Q

What happens when the airplane increases the Angle of Attack up to the point where it doesn’t generate more lift?

A

When an airplane exceeds the critical angle of attack and it doesn’t generate more lift, the plane stalls.

31
Q

How does an increase in altitude affect air density and aircraft performance?

A

As altitude increases, air density decreases. With less air density there are fewer air molecules for the wings to generate lift, less air molecules that are going to the engine for combustion, slower climb rate and less efficient performance.

32
Q

What is the maximum crosswind component of your aircraft?

A

17 KTS

33
Q

Explain Va

A

Maneuvering speed (Va) is the maximum speed at which an aircraft’s controls can be fully deflected without damaging the airframe

34
Q

What happens at or below maneuvering speed?

A

The plane will stall before it breaks.

35
Q

What is load factor?

A

Load factor is the ratio of the lift of an aircraft to its weight and it’s represented in G forces.

36
Q

What is necessary for an airplane to spin?

A

A stall

37
Q

Describe Bernoulli’s principle as it applies to aviation.

A

Bernoulli’s principle states that an increase in the speed of a fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure.

Bernoulli’s principle explains that the faster-moving air over the top of the wing results in lower pressure compared to the slower-moving air underneath, generating the lift necessary for flight.

38
Q

Does the angle of attack change with gross weight?

A

No, it remains the same regardless of gross weight.

39
Q

What are flaps?

A

Flaps are a high lift device found in the trailing edge of the wing, when they are extended they increase the wing’s chamber and in most cases the chord resulting in an increase in drag and lift.

40
Q

What are some purposes of the flaps?

A
  • Generate more lift
  • Make steeper approaches for landing without increasing speed
  • Increase drag
  • Reduce stall speeds
41
Q

What does the lower limit of the green arc on the airspeed indicator show?

A

Power-off stalling speed with flaps and landing gear retracted.

42
Q

What does the lower limit of the white arc on the airspeed indicator show?

A

The power-off stalling speed in landing configuration.

43
Q

What does the upper limit of the green arc show?

A

Maximum structural cruising speed.

44
Q

What is the red radial line on the airspeed indicator?

A

Vne, the never-exceed speed.

45
Q

How should you avoid wake turbulence when departing and landing?

A

When departing, maneuver the aircraft above and upwind from the heavy aircraft.

When landing, stay above the large aircraft’s final approach path, and land beyond the large aircraft’s touchdown point.

46
Q

What is ground effect? What does it do? How does it affect takeoffs and landings?

A

Ground effect is the result of the interference of the surface of the earth with the airflow patterns about an airplane.

Ground effect happens when an aircraft is within one wingspan or less from the ground.

47
Q

What are several factors which will affect both lift and drag?

A
  • Wing Area
  • Shape of an airfoil
  • Angle of attack
  • Velocity of the air
  • Air density
48
Q

What is centrifugal force?

A

Centrifugal force is the equal and opposite reaction of the airplane to the change in direction, and it acts equal and opposite to the horizontal component of lift

49
Q

What is adverse yaw?

A

Adverse yaw is the tendency of an airplane to yaw in the opposite direction of the turn. For example, as you roll to the right, your airplane may initially yaw to the left.

50
Q

An increase in load factor, increases _____________.

A

Stalling speed

51
Q

What are the different operational categories for aircraft?

A
  • Utility
  • Normal
  • Aerobatic
52
Q

Discuss the effect on maneuvering speed of an increase or decrease in weight

A

Maneuvering speed increase with an increase in weight and decreases with a decrease in weight.

53
Q

What is a spin?

A

A spin is an aggravated stall as a result of the airplane being uncoordinated. During the spin the airplane loses lift and falls in a spiraling path.

54
Q

What are the four phases of a spin?

A
  • Entry
  • Incipient
  • Developed
  • Recovery
55
Q

How do you recover from a spin?

A

Rudder full opposite to the direction of rotation
Elevator full forward
Ailerons neutral
Power Idle
Neutralize the rudder when the rotation stops
Smoothly apply back pressure to recover from the dive

56
Q

Define the following:
* Empty weight
* Gross weight
* Useful load
* Arm
* Moment
* Datum

A
  • Empty weight: The weight of the airframe, engines, all permanently installed equipment, and unusable fuel.
  • Gross weight: The maximum allowable weight of both the airplane including everything on board.
  • Useful load: Refers to the maximum weight that an aircraft can carry beyond its empty weight. This includes the weight of passengers, cargo, baggage, and any other items or equipment that the aircraft is carrying.
  • Arm: The horizontal distance in inches from the reference datum line to the center of gravity of the item.
  • Moment: the product of the weight of an item multiplied by its arm
  • Datum: An imaginary vertical plane or line from which all measurement of are are taken.
57
Q

What performance characteristics will be adversely affected when an aircraft has been overloaded?

A

Higher takeoff speed
Longer takeoff roll
Reduced rate and angle of climb
Reduced cruising speed
Reduced maneuverability
Higher stalling speed
Higher landing speed
Longer landing roll

58
Q

What is the service ceiling for the Piper Archer?

A

14,085ft

59
Q

What is the absolute ceiling for the Piper Archer?

A

16,400ft

Commercial Checkride Guide (9 decks)

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