Aircraft Structural Assembly and Riggging

Question 1

What is the function of a vortex generator?

Answer 1

It is designed to delay or prevent separation of the boundary layer.

Question 2

What are the three axis of an airplane?

Answer 2

Longitudinal, lateral and vertical

Question 3

What are the three primary flight controls of an aircraft?

Answer 3

The ailerons, elevator, and rudder.

Question 4

Name several secondary flight controls and describe their general purpose.

Answer 4

Secondary flight controls consist of various types to trim tabs such as balance tabs, anti-servo and servo tabs, and spring tabs. Their function is to assist the pilot in moving the controls and to trim the aircraft to fly hands-off.

Question 5

Name several types of auxiliary flight controls and describe their general purpose.

Answer 5

The auxiliary flight controls consist of the various high-lift devices used during low-speed flight such as leading and trailing edge flaps, slats, slots, speed brakes, etc…

Question 6

What is a servo trim tab?

Answer 6

It is an auxiliary control, positioned by the movement of a cockpit control and designed to create aerodynamic forces to assist in moving a control surface

Question 7

What is a spring tab?

Answer 7

It is an auxiliary control designed to aid the movement of a primary control at high speeds when control surfaces become too high.

Question 8

What is a balance trim tab?

Answer 8

It is an auxiliary control designed to create aerodynamic forces to assist in moving a control surface. The tab is position by a control connected to the fixed surface on the same side as the horn on the tab.

Question 9

What are four most common types of high lift devices?

Answer 9

Leading and trailing edge flaps, slats, and slots

Question 10

Describe some of the tools used to check control surface travel?

Answer 10

A universal propeller protractor or special control surface protractor.

Question 11

Name three mechanical methods by which flight control systems may be actuated.

Answer 11

Cables, push-pull rods, and torque tubes

Question 12

What is a fairlead?

Answer 12

It is a device to prevent a cable from rubbing on the aircraft structure

Question 13

What are the most likely places for a control cable to wear or break?

Answer 13

Where the cables pass over pulleys or through fairleads.

Question 14

What information is required before a cable rigging chart can be used?

Answer 14

The ambient temperature and the cable size

Question 15

What is the function of a cable tension regulator?

Answer 15

It automatically adjusts the cable tension to compensate for expansion and contraction in the aircraft structure.

Question 16

Describe the function of a rotorcraft collective pitch control.

Answer 16

The collective pitch control causes each rotor blade to change its pitch angle by the same amount, thus increasing or decreasing lift produced by the rotor.

Question 17

Describe the function of a rotorcraft cyclic pitch control.

Answer 17

The cyclic control tilts the main rotor disc by changing the pitch angle of each rotor blade during its cycle of rotation, which causes the helicopter to move in the direction the rotor tilts.

Question 18

What mechanism is most commonly used to compensate for the torque produced by the main rotor of a helicopter?

Answer 18

The anti-torque rotor

Question 19

How is the amount of thrust produced by the tail rotor contolled?

Answer 19

By moving the foot pedals.

Question 20

Why should control surfaces be locked when an aircraft is parked?

Answer 20

To prevent damage from the wind.