Airframe Chapter 01

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 axes of an aircraft?

Answer 2

Longitudinal, lateral, 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 of trim tabs such as balance tabs, anti-servo and servo tabs, and spring tabs. Their function is to assist the piloting 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 spring tab?

Answer 6

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

Question 6

What is a balance trim tab?

Answer 6

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

Question 7

What is a servo trim tab?

Answer 7

It is an auxiliary control, positioned by the movement of a cockpit control and designed to creat aerodynamic forces to assist in moving a control surface. (Also used when Hydraulic System fails).

Question 8

What are four most common types of high lift devices?

Answer 8

Leading and trailing edge flaps, slats, and slots.

Question 9

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

Answer 9

A universal propeller protractor or special control surface protractor.

Question 10

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

Answer 10

Cables, push-pull rods, and torque tubes.

Question 11

What is a fair lead?

Answer 11

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

Question 12

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

Answer 12

Where the cable pass over pulleys or through fairleads

Question 13

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

Answer 13

The ambient temperature and the cable size.

Question 14

What is the function of the cable tension regulator?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Describe the function of a rotorcraft collective pitch control.

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Describe the function of a rotorcraft cycle pitch control.

Answer 16

The cycle 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 17

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

Answer 17

The tail or anti torque rotor.

Question 18

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

Answer 18

By the movement of the foot pedals.

Question 19

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

Answer 19

To prevent damage from the wind.