Airplane Systems Flashcards
How are the various flight controls operated?
Manually through a rod or cable system.
Elevators and ailerons through control wheel
Rudder through pedals
What are the four main control surfaces and what are their functions?
Elevators - controls pitch
Ailerons - controls roll
Rudder - controls yaw
Trim tabs - helps alleviate pressure on the main control
What are flaps and what is their function?
Movable panels on the inboard trailing edges of the wings.
Permits a slower airspeed and steeper angle of descent.
Describe the landing gear system.
Tricycle type system
Tubular string steel shock absorption
Air/oil shock strut nose wheel.
Describe the braking system.
Hydraulically actuated disc-type brakes on each main gear wheel.
How is steering accomplished on the ground?
Through the use of the rudder and brakes.
What four strokes must occur in each cylinder of a typical four stroke engine in order for it to produce full power?
Hint: ICIE
Intake
Compression
Ignition/Power
Exhaust
What does the carburetor do?
Mixes vaporized fuel and air in the correct proportions
How does the carburetor heat system work?
Carburetor heat valve allows unfiltered, heated air from a shroud located around an exhaust riser to be directed to the induction air manifold prior to the carburetor.
What changes occur to the fuel/air mixture when applying carburetor heat?
Introduction of heated air allows a richer mix.warm air is less dense, resulting in less air for the same amount of fuel.
What does the throttle do?
Allows the pilot manual control of the amount of fuel/air charge entering the cylinders. This regulates the engine speed and power.
What does the mixture control do?
Regulates the fuel-to-air ratio.
Describe a fuel injection system installed in some aircraft.
Injects fuel directly into the cylinders, or just ahead of the intake valve.
What type of ignition system does your aircraft have?
Two engine-driven magnetos and two spark plugs per cylinder. They are independent from the electrical system.
What parts make up a fuel injection system?
Fuel pump Fuel/air control unit Fuel manifold valve Discharge nozzles Auxiliary fuel pump Fuel pressure/flow indicators
What are two main advantages of a duel ignition system?
Increased safety; failure of one magneto.
More complete and even combustion of mixture, improving performance.
What type of fuel system does your aircraft have?
Gravity feed system.
What purpose do fuel tank vents have?
Replaces used fuel with outside air, preventing a vacuum. Without it decreased fuel flow and eventually engine stoppage would result.
Does your aircraft use a fuel pump?
No, fuel is fed to the engine by the gravity feed system.
What type fuel does your aircraft require (minimum octane rating and color)?
Approved fuel rating is 100LL with blue coloring.
Can other types of fuel be used if the specified grade is not available?
Engines are designed to use a specific grade of fuel. If not available it is recommended to use the next higher grade as a substitute. Always consult the aircraft’s AFM/POH
What color of dye is added to the following fuel grades: 80 100 100LL Turbine
80 - Red
100 - Green
100LL - Blue
Jet A - colorless or straw
If a non-turbine piston engine powered airplane is accidentally fueled with JET-A fuel, will it start?
Yes, but will fail due to a detonation ruining the engine.
What is the function of the manual primer, and how does it operates?
To provide assistance in starting the engine. Draws fuel from the fuel strainer and injects it directly into the cylinders.
Describe the electrical system on your aircraft?
28-volt, direct-current system powered by an engine driven 60-amp alternator and a 24-volt battery
How are the circuits for the various electrical accessories within the aircraft protected?
Circuit breakers or fuses. Circuit breakers can be reset.
What does the ammeter indicate?
Indicates flow of current, I amperes, from the alternator to the battery of from the battery to the electrical system.
What function does the voltage regulator have?
Monitors system voltage, detects changes, and makes adjustments to maintain a constant regulated system voltage.
Why is the generator/alternator voltage output slightly higher than the battery voltage?
Difference in voltage keeps the battery charged.
How does the aircraft cabin heat work?
Fresh air, heated by an exhaust shroud, is directed through a series of ducts.
How does the pilot control temperature in the cabin?
Mixing outside air (cabin air control) with heated air (cabin heat control) in a manifold near the cabin firewall.
What are the five basic functions of aircraft engine oil?
LCRSC
Lubricates - engine’s moving parts
Cools - engine by reducing friction
Removes - heat from the cylinders
Seals - between the cylinder walls and pistons
Cleans - off metal and carbon particles and other contaminants.
What causes carburetor icing, and what are the first indications of its presence?
Vaporization of fuel causes a sudden cooling of the mixture. First indication is loss of RPM. With constant speed propellers, the first indication is a drop in manifold pressure.
What method is used to determine that carburetor ice has been eliminated?
A drop in RPM when heat is first applied. If ice is present there will be a rise in RPM and some engine roughness. Engine should run more smoothly once ice is removed.
What conditions are favorable for carburetor icing?
21C and 80% relative humidity but can occur at 38C with 50% relative humidity.
Define anti-icing equipment and state at least 3 examples.
Prevents ice from forming on certain protected surfaces. Heated pitot tubes and static ports Carburetor heat Heated fuel vents Heated wind shields
Define deicing equipment and state at least three examples.
Removes ice that has already formed on protected surfaces.
Limited to pneumatic boots on the wing and tail leading edges.
Describe how an aircraft deicing system works.
Boots attached to the wing leading edges inflate with air to break off accumulated ice.
If an airplane has anti-icing and/or deicing equipment installed, can it be flown into icing conditions?
One should never go looking for icing conditions. Such equipment should be used when accidentally flying into icing conditions.
What is “detonation”?
Uncontrolled, explosive ignition of the fuel/air mixture within the cylinder’s combustion chamber. Most likely to occur when operating at high power settings.
What are some of the most common operational causes of detonation?
Using a lower fuel grade
Operating at high manifold pressure with low RPM
Operating the engine at high power with excessively lean mixture
Extended ground operations or steep climbs where cylinder cooling is reduced.
What action should be taken if detonation is suspected?
Reduce power
Reduce climb rate
Enrich fuel/air mixture
Open cowl flaps
What is “preignition”?
When fuel/air mixture ignites prior to the engine’s normal ignition resulting in reduced engine power and high operating temperatures.
What action should be taken if preignition is suspected?
Reduce power
Reduce the climb rate
Enrich fuel/air mixture
Open cowl flaps
During the before-takeoff run-up, you switch the magnetos from the “BOTH” position to the “RIGHT” position and notice there is no RPM drop. What condition does this indicate?
Left P-lead is not grounding.
Engine has been running only on the right magneto because the left magneto has totally failed.
What does the ammeter indicate at a right deflection?
After starting - battery is being replenished by alternator.
At full charge start is still engaged and will shutdown.
During flight - faulty voltage regulator is overcharging the battery. Reset the system and if it continues, terminate flight as soon as possible.
What does the ammeter indicate at a left deflection?
After starting - normal during start. At other times the battery is not receiving a charge.
During flight - alternator is not functioning or overload in the system. Battery is not receiving a charge. Master switch shut off or alternator circuit breaker tripped.
What action should be taken if the ammeter indicates a continuous discharge while in flight?
Circuit breaker should be reset.
Turn off alternator with circuit breaker.
Turn off all electrical equipment not essential for flight
Flight should be terminated and land.
What action should be taken if the ammeter indicates a continuous charge while in flight?
Battery could overheat and explode.
Turn off alternator
Turn off electrical equipment not essential for flight
Flight should be terminated
During a cross-country flight you notice that the oil pressure is low, but the oil temperature is normal. What is the problem and what action should be taken?
Most common would be insufficient oil.
If oil temp remains normal, could be a clogged oil pressure relief valve or oil pressure gauge malfunction.
Landing at nearest airport is advised to check for cause.
What procedures should be followed concerning a partial loss of power in flight?
Maintain airspeed (best glide if needed) Select emergency landing area and remain within gliding distance. Check carb heat Check fuel in both tanks, switch if needed Check fuel selector Check mixture control Check that primer is in and locked Check magnetos in all three positions
What procedures should be followed if an engine fire develops in flight?
Mixture - cutoff
Fuel selector - off
Master switch - off
Cabin heat and air - off, keep overhead vents open
Establish airspeed - 100 KIAS and increase descent
Execute forced landing
What procedures should be followed if an engine fire develops on the ground during starting?
Continue to attempt to start
If engine starts, increase power to higher RPM, then shut down and inspect engine.
In all case evacuate engine and use fire extinguisher and/assistance.
If engine does not start in engine fire on ground:
Set throttle to FULL
Set mixture to cutoff
Continue to attempt to kill the fire by engine start
If engine fire persists on the ground:
Ignition to OFF
Master switch to OFF
Fuel selector to OFF
What instruments operate off of the pitot/static system?
Altimeter
Vertical Speed
Airspeed Indicator
How does an altimeter work?
Aneroid wafers expand and contract as atmospheric pressure changes, and through a shaft and gear linkage, rotates the indicator
What are the limitations of a pressure altimeter?
Nonstandard pressure and temperature. Temperature affects altimeter indications.
What effect on the altimeter does temperature have?
Warm and higher than standard pressure - lower than actual altitude.
Cold and lower than standard pressure - higher than actual altitude.
Define absolute altitude.
Vertical distance of an aircraft above terrain.
Define indicated altitude.
Altitude read directly from the altimeter after it is set to current altimeter setting
Define pressure altitude.
Altitude when altimeter is set to 29.92
Define true altitude.
True vertical distance of the aircraft above sea level. All altitude measurements are true altitudes.
Define density altitude.
Pressure altitude corrected for nonstandard temperature variations.
How does the airspeed indicator operate?
Airspeed indicator is a sensitive, pressure gauge that measures the difference between impact pressure from the pitot head and undisturbed atmospheric pressure from the static port.
What is the limitation of the airspeed indicator?
Needs proper flow of air in the pitot/static system.
What are the errors of the airspeed indicator?
Position error - Slipstream flow causes disturbances at static port
Density error - changes in temperature and altitude are not compensated
Compressibility error - Caused by packing of air in the pitot tube at high airspeeds, cause higher than normal indications.
What are the different types of aircraft speeds?
Indicated Airspeed (IAS) - speed on indicator Calibrated Airspeed (CAS) - corrected airspeed from errors of instruments Equivalent Airspeed (EAS) - CAS with additional correction of adiabatic pressure flow for a given altitude True Airspeed (TAS) - CAS corrected for altitude and nonstandard temperature.
Name several important airspeed limitations not marked on the airspeed indicator.
Maneuvering Speed (Va)
Landing Gear Operating Speed (Vlo)
Best Angle-of-Climb Speed (Vx)
Best Rate-of-Climb Speed (Vy)
What does the white arc on the airspeed indicator mark?
Flap operating range
What does the lower A/S limit white arc mark on the airspeed indicator?
Vs0 - landing configuration stall speed
What does the upper A/S limit white arc mark on the airspeed indicator?
Vfe - maximum flap extension speed
What does the green arc mark on the airspeed indicator?
Normal operating range
What does the lower A/S limit green arc mark on the airspeed indicator?
Vs1 - clean stall speed
What does the upper A/S limit green arc mark on the airspeed indicator?
Vno - normal operations speed/cruise speed
What does the yellow arc mark on the airspeed indicator?
Caution range - operation in smooth air only
What does the red arc mark on the airspeed indicator?
Vne - never exceed speed/structural failing
How does the vertical airspeed indicator work?
Similar to an airspeed indicator. Aneroid and indicator case are vented to static system, but case is vented through a calibrated opening and thus pressure inside the case changes slowly. Static pressure lowers as aircraft ascends, pressure in the case compresses the aneroid, moving the needle.
What are the limitations of the vertical speed indicator?
Indicator is not accurate until aircraft is stabilized. Has 6 to 9 second lag.
What instruments contain gyroscopes?
Turn coordinator
Heading indicator
Attitude indicator
What are the two fundamental properties of a gyroscope?
Rigidity in space - remains in a fixed position as the plane spins
Precession
What are the various power sources that may be used to power the gyroscopic instruments in an airplane?
Vacuum
Pressure
Electrical
How does the vacuum system operate?
Engine-driven vacuum pumps air from the instrument and normal pressure enters and spins the gyro at high speed
How does the attitude indicator work?
Gyro is mounted on a horizontal plane. The horizon bar is mounted to the gyro and stays still while the rest of the instrument moves.
What are the limitations of the attitude indicator?
The pitch and bank limits depend upon the make and model of the instrument.
What are the errors of the attitude indicator?
Slight nose up or nose down during rapid acceleration or deceleration.
How does the heading indicator operate?
Compass card rotates as the case stays in place.
What are the limits of the heading indicator?
The bank and pitch limits of the heading indicator vary with the particular design and make of the instrument.
What error is the heading indicator subject to?
The heading indicator has a tendency to “creep” away from a head to which it is set.
How does the turn coordinator operate?
Gyro reacts by trying to move in reaction to the force applied and moves the needle in proportion of the rate of turn. The slip/skid indicator is liquid filled tube that reacts to centrifugal force and gravity.
What information does the turn coordinator provide?
Shows the yaw and roll of the aircraft.
What will the turn indicator indicate when the aircraft is in “skidding” or “slipping” turn?
Skid- ball to the outside of the turn. Too much rate of turn for the amount of bank.
Slip- ball to the inside of the turn. Not enough rate of turn for the amount of bank.
How does the magnetic compass work?
Magnetized needles fastened to a float assembly, around which is mounted to a compass card, align themselves to the earth’s lines of magnetic force.
What limitation does the magnetic compass have?
Readings are only accurate under 18 degrees of bank. Any further and readings are erratic and unpredictable.
What is an oscillation error of the magnetic compass?
Erratic movement of the compass card caused by turbulence or rough control technique.
What is a deviation error of the magnetic compass?
Due to electrical and magnetic disturbances in the aircraft
What is a variation error of the magnetic compass?
Angular difference between true and magnetic north
What is an acceleration error of the magnetic compass?
Hint: ANDS
On east/west headings, changes in acceleration show changes.
Acceleration North
Deceleration South
What is a Northerly turning error of the magnetic compass?
Hint: UNOS
Compass leads in the south half of a turn, and lags in the north half
Undershoot North
Overshoot South
