Block 3: Avionics/Electrical-B. Flight Reference Flashcards
What does a barometric altimeter do?
Uses pitot-static pressure to indicate altitude above sea level.
What does a radar altimeter do?
Uses radio echoes to determine altitude above ground level.
Define Bearing.
Angular position of an object with respect to a reference point or line.
Define range.
The distance of an object from an observer.
Define heading.
Actual orientation of the aircraft’s longitudinal axis at any instance.
Define true heading.
Direction measured by true north.
Define magnetic heading.
Uses the direction of the earths magnetic field at that location as the reference.
Define relative heading.
Uses the current direction that an object is facing a the 0/360 azimuth alignment.
What are the advantages of using fiber optic cables?
Improved system performance, immunity to electrical noise, signal security, improved safety and electrical isolation, reduced size and weight, environmental protection and overall system economy.
What is the purpose of very-high frequency/ultra-high frequency (VHF/UHF) communications?
To communicate with other aircraft, ground station’s, shipping traffic and coastal station’s; provides fixed frequency or anti-jam(AJ) radio frequency transmission and reception of amplitude and frequency transmission and reception of amplitude and frequency modulated signals.
What does IAS stand for?
Intercommunication Audio System
What is the purpose of the Intercommunication Audio System (IAS)?
To provide amplification and routing of audio signals between cockpit, ground crew and rear cockpit; It also provides supplemental and backup communication, radio navigation, and identification (CNI) controls, combined aircraft threat warnings and advisories, weapon tones, and voice alerting.
What does (TACAN) stand for?
Tactical Air Navigation
What is the purpose of the tactical air navigation (TACAN)?
To determine the relative bearing and slant range distance to a TACAN ground station or a similar TACAN equipped aircraft; also used as a source to keep aircraft present position and update the aircraft present position being kept by another source (INS or ADC).
What does INS stand for?
Inertial Navigation System
What is the inertial navigation system?
A self-contained, fully automatic dead reckoning navigation system. On 164945 and up A/C the INS is closely coupled by the mission computer with the GPS to provide highly accurate aircraft present position and velocity data.
What does the inertial navigation system (INS) do?
Detects aircraft motion (acceleration and attitude) and provides acceleration, velocity, present position, pitch roll, and true heading to related systems.
What does GPS stand for?
Global Positioning System
What is the Global Positioning System (GPS)?
A navigation system that receives reference information from a satellite source; this information provides the pilot and other aircraft systems continuously updated present position, velocity and time information.
What does ARI stand for?
Attitude Reference Indicator
What is the attitude reference indicator (ARI)?
A self contained pitch and roll attitude reference system with an electrically driven gyro maintains vertical orientation through use of an electronic erection system; provides a minimum of 3 minutes of attitude information with total loss power; provide backup pitch and roll attitude for use by other systems.
What does ILS stand for?
Instrument Landing System
What is the instrument landing system (ILS)?
An all weather approach guidance system that provides steering information during an aircraft approach by decoding azimuth and elevation microwave signals received from surface transmitters; decoded signals are used for display on the HUD and the ARI.
What does the pitot static system do?
Measures temperature, pitot and static pressures surrounding the aircraft.
What does AFCS stand for?
Automatic Flight Control System
What does ATC stand for?
Automatic Throttle Control
What it the function of the automatic flight control system (AFCS)?
To provide autopilot and automatic throttle control (ATC).
What is the function of the Airspeed Indicator?
Displays airspeed as a function of pitot and static pressure. Airspeed is indicated in 10 knot increments from 50 to 200 knots.
What is the function of the standby Pressure Altimeter?
Displays altitude with three displays; pointer display from 0 to 1000 feet in 50 foot increments; drum display with two movable digits indicating 1000 foot increments to 99,000 ft; four digit display indicating barometric pressure in inches of mercury.
What is the function of the vertical speed indicator?
Senses changes in air pressure and displays them in the form of climb or dive rate from 0 to 6000 feet per minute; upper half of the display indicates rate of climb in 100 foot increments from 0 to 1000 feet and 500 foot increments from 1000 to 6000 feet; lower half except dive rate is indicated.
What is the function of the air data pressure transmitters?
They convert pneumatic static and total pressure inputs from the pitot static/total temperature probes into digital signals which are proportional to the measured pressures.
Where does the air data go?
Air data is sent to the roll-pitch-yaw computers (FCC) where it is valuated using source error corrections to produce true air data. Air data and true air data are used by roll-pitch-yaw computer software for flight control yaw computations, pilot displays, and other avionics systems.
What does AOA stand for?
Angle Of Attack
What is the function of the angle of attack (AOA) indexer?
It operates with the landing gear down and weight off the gear; shows approach angle of attack with lighted symbols.
What does AOAT stand for?
Angle Of Attack Transmitters
What is the function of the angle of attack transmitters (AOAT)?
They measure the difference between the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and the airstream.
What does ADC stand for?
Air Data Computer
What is the function of the air data computer (ADC)?
It receives inputs from various aircraft sensors. Any errors in these inputs are corrected in the ADC. These corrected signals are used to compute accurate air data and magnetic heading. ADC outputs are used for primary flight data displays, navigation, weapons delivery, altitude reporting, environment control, and unsafe landing warning.
What does ADSU stand for?
Airstream Direction Sensing Units
What is the function of the airstream direction sensing units (ADSU)?
(F/A18A-D only), provides angle of attack (AOA) information to the ADC and electronic flight control system. The ADSU measures the difference between the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and the local air stream surrounding the aircraft.
What does TTP stand for?
Total Temperature Probe
What is the function of the total temperature probe (TTP)?
(F/A-18A-D only), measures total temperature of the air outside the aircraft. The TTP converts the temperature to an electrical signal and sends it to the ADC.
