Block 3: Avionics/Electrical-B. Flight Reference

Question 1

What does a barometric altimeter do?

Answer 1

Uses pitot-static pressure to indicate altitude above sea level.

Question 2

What does a radar altimeter do?

Answer 2

Uses radio echoes to determine altitude above ground level.

Question 3

Define Bearing.

Answer 3

Angular position of an object with respect to a reference point or line.

Question 4

Define range.

Answer 4

The distance of an object from an observer.

Question 5

Define heading.

Answer 5

Actual orientation of the aircraft’s longitudinal axis at any instance.

Question 6

Define true heading.

Answer 6

Direction measured by true north.

Question 7

Define magnetic heading.

Answer 7

Uses the direction of the earths magnetic field at that location as the reference.

Question 8

Define relative heading.

Answer 8

Uses the current direction that an object is facing a the 0/360 azimuth alignment.

Question 9

What are the advantages of using fiber optic cables?

Answer 9

Improved system performance, immunity to electrical noise, signal security, improved safety and electrical isolation, reduced size and weight, environmental protection and overall system economy.

Question 10

What is the purpose of very-high frequency/ultra-high frequency (VHF/UHF) communications?

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

What does IAS stand for?

Answer 11

Intercommunication Audio System

Question 12

What is the purpose of the Intercommunication Audio System (IAS)?

Answer 12

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.

Question 13

What does (TACAN) stand for?

Answer 13

Tactical Air Navigation

Question 14

What is the purpose of the tactical air navigation (TACAN)?

Answer 14

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).

Question 15

What does INS stand for?

Answer 15

Inertial Navigation System

Question 16

What is the inertial navigation system?

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

What does the inertial navigation system (INS) do?

Answer 17

Detects aircraft motion (acceleration and attitude) and provides acceleration, velocity, present position, pitch roll, and true heading to related systems.

Question 18

What does GPS stand for?

Answer 18

Global Positioning System

Question 19

What is the Global Positioning System (GPS)?

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

What does ARI stand for?

Answer 20

Attitude Reference Indicator

Question 21

What is the attitude reference indicator (ARI)?

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

What does ILS stand for?

Answer 22

Instrument Landing System

Question 23

What is the instrument landing system (ILS)?

Answer 23

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.

Question 24

What does the pitot static system do?

Answer 24

Measures temperature, pitot and static pressures surrounding the aircraft.

Question 25

What does AFCS stand for?

Answer 25

Automatic Flight Control System

Question 26

What does ATC stand for?

Answer 26

Automatic Throttle Control

Question 27

What it the function of the automatic flight control system (AFCS)?

Answer 27

To provide autopilot and automatic throttle control (ATC).

Question 28

What is the function of the Airspeed Indicator?

Answer 28

Displays airspeed as a function of pitot and static pressure. Airspeed is indicated in 10 knot increments from 50 to 200 knots.

Question 29

What is the function of the standby Pressure Altimeter?

Answer 29

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.

Question 30

What is the function of the vertical speed indicator?

Answer 30

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.

Question 31

What is the function of the air data pressure transmitters?

Answer 31

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.

Question 32

Where does the air data go?

Answer 32

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.

Question 33

What does AOA stand for?

Answer 33

Angle Of Attack

Question 34

What is the function of the angle of attack (AOA) indexer?

Answer 34

It operates with the landing gear down and weight off the gear; shows approach angle of attack with lighted symbols.

Question 35

What does AOAT stand for?

Answer 35

Angle Of Attack Transmitters

Question 36

What is the function of the angle of attack transmitters (AOAT)?

Answer 36

They measure the difference between the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and the airstream.

Question 37

What does ADC stand for?

Answer 37

Air Data Computer

Question 38

What is the function of the air data computer (ADC)?

Answer 38

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.

Question 39

What does ADSU stand for?

Answer 39

Airstream Direction Sensing Units

Question 40

What is the function of the airstream direction sensing units (ADSU)?

Answer 40

(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.

Question 41

What does TTP stand for?

Answer 41

Total Temperature Probe

Question 42

What is the function of the total temperature probe (TTP)?

Answer 42

(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.