C Flashcards
Cabin altitude
Cabin pressure in terms of equivalent altitude above sea level.
Cage
The black markings on the ball instrument indicating
its neutral position.
Calibrated
The instrument indication compared with a
standard value to determine the accuracy of the instrument.
Calibrated orifice
A hole of specific diameter used to delay
the pressure change in the case of a vertical speed indicator.
Calibrated airspeed (CAS)
The speed at which the aircraft
is moving through the air, found by correcting IAS for
instrument and position errors.
Camber
The camber of an airfoil is the characteristic curve
of its upper and lower surfaces. The upper camber is more
pronounced, while the lower camber is comparatively flat.
This causes the velocity of the airflow immediately above the
wing to be much higher than that below the wing.
Canard
A horizontal surface mounted ahead of the main
wing to provide longitudinal stability and control. It may
be a fixed, movable, or variable geometry surface, with or
without control surfaces.
Canard configuration
A configuration in which the span
of the forward wings is substantially less than that of the
main wing.
Cantilever
A wing designed to carry loads without external struts.
Ceiling
The height above the earth’s surface of the lowest
layer of clouds, which is reported as broken or overcast, or
the vertical visibility into an obscuration.
Center of Gravity (CG)
The point at which an airplane
would balance if it were possible to suspend it at that point.
It is the mass center of the airplane, or the theoretical point
at which the entire weight of the airplane is assumed to
be concentrated. It may be expressed in inches from the
reference datum, or in percentage of mean aerodynamic
chord (MAC). The location depends on the distribution of
weight in the airplane.
Center of gravity limits
The specified forward and aft points
within which the CG must be located during flight. These
limits are indicated on pertinent airplane specifications.
Center of gravity range
The distance between the
forward and aft CG limits indicated on pertinent airplane
specifications
Center of pressure
A point along the wing chord line
where lift is considered to be concentrated. For this reason,
the center of pressure is commonly referred to as the center
of lift.
Centrifugal flow compressor
An impeller-shaped device
that receives air at its center and slings the air outward at high
velocity into a diffuser for increased pressure. Also referred
to as a radial outflow compressor.
Centrifugal force
An outward force, that opposes centripetal
force, resulting from the effect of inertia during a turn.
Centripetal force
A center-seeking force directed inward
toward the center of rotation created by the horizontal
component of lift in turning flight.
Changeover Point (COP)
A point along the route or
airway segment between two adjacent navigation facilities
or waypoints where changeover in navigation guidance
should occur.
Checklist
A tool that is used as a human factors aid in
aviation safety. It is a systematic and sequential list of all
operations that must be performed to properly accomplish
a task.
Chord line
An imaginary straight line drawn through an
airfoil from the leading edge to the trailing edge.
Circling approach
An imaginary straight line drawn through an
airfoil from the leading edge to the trailing edge.
Class A airspace
Airspace from 18,000 feet MSL up to and
including FL 600, including the airspace overlying the waters
within 12 NM of the coast of the 48 contiguous states and
Alaska; and designated international airspace beyond 12 NM
of the coast of the 48 contiguous states and Alaska within areas
of domestic radio navigational signal or ATC radar coverage,
and within which domestic procedures are applied.
Class B airspace
Airspace from the surface to 10,000 feet
MSL surrounding the nation’s busiest airports in terms of
IFR operations or passenger numbers. The configuration of
each Class B airspace is individually tailored and consists of a surface area and two or more layers, and is designed to
contain all published instrument procedures once an aircraft
enters the airspace. For all aircraft, an ATC clearance is
required to operate in the area, and aircraft so cleared receive
separation services within the airspace.
Class C airpsace
Airspace from the surface to 4,000 feet
above the airport elevation (charted in MSL) surrounding
those airports having an operational control tower, serviced
by radar approach control, and having a certain number of IFR
operations or passenger numbers. Although the configuration
of each Class C airspace area is individually tailored, the
airspace usually consists of a 5 NM radius core surface area
that extends from the surface up to 4,000 feet above the airport
elevation, and a 10 NM radius shelf area that extends from
1,200 feet to 4,000 feet above the airport elevation
Class D airspace
Airspace from the surface to 2,500 feet
above the airport elevation (charted in MSL) surrounding
those airports that have an operational control tower. The
configuration of each Class D airspace area is individually
tailored, and when instrument procedures are published, the
airspace is normally designed to contain the procedures.
Class E airspace
Airspace that is not Class A, Class B, Class
C, or Class D, and is controlled airspace.
Class G airpsace
Airspace that is uncontrolled, except
when associated with a temporary control tower, and has
not been designated as Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D,
or Class E airspace.
Clean configuration
A configuration in which all flight
control surfaces have been placed to create minimum drag.
In most aircraft this means flaps and gear retracted.