Chapter 1: Basic Aerodynamics

Question 1

The angle chord line of an airfoil and the relative wind is known as the angle of
A - lift
B - attack
C - incidence

Answer 1

B - (angle of) attack

Question 2

The term angle of attack is defined as the angle between the
A - chord line of the wing and the relative wind
B - airplane’s longitudinal axis and that of the air striking the airfoil
C - airplane’s center line and the relative wind

Answer 2

A - chord line of the wing and the relative wind

Question 3

Which statement relates to Bernoulli’s principle?
A - For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction
B - an additional upward force is generated as the lower surface of the airfoil deflects air downward
C - air traveling faster over the curved upper surface of an airfoil causes lower pressure on the top surface

Answer 3

C - air traveling faster over the curved upper surface of an airfoil causes lower pressure on the top surface

Question 4

The four forces acting on an airplane in flight are
A - lift, weight, thrust, and drag
B - lift, weight, gravity, and thrust
C - lift, gravity, power, and fiction

Answer 4

A - lift, weight, thrust, and drag

Question 5

What is the purpose of the rudder on an airplane?
A - To control yaw
B - to control overbanking tendency
C - To control roll

Answer 5

A - To control yaw

Question 6

When are the four forces that act on an airplane in equilibrium?
A - during unaccelerated flight
B - when an aircraft is accelerating
C - when the aircraft is at rest on the ground

Answer 6

A - during unaccelerated flight

Question 7

An airplane said to be inherently stable will
A - be difficult to stall
B - require less effort to control
C - not spin

Answer 7

B - require less effort to control

Question 8

What determines the longitudinal stability of an airplane?
A - the location of the CG with respect to the center of lift
B - the effectiveness of the horizontal stabilizer, rudder, and rudder trim tab
C - the relationship of thrust and lift to weight and drag

Answer 8

A - the location of the CG with respect to the center of lift

Question 9

What causes an airplane (except a T-tail) to pitch nose down when power is reduced and controls are not adjusted?
A - The CG shifts forward when thrust and drag are reduced
B - the downwash on the elevators from the propeller slipstream is reduced and elevator effectiveness is reduced
C - when thrust is reduced to less then weight, lift is also reduced into the wings can no longer support the weight

Answer 9

B - the downwash on the elevators from the propeller slipstream is reduced and elevator effectiveness is reduced

Question 10

An airplane has been loaded in such a manner that the CG is located aft of the aft CG limit. One undesirable flight characteristic a pilot might experience with this airplane would be
A - a longer takeoff run
B - difficulty in recovering from a stalled condition
C - stalling at higher-than-normal airspeed

Answer 10

B - difficulty in recovering from a stalled condition

Question 11

What force makes an airplane turn?
A - the horizontal component of lift
B - the vertical component of lift
C - centrifugal force

Answer 11

A - the horizontal component of lift

Question 12

During an approach to a stall, an increased load factor will cause the airplane to
A - stall at a higher airspeed
B - have a tendency to spin
C - be more difficult to control

Answer 12

A - stall at a higher airspeed

Question 13

Select the four flight fundamentals involved in maneuvering an aircraft
A - aircraft power, pitch, bank, and trim
B - starting, taxing, take off, and landing
C - straight-and-level flight, turns, climbs, and descents

Answer 13

C - straight-and-level flight, turns, climbs, and descents

Question 14

If any emergency situation requires a downwind landing, Pilots should expect a faster
A - airspeed at touchdown, a longer ground roll, and better control throughout the landing role.
B - groundspeed at touchdown, a longer ground roll, and the likelihood of overshooting the desired touchdown point.
C - groundspeed at touchdown, a shorter ground roll, and the likelihood of undershooting the desired touchdown point.

Answer 14

B - groundspeed at touchdown, a longer ground roll, and the likelihood of overshooting the desired touchdown point.

Question 15

As altitude increases, the indicated airspeed at which a given airplane stalls in a particular configuration will
A - decrease as the true airspeed decreases
B - decrease as the true airspeed increases
C - remain the same regardless of altitude

Answer 15

C - remain the same regardless of altitude

Question 16

In what flight condition must an aircraft be placed in order to spin?
A - partially stalled with one wing low
B - in a steep diving spiral
C - stalled

Answer 16

C - stalled

Question 17

During a spin to the left, which wing(s) is/are stalled?
A - both wings are stalled
B - neither wing is stalled
C - only the left wing is stalled

Answer 17

A - both wings are stalled

Question 18

The angle of attack at which an airplane wing stalls will
A - increase if the CG is moved forward
B - change with an increase in gross weight
C - remain the same regardless of gross weight

Answer 18

C - remain the same regardless of gross weight

Question 19

Loading an airplane to the most aft CG will cause the airplane to be
A - less stable at all speeds
B - less stable at slow speeds
C - less stable at high speeds, but more stable at low speeds

Answer 19

A - less stable at all speeds

Question 20

Changes in the center of pressure of a wing affect the aircraft’s
A - lift/drag ratio
B - lifting capacity
C - aerodynamic balance and controllability

Answer 20

C - aerodynamic balance and controllability

Question 21

One of the main functions of flaps during approach and landing is
A - decrease the angle of descent without increasing the airspeed
B - permit a touchdown at a higher indicated airspeed
C - increase the angle of descent without increasing the air speed

Answer 21

C - increase the angle of descent without increasing the air speed

Question 22

What is one purpose of wing flaps?
A - to enable the pilot to make steeper approaches to a landing without increasing the airspeed
B - to relieve the pilot of maintaining continuous pressure on the controls
C - to decrease wing area to vary the lift

Answer 22

A - to enable the pilot to make steeper approaches to a landing without increasing the airspeed

Question 23

Ground effect is most likely to result in which problem?
A - settling to the surface abruptly during landing
B - becoming airborne before reaching recommended take-off speed
C - inability to get airborne even though airspeed is sufficient for normal takeoff needs

Answer 23

B - becoming airborne before reaching recommended take-off speed

Question 24

What is ground effect?
A - the result of the interference of the surface of the Earth with the airflow patterns about an airplane
B - the result of an alteration in airflow patterns increasing induced drag about the wings of an airplane
C - The result of the disruption of thr airflow patterns about the wings of an airplane to the point where the wings will no longer support the airplane in flight

Answer 24

A - the result of the interference of the surface of the Earth with the airflow patterns about an airplane

Question 25

Floating caused by the phenomenon of ground effect will be most realized during an approach to land when at
A - less than the length of the wingspan above the surface
B - twice the length of the wingspan above the surface
C - a higher-than-normal angle of attack

Answer 25

A - less than the length of the wingspan above the surface

Question 26

What must a pilot be aware of as a result of ground effect?
A - wingtip vortices increase cresting wake turbulence problems for arriving and departing aircraft
B - induced drag decreases; therefore, any excess speed at the point of flare may cause considerable floating
C - a full stall landing will require less up elevator deflection than would a full stall when done free of ground effect

Answer 26

B - induced drag decreases; therefore, any excess speed at the point of flare may cause considerable floating

Question 27

When landing behind a large aircraft, which procedure should be followed for vortex avoidance?
A - stay above its final approach flightpath all the way to touchdown
B - stay below and to one side of its final approach flightpath
C - stay well below its final approach flightpath and land at least 2,000 feet behind

Answer 27

A - stay above its final approach flightpath all the way to touchdown

Question 28

How does the wake turbulence vortex circulate around each wingtip?
A - inward, upward, and around each tip
B - inward, upward, and counterclockwise
C - outward, upward and around

Answer 28

C - outward, upward and around

Question 29

When taking off or landing at an airport where heavy aircraft are operating, one should be particularly alert to the hazards of wingtip vortices because this turbulence tends to
A - rise from a crossing runway into the take-off or landing path
B - rise into the traffic pattern area surrounding the airport
C - sink into the flightpath of aircraft operating below the aircraft generating the turbulence

Answer 29

C - sink into the flightpath of aircraft operating below the aircraft generating the turbulence

Question 30

Wingtip vortices are created only when an aircraft is
A - operating at high speeds
B - heavily loaded
C - developing lift

Answer 30

C - developing lift

Question 31

The greatest vortex strength occurs when the generating aircraft is
A - light, dirty, and fast
B - heavy, dirty, and fast
C - heavy, clean, and slow

Answer 31

C - heavy, clean, and slow

Question 32

Wingtip vortices created by large aircraft tend to
A - sink below the aircraft generating turbulence
B - rise into the traffic pattern
C - rise into the take-off or landing path of a crossing runway

Answer 32

A - sink below the aircraft generating turbulence

Question 33

The wind condition that requires maximum caution when avoiding wake turbulence on landing is
A - light, quartering headwind
B - light, quartering tailwind
C - strong headwind

Answer 33

B - light, quartering tailwind

Question 34

When landing behind a large aircraft, the pilot should avoid wake turbulence by staying
A - above the large aircraft’s final approach path and landing behind the large aircraft’s touchdown point
B - below the large aircraft’s final approach path and landing before the large aircraft’s touchdown point
C - above the large aircraft’s final approach path and landing before the large aircraft’s touchdown point

Answer 34

A - above the large aircraft’s final approach path and landing behind the large aircraft’s touchdown point

Question 35

When departing behind a heavy aircraft, the pilot should avoid wake turbulence by maneuvering the aircraft
A - below and downwind from the heavy aircraft
B - above and upwind from the heavy aircraft
C - below and upwind from the heavy aircraft

Answer 35

B - above and upwind from the heavy aircraft