Gotcha Flashcards
What is the true altitude VS. absolute altitude?
True altitude - the aircrafts height above mean sea level (MSL)
absolute altitude - the aircrafts height above the terrain (ground level) directly beneath it
What are the basic weather min for VFR flight according to 91.155?
Can we takeoff Golf airspace under 3 sm visibility?
What is cloud clearance for golf?
refer to 91.155
yes, you can fly with under 3 sm of visibility
clearance < 1,200’
day = 1sm CoC / night 3152
clearance > 1,200’ above surface > 10,000’ MSL - 5111
What does mixture actually do?
The mixture control regulates the ratio of fuel to air entering the engine.
-sea level, where air is dense, a rich mixture is used
-higher altitudes, the air becomes less dense, (less O2) lean mixture prevents excess fuel from being delivered to engine
a mixture too rich at higher altitudes can cause:
-spark plug fouling (due to unburned fuel)
- loss of power and increased fuel consumption
Why do we lean the mixture?
compensates for decreased air density:
as altitude increases, the air density decreases reducing oxygen available for combustion. By leaning the mix, you reduce the fuel flow to match the reduced oxygen.
improves efficiency: lower fuel consumption and better range and endurance
prevents engine problems: too rich mix can lead to carbon build up on spark plugs and engine roughness
What is static leaning and its purpose?
Static leaning is the process of adjusting the mix while the aircraft is stationary, typically before T/O from a high altitude airport
purpose of static leaning:
optimize engine performance for high-altitude operations - thinner air in higher altitude APs can cause the engine to run too rich on the ground
leaning the mixture during run-up ensures the engine produces max power for take-off
keeps engine smooth during prolonged ground operations
What is atmospheric stability?
Atmospheric stability refers to the tendency of the atmosphere to resist vertical motion of air.
it plays a significant role in determining weather patterns, cloud formation, and turbulence
stability is influenced by temps and moisture content of the air at different altitudes, and environmental lapse rate
stable air-typically leads to smoother, more predictable flight conditions with fewer clouds and less turbulence
unstable air- can create turbulence, increasing risk of convective turbulence, thunderstorm/severe weather
Stable atmosphere
Occurs when cooler air is trapped beneath warmer air (temp inversion), preventing vertical air movement
if air is displaced vertically, it will tend to return to its original position, resisting upward motion.
conditions
-air cools more slowly with altitude than the rising air
-results in clear skies, light winds, little cloud formation
-little to no vertical cloud development, leading to calm weather
Unstable atmosphere
occurs when warm air is beneath cooler air prompting vertical air movement
in an unstable atmosphere, air will continue to rise if it is displaced, since it is warmer and less dense than air surrounding it.
conditions
air rises, cools at slower rate, and remains warmer than surrounding air
-leads to formation of tall, cumulus clouds, turbulence
-weather TS, heavy cloud development, turbulence
Neutral Atmosphere
Occurs when air neither resists nor enhances vertical motion, meaning that if air is displaced, it will remain in its new position without returning to its original state
conditions:
-the temp lapse rate is similar to the rate at which rising air cools
-weather: a mix of conditions; clouds can form but usually do not develop vertically into TS
Factors influencing atmospheric stability
Environmental lapse rate (ELR): the rate at which the temp decreases w/ altitude
-if the ERL is > than the dry adiabatic lapse rate (rate of cooling of rising dry air) the atmosphere is unstable
-if the ELR is < than the moist diabolic lapse rate (rate of cooling saturated air) atmosphere is stable
clouds and weather:
-stable conditions produce stratus clouds (overcast)
-unstable conditions produce cumulus clouds/TS
This is your ppl check ride. Does your Aircraft need 100hr inspection?
100hr inspection is required for aircraft that are used for hire or flight training (flight school/rental as per FAR 91.409)
if the aircraft you are using is not being used for here or flight training (non-commercial AC, privately owned it does not need a 100hr inspection)
Yes, if I use a plane from coast, it will need a 100hr inspection
is the radius of a turn controlled by the bank angle or airspeed?
The radius of a turn is primarily controlled by the bank angle, but the airspeed also plays an important role. A greater bank angle results in a smaller turn radius, while a higher airspeed results in a larger turn radius
A steeper bank angle increases the horizontal component of lift, which directly contributes to turning the aircraft. More lift is needed to maintain altitude during a deeper bank for a tighter turn. The faster you fly, the more lift and bank is needed to maintain the same turn radius
What is a keel affect?
the keel effect is the stabilizing influence of the aircrafts vertical stabilizer and fuselage that resist unwanted sideslip and helps the aircraft maintain a more stable flight path, particularly in crosswind or sideslip conditions
This effect contributes to the aircraft directional stability and ease of control during certain flight maneuvers
while in the traffic pattern and making proper calls, you notice traffic on final for a different runway who has not made any calls
What do you do?
your primary goal is to maintain separation and avoid conflict while ensuring situational awareness and effective communication
if necessary, modify your pattern or hold until the traffic is clear, always prioritize safety over pattern adherence.
-maintain situational awareness
-announce your position and intentions
-avoid a conflict (alter pattern if necessary)
-monitor and attempt to communicate
-follow right of way rules
-report if necessary
Similarities of warm/cold occluded fronts
differences?
Both occluded fronts occur when a cold front overtakes a warm front, lifting warm air aloft.
Both produce similar weather, such as cloud cover and precipitation
they are different in their relative air temp behind and ahead of the warm front that distinguishes them, with cold occlusions being colder and more forceful
Which occlusion has worse weather?
Cold occlusion tends to produce worse weather than warm occlusions because:
the colder air behind the front is more dense, resulting in more abrupt lifting of the warm air. This leads to stronger vertical motion, which can produce: intense precipitation
thunderstorms
hail/turbulence
a warm occlusion usually has less severe weather because the air masses are closer in temperature
There are 2 types of occluded fronts
What are they?
cold occlusion- the air behind the overtaking cold front is colder than the air ahead of the warm front.
-when the cold front overtakes the warm front, it forces both the warm air and cooler air aloft.
warm occlusion-the air behind the overtaking cold front is warmer than air ahead of the warm front.
-when the cold front overtakes the warm front, it slides over the cooler air, lifting warm air between
What is the normal temp lapse rate?
dry adiabatic lapse rate?
wer adiabatic lapse rate?
A normal temp lapse rate is -2°c per 1000’ alt
the dry adiabatic lapse rate (DALR) and the wet adiabatic lapse rate (WALR) describe how the temperature of a parcel of air changes as it moves vertically in the atmosphere, depending on weather it is saturated or unsaturated
Dry adiabatic lapse rate
(DALR)
the rate at which an unsaturated parcel of air (air with relative humidity < 100%) cools as it rises or warms as it descends
-value: approx 3°c per 1000’
-why: when air rises, it expands due to lower pressure and this expansion causes air to cool
-when air descends it is compressed due to higher pressure causing it to warm.
-key: the cooling or warming occurs without heat exchange with the surrounding environment
Wet adiabatic lapse rate
(WALR)
the rate at which a saturated parcel of air (air with relative humidity of 100%) cools as it rises.
Value: typically 1.5°c - 3°c per 1,000’
Why: as saturated air rises, it cools and condenses, releasing latent heat of condensation.
-this released heat offsets some of the cooling, resulting in a slower cooling rate compared to the DALR
key: the WALR varies because the amount of latent heat released depends on the temp of the air; warm air holds more moisture and releases more heat
the body has 3 systems to detect orientation which are…
what happens when these systems provide the brain with conflicting info
which of the 3 systems is responsible for fixing false sensations
the vestibular, visual, and somatosensory system work together to detect orientation
conflicting info among these 3 systems leads to spatial disorientation
the visual system is responsible for correcting false sensation and ensuring accurate orientation, primarily through external references or instruments
Vestibular system
located in the inner ear
composed of the semicircular canals (detect angular acceleration) and otolith organs (detects acceleration and gravity)
detects changes in head movement and gravity
limits: susceptible to false sensation, such as the leans or graveyard spiral, especially with no visual reference
Visual system
provides brain with orientation info by interpret the position of objects relative to the horizon
most accurate and reliable system when clear external reference is available
limits: easily mislead by visual illusions such as runway width illusion or black-hole effect during night time landings
Somatosensory
Detect orientation and movement through sensory feedback from muscles, joints, and skin.
provides a sense of the bodies position and motion relative to itself
limits: weak for aviation; sensations of pressure, such as from acceleration or turns, can be misinterpreted, leading to false impressions of orientation
Tell me about the anti-icing equipment the cessna 172 does not have
The cessna 172 is not certified for flight into known icing conditions (FIKI) and should not be flown into weather where icing is likely.
Does not have:
heated leading edges
prop anti-icing system
anti ice windshield system
other pitot static heat system
engine inlet icing
What factors affect density altitude?
how does DA affect aircraft perform?
Do we want a low or high DA?
density altitude is affected by pressure, temps, humidity, and elevation.
pilots want a lower density altitude
DA can affect engine power, prop efficiency, lift, climb rate, and increased T/O/L distances