Introduction to the Flight Deck

Question 1

What are the two different types of panels in airplanes?

Answer 1

Mechanical gauges (“steam gauges”) and glass panels (digital)

Question 2

What are the three sections of a cockpit instrument system?

Answer 2

Left - flight, navigation, and engine instruments, electrical switches and circuit breakers
Center - Radio controls, engine controls, fuel controls, flaps, trim
Right - Cabin environment, hour meter, optional space

Question 3

What are the six main flight instruments?

Answer 3

Airspeed indicator, Attitude Indicator, Altimeter, Vertical Speed Indicator, Heading Indicator, Turn Coordinator

Question 4

What unit is the airspeed indicator measure in?

Answer 4

Knots (nautical miles per hour)

Question 5

What is the distance of a nautical mile vs a statute mile?

Answer 5

1.00 nm = 1.15 sm

Question 6

What do red, yellow, green, and white indicate on the airspeed indicator?

Answer 6

Red = Never exceed speed
Yellow = Speed only in smooth air
Green = Normal operating range
White = Flaps operating range

Question 7

What does the vertical speed indicator measure?

Answer 7

The rate of climb/descent in feet per minute

Question 8

What does the altimeter measure?
What do the two hands of the altimeter measure?
What does the diamond indicator measure?

Answer 8

Altitude of the airplane about sea level (MSL)
Small hand = 1000s of feet
Big hand = 100s of feet
Diamond = 10000s of feet

Question 9

What critical information is needed to properly set an altimeter before flight?

Answer 9

Barometric pressure / atmospheric pressure

Question 10

What does an attitude indicator measure?

Answer 10

Pitch and bank information relative to the natural horizon

Question 11

What does the magnetic compass measure?

Answer 11

Direction which automatically orients to the magnetic north

Question 12

What does the heading indicator measure?

Answer 12

Gyroscopically stabilized heading of the aircraft

Question 13

What adjustments need to be made to the heading indicator before and during flight?

Answer 13

It needs to be adjusted to match the magnetic compass

Question 14

What does the turn coordinator measure?

Answer 14

The direction and rate of the turn

Question 15

What does the inclinometer measure?

Answer 15

Quality of the turn (slip/skid) as a properly balanced airplane

Question 16

What does the tachometer measure?

Answer 16

The engine RPM, the primary indicator of power

Question 17

How does a throttle control work?

Answer 17

Push forward to open throttle and increase power, pull back to close throttle and decrease power.
Friction knob adjusts difficulty of throttle changes

Question 18

What does the mixture control do? How does it work?

Answer 18

It regulates the ratio of gasoline to air entering the fuel distribution system
Push in to enrich and increase gas ratio, pull back to lean and decrease gas ratio

Question 19

What does the vacuum gauge measure?

Answer 19

The gyros on the attitude indicator and heading indicator rely on air pressure to operate, the vacuum gauge allows the pilot to measure the proper operation of the two engine driven vacuum pumps

Question 20

What is the function of the fuel selector?

Answer 20

To select which fuel tank the engine draws fuel from, or both

Question 21

On a glass panel cockpit, where the primary flight instruments presented?

Answer 21

On the Primary Flight Display (PFD) on the left

Question 22

On a glass panel cockpit, where are the engine instruments and GPS presented

Answer 22

On the Multi Function Display (MFD) on the right