Operation of Systems Flashcards
What are the four main control suraces and what are their functions?
- Elevators -* control the movement of the airplane about its lateral axis. This motion is called pitch.
- Ailerons -* control the airplane’s movement about its longitudinal axis. This motion is called roll.
- Rudder -* controls movement of the airplane about its vertical axis. This motion is called yaw.
- Trim Tabs -* Trim tabs are small, adjustable hinged-surfaces on the aileron, rudder, or elevator control surfaces. They are labor-saving devices that enable the pilot to release manual pressure on the primary control.
How are the various flight controls operated?
The flight control surfaces are manually actuated through use of either a rod or cable system. A control wheel actuates the ailerons and elevator, and rudder/brake pedals actuate the rudder.
What are flaps and what is their funcation?
The wing flaps are movable panels on the inboard trailing edges of the wings. They are hinged so that they may be extended down-ward into the flow of air beneath the wings to increase both lift and drag. Their purpose is to permit a slower airspeed and a steeper angle of descent during a landing approach. In some cases, they may also be used to shorten the takeoff distance.
Descibe the landing gear system on this airplane.
- fixed
- tricycle type gear
- oleo (air/oil) struts prividing shock absorption for all three wheels
- nose wheel contains a shimmy dampener, which damps nose wheel vibrations during ground operations and centers the nose wheel in the air
- the nose wheel is linked to the rudder pedals by a steering mechanism which turns the nosewheel up to 20º each side of center
Descibe the braking system on the PA-28
- hydraulically actuated disc brakes on the main landing gear wheels
- braking is accomplished by depressing the tops of the rudder pedals
- both toe brakes and the parking brake have separate braking cylinders, but share a dydraulic reservoir
- the brake fluid reservoir is installed on the top left front face of the firewall
What type of hydraulic fluid does your aircraft use and what color is it?
- a mineral-based hydraulic fluid
- MIL-H-5606
- odor similar to penetrating oil
- dyed red
- newer fire-resistant fluid (MIL-H-83282)
What type of engine does your aircraft have?
L Lycoming
H Horizontally Opposed
A Air Cooled
N Normally Aspirated
D Direct Drive
The Archer is quipped with a Lycoming, 4-cylinder, 0-360 (opposed, 360 cubic inch) engine rated at 180 horsepower at 2700 RPM. The engine is direct drive (crankshaft connected directly to the propeller), horizontally opposed (pistons oppose each other), piston driven, carbureted and normally aspirated (no turbo or supercharging). Engine ignition is provided through the use of two engine-driven magnetos, which are independent of the aircraft’s electrical system and each other.
What four strokes must occur in each cylinder of a typical four stroke engine in order for it to produce full power?
Intake:
begins as the piston starts its downward travel causing the intake valve to open and the fuel-air mixture to be drawn into the cylinder.
Compression:
begins when the intake valve closes, and the piston starts moving back to the top of the cylinder. This phase of the cycle is used to obtain a much greater power output from the fuel-air mixture once it is ignited.
Power:
begins when the fuel-air mixture is ignited which causes a tremendous pressure increase in the cylinder and forces the piston downward away from the cylinder head, creating the power that turns the crankshaft.
Exhaust:
is used to purge the cylinder of buned gases and begins when the exhaust valve opens, and the piston starts to move toward the cylinder head once again.
Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow
What does the carburetor do?
Defined as the process of mixing fuel and air in the correct proportions so as to form a combustible mixture.
The carburetor vaporizes liquid fuel into small particles and then mixes it with air. It measures the airflow and meters fuel accordingly.
How does the carburetor heat system work?
A carburetor heat valve, controlled by the pilot, allows unfiltered, heated air from a shroud located around an exhaust riser or muffler to be directed to the induction air manifold prior to the carburetor.
Carburetor heat should be used anytime suspected or known carburetor icing conditions exist.
What change occurs to the fuel/air mixture when applying carburetor heat?
Normally, the introduction of heated air into the carburetor will result in a richer mixture. Warm air is less dense, resulting in less air for the same amount of fuel.
Use of carburetor heat can cause a decrease in engine power of up to 15%.
What does the throttle do?
The throttle allows the pilot to manually control the amount of fuel/air charge entering the cylinders. This in turn regulates the engine speed and power.
What does the mixture control do?
It regulates the fuel-to-air ratio. All airplane engines incorporate a device called a mixture control, by which the fuel/air ratio can be controlled by the pilot during flight. The purpose of a mixture control is to prevent the mixture from becoming too rich at high altitudes, due to decreasing air density. It is also used to lean the mixture during cross-country flights to conserve fuel and provide optimum power.
What are the two main advantages of a dual ignition system?
- Increased safety: in case one system fails, the engine may be operated on the other until a landing is safely made
- more complete and even combustion of the mixture, and consequently, improved engine performance; i.e., the fuel/air mixture will be ignited on each side of the combustion chamber and burn toward the center
What color of dye is added to the following fuel grades:
80
100
100LL
Jet A
80: Red
100: Green
100LL: Blue
Jet A: Colorless or Straw
How does the aircraft cabin heat work?
Fresh air, heated by an exhaust shroud, is directed to the cabin through a series of ducts
What are the five basic functions of aircraft engine oil?
Lubricates - the engine’s moving parts
Cools - the engine by reducing friction
Removes - heat from the cylinders
Seals - provides a seal between the cylinder walls and pistons
Cleans - by carrying off metal and carbon particles and other oil contaminants
what are some of the most common operation causes of detonation?
- Using a lower fuel grade than that specified by the aircraft manufacturer.
- Operating the engine at high power settings with an excessively lean mixture
- extended ground operations or steep climbs where cylinder cooling is reduced.
What action should be taken if detonation is suspected?
- Ensure that the proper grade of fuel is used.
- Keep the cowl flaps (if available) in the full-open position while on the ground to provide the maximum airflow through the cowling.
- Use an enriched fuel mixture, as well as a shallow climb angle, to increase cylinder cooling during takeoff and initial climb.
- Avoid extended, high power, steep climbs
- Develop the habit of monitoring the engine instruments to verify proper operation according to procedures established by the manufacturer.
What isntruments operate off of the pitot/static system?
Altimeter
Vertical Speed
Airspeed Indicator
How does an altimeter work?
Aneroid wafers expand and contract as atmospheric pressure changes
Define Absolute altitude
the vertical distance of an aircraft above the terrain
Define Indicated altitude
the altitude read directly from the altimeter (uncorrected) after it is set to the current altimeter setting
Define Pressure altitude
the altitude when the altimeter setting window is adjusted to 29.92.
Define True altitude
the true vertical distance of the aircraft above sea level
Define Density altitude
pressure altitude corrected for nonstandard temperature variations
What are the different types of aircraft speeds?
Indicated Airspeed (IAS)
Calibrated Airspeed (CAS)
Equivalent Airspeed (EAS)
True Airspeed (TAS)
Define IAS
Indicated Airspeed:
- the speed of the airplane as observed on the airspeed indicator. It is the airspeed without correction for indicator, position (or installation), or compressibility errors
Define CAS
Calibrated Airspeed:
- the airspeed indicator reading corrected for position (or installation), and instrument errors. CAS is equal to TAS at sea level in standard atmosphere. The color-coding for various design speeds marked on airspeed indicators may be IAS or CAS.
Define EAS:
Equivalent Airspeed:
- the airspeed indicator reading corrected for position (or installation), or instrument error, and for adiabatic compressible flow for the particular altitude. EAS is equal to CAS at sea level in standard atmosphere
Define TAS
True Airspeed:
- CAS corrected for altitude and nonstandard temperature; the speed of the airplane in relation to the air mass in which it is flying
What will the turn indicator indicate when the aircraft is in a “skidding” or a “slipping” turn?
Slip - The ball in the tube will be on the inside of the turn; not enough rate of turn for the amount of bank.
Skid - The ball in the tube will be to the outside of the turn; too much rate of turn for the amount of bank.
What are the various compass errors?
Oscillation error - Erratic movement of the compass card caused by turbulence or rough control technique.
Deviation error - Due to electrical and magnetic disturbances in the aircraft.
Variation error - Angular differene between true and magnetic north; reference isogonic lines of variation.
Acceleration error - On east or west headings, while accelerating, the magnetic compass shows a turn to the north, and when decelerating, it shows a turn to the south. ANDS
Northerly turning error - The compass leads in the south half of a turn, and lags in the north half of a turn UNOS
Define AHRS
attitude and heading reference system
- composed of three-axis sensors that provide heading, attitude, and yaw information for aircraft. AHRS are designed to replace traditional mechanical gyroscopic flight instruments and provide superior reliability and accuracy
Define ADC
Air Data Computer
- an aircraft computer that receives and processes pitot pressure, static pressure, and temperature to calculate precise altitude, idicated airspeed, true airspeed, vertical speed, and air temperature
Define PFD
Primary Flight Display
- A display that provides increased situational awareness to the pilot by replacing the traditional six instruments with an easy-to-scan display that shows the horizon, airspeed, altitude, vertical speed, trend, trim, rate of turn, and more
Define MFD
Multi-function Display
- A cockpit display capable of presenting information (navigation data, moving maps, terrain awareness, etc.) to the pilot in configurable ways; often used in concert with the PFD
Define FD
Flight Director
- An electronic flight computer that analyzes the navigation selections, signals, and aircraft parameters. It presents steering instructions on the flight desplay as command bars or crossbars for the pilot to position the nose of the aircraft over or follow.
Define FMS
Flight Management System
- A computer system containing a database for programming of routes, approaches, and departures that can supply navigation data to the flight director/autopilot from various sources, and can calculate flight data such as fuel consumption, time remaining, possible range, and other values.
Define INS
Inertial Navigation System
- A computer-based navigation system that tracks the movement of an aircraft via signals produced by onboard accelerometers. The initial location of the aircraft is entered into the computer and all subsequent movement is then sensed and used to keep the aircraft’s position updated.
What is the function of a magnetometer?
a device that measures the strength of the earth’s magnetic field to determine aircraft heading; it provides this information digitally to the AHRS, which then sends it to the PFD.
What display information will be affected when an ADC failure occurs?
Inoperative airspeed, altitude, and vertical speed indicators, shown with red Xs on the PFD, indicate the failure of the air data computer.
What display information will be lost when an AHRS failure occurs?
An inoperative atitude indicator, shown with a red X on the PFD, indicates failure of the AHRS.
How will loss of a magnetometer affect the AHRS operation?
Heading information will be lost.
