Performance and Limitations

Question 1

Adverse Yaw

Answer 1

The elevated wing will create more lift but also more drag, causing the nose to be pulled to the elevated wing’s side, slipping the elevator in the opposite direction in an “adverse” yaw.

Question 2

Empty Weight

Answer 2

All of the airframe and it’s component minus fuel, oil and payload.

Question 3

Gross Weight

Answer 3

The weight of the aircraft, payload, and its components.

Question 4

What characteristics will an overloaded aircraft demonstrate

Answer 4

1) Longer takeoff and landing roll
2) Higher stall speed
3) Lower Cruise speed
4) Reduced climb performance
5) Lower ceiling
6) Less maneuverability

Question 5

What effects does a Forward Center of Gravity have on the plane

Answer 5

1) Higher stall speed
2) Higher AoA
3) Slower cruise speed
4) More stability alongside the longitudinal access

Question 6

Elements of Aircraft Performance

Answer 6

1) Take off and climb performance
2) Cruise
3) Payload
4) Range
5) Fuel burn/endurance
6) Ceiling
7) Stability

Question 7

What can affect an airplane’s performance during takeoff and landing

Answer 7

1) Density altitude
2) Surface wind
3) Runway surface
4) Weight
5) Upslope/downslope of runway

Question 8

Density Altitude

Answer 8

Pressure altitude adjusted for non-standard temperature. Basically the vertical distance above sea level at which the airplane “thinks” it is performing.

Question 9

Pressure Altitude

Answer 9

The altitude when the barometer is set to 29.92.

Question 10

True Altitude

Answer 10

The altitude in feet above sea level.

Question 11

Absolute Altitude

Answer 11

The distance above the ground. The height of the plane Above Ground Level (AGL).

Question 12

What are the four main control surfaces?

Answer 12

1) Rudder
2) Elevator
3) Ailerons
4) Trim tabs

Question 13

Airfoil

Answer 13

Anything that reacts to the relative wind and generates meaningful lift. Propellor, flaps, vortex generators, wings, etc.

Question 14

Factors that affect lift and drag

Answer 14

1) Wing size
2) Wind
3) Weight
4) AoA
5) Airframe shape
6) DA

Question 15

What is Load Factor and why is it important?

Answer 15

Ratio of the load the wing can handle to the actual weight of the airplane and its contents. This is important because:

1) to avoid overload of the aircraft structure
2) increased load factors raises the stall speed

Question 16

Maneuvering Speed

Answer 16

The speed at which it is safe to manipulate a single flight control to full deflection upon one axis maneuver in less than stable air. The airplane will stall before load factor reaches a potentially hazardous level for the airframe if up to maneuvering speed is maintained.

Question 17

Where do spins occur? How to recover from a spin

Answer 17

Occur mainly:

Turning Base to final
Go around when leaving flaps extended and nose trimmed down
Go around when flaps are extended from landing to up, causing an abrupt sink and a aft stick reaction from the pilot.

Steps to recover:

Power to idle
Neutral aileron
Full opposite rudder
Stick forward

Question 18

Ground Effect

Answer 18

Caused by a reduction in drag as the aircraft nears the ground, a phenomenon where the air surrounding the wing becomes reduced/blocked by the ground. This happens at a height roughly within 1/10th of its wingspan to the ground.

Question 19

The problems with ground effect

Answer 19

1) On landing: the reduction in drag can cause the airplane to float, extending the landing roll or causing the pilot to want to force the airplane down on a hard landing
2) On takeoff: the aircraft might produce enough lift to become airborne, but prior to having enough energy to perform a steady climb.

Question 20

Centrifugal Force

Answer 20

When an aircraft turns, the vertical lift becomes horizontal, and in order to maintain altitude and vertical lift, back pressure is applied. This creates a vertical lifting force, and a centrifugal force in the opposite direction, as newton’s law dictates every action has an equal, opposite direction.

Question 21

Why does a heavier aircraft increase takeoff and landing roll?

Answer 21

1) More friction and drag on the surface
2) More speed is required to maintain the AoA, thus a longer roll
3) Slower acceleration (there is more mass needed to initially move)

Question 22

Service Ceiling vs. Absolute Ceiling

Answer 22

The service ceiling is where the rate of climb of the aircraft is negligible, roughly 100 ft/min. At an aircraft’s absolute ceiling, the plane will not climb at all.

Question 23

What is the maximum take-off weight? What is the maximum landing weight

Answer 23

MTOW: 2646
MLW: 2535