Private Pilot Flashcards
Airspeed indicator
Uses pitot and static ports. Measures the difference between pressure (ram air entering pitot tube) and static pressure (air that is unaffected by aircrafts flight path) Ram air enters a force on a diaphragm inside the instrument.
Altimeter
Measures the difference between static pressure inside the instrument case and standard pressure 29.92 inside an aneroid wafer. When the plane climbs and ambient pressure begins to decrease the wafer is able to expand because the air is sealed inside of now of higher pressure. Can be calibrated to the local barometric pressure by adjusting the kollsman window.
Ridge or trough
Ridge: extended area of high pressure descending air
Trough: extended area of low pressure rising air
Mature stage
Updrafts and downdrafts occur at this point. Violent turbulence can be experienced if flight is attempted beneath a cumulus cloud because of the shear zone. Can be recognized by the beginning of rainfall.
Wind shear: what is the hazard
Rapid change in wind direction or velocity, it can cause a dramatic change in indicated airspeed and cause sever turbulence within the zone.
Cumulus Stage
Building stage of a thunderstorm characterized by updrafts only. All thunderstorms begin as cumulus clouds but not all cumulus clouds become thunderstorms.
Minimum safe altitude (91.119)
One that allows for emergency landing without undue hazards to persons or property on the surface.
Dissipating stage
Cloud is only giving off downdrafts and the thunderstorm is dissipating. Large cumulonimbus clouds may have a recognizable “anvil top” that is a portion of the cloud that has been sheared off by the jet stream direction where the anvil top is facing the direction the storm is moving.
Privileges and limitations (61.113)(91.146)
Privileges: act as pilot in command, carry passengers, fly for nonprofits
Limitations: cannot fly for hire, must pay no less than pro rate share
Limitations as student pilot (61.89)
- no passengers
- cannons carry for compensation or hire
- cannot fly in furtherance of a business
- cannot fly with a flight surface visibility of less then 3sm during the day and 5sm at night.
- flight must be made with visual reference to the surface
Lung: Hypoxic Hypoxia
Oxygen is not available at adequate pressure for the lungs to absorb. Occurs when we climb higher in altitude and air becomes less dense.
Cause of middle ear pain in flight, how do we mitigate it?
Any congestion or blockage makes equalization of the tube that travels from ears to back of throat difficult.
Don’t fly with head cold or ear/sinus infection.
Swallowing, yawning, tensing throat muscles.
NOTAM
Notice to airmen: time critical info
Known in advance enough to be published on an aeronautical chart.
Ex: airshow, parachute jumps, closed runways, etc.
Fuel requirements for this flight (91.151)
Day VFR
Enough fuel to get to the destination
Plus 30 minutes
Right of way rules are as applied to different categories of aircraft EBGAAR. (91.113)
Emergency: aircraft in distress Balloon Glider Aircraft refueling Airship Rotorcraft or airplane
Airspace D
Two way radio
3mile vis
1000’above, 500’ below, 2000’ horizontal
Airspace G
Uncontrolled
May start at surface up to 14,500’ MSL or 1200’ AGL
Below 1200’ AGL 1 mi visibility and clc during day
10,000’ below MSL: 1sm-152 during day
For both at night 3-152
Above 10,000’ 5 mi vis, 1000’ above and below and 1 mile horizontal
Airspace E
Start at surface up to but not including 18000’
1200’ AGL- 10,000’ 3 mi vis. 1000 above, 500 below and 2000’ horizontal
Above 10,000 MSL 5mi vis. 1000’ above and below 1 mi horizontal.
Airspace C
Tow way radio
Mode c transponder
3sm vis. 1000’ above, 500’ below, 2000’ horizontal
Class B
Two way radio
Mode C transponder
Clearance
3 Sm vis. Clear of clouds
Class A
IFR rating
Two way radio
Mode c transponder
IFR WEATHER MINS
Flight Review/Medical
61.56/61.23
Flight Review: every 24 calendar months, 1 hour of ground, 1 hour flight.
Under 40: medical every 60 months
Over 40: medical every 24 months
Oxygen
91.211
12,501’ to 14,000: Crew must us O2 if at this altitude longer than 30 minutes.
14,001’+: crew must use o2 at all times
15,001+: Passengers must be provided O2 (use is not required)
Additional Endorsements (61.31)
Complex Airplanes High performance Pressurized Type-specific Tail wheel Glider
Angle of incident, angle of attack, and relative wind.
Angle of incident is angle which the wind is attached to the fuselage; angle of attack is angle between the wings chord line and relative wind.
PARE
Power idle
Ailerons neutral
Rudder full opposite
Elevator pitch down
Pre-Ignition
Fuel/air mixture ignited before the spark plug fires.
Occurs when something other than spark plug ignites fuel/air mixture. Ex: glowing hot spot in combustion chamber.
Caused by overheating from running engine too lean.
Can melt hole through the middle of the piston, melts spark plugs.
White smoke coming from exhaust pipe.
Detonation
Spontaneous combustion of the end-gas (fuel/air mixture hat remains in the chamber after normal combustion originates at the spark plugs.)
Con occur when using fuel with a lower octane rating, spark timing is too advanced.
Causes overheating, broken spark plugs, ring damage.
Bernoulli’s Principle
An increase in the speed of a fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure or a decrease in the fluids potential energy.
High speed air over the upper surface creates low pressure while comparatively lower air speed beneath the wing creates high pressure which produces an upwards force that contributes to total lift.
Different types of air speeds
IAS- indicated airspeed what’s shown
CAS- calibrated airspeed
TAS- airspeed calibrated for nonstandard temp and pressure
GS- ground speed corrected for wind
Different types of altitudes:
Indicated- altitude as read off the altimeter with appropriate setting
Pressure- altitude corrected from standard pressure
Density- pressure altitude corrected from nonstandard temp.
True- vertical distance above sea level (MSL)
Absolute- vertical distance above terrain (AGL)
Rigidity in space
Attitude Indicator and Heading Indicator
While spinning a gyro will tend to stay fixed in its plane of rotation. With enough momentum they stay naturally balanced.
Precession
Turn Coordinator
When a force is applied to a gyro the resultant force is felt 90 degrees in the direction of the rotation
Spiraling slipstream
The propeller creates a spiral of air around the plane that eventually hits the left side of he rudder causing it to yaw left.
P-factor
The descending blade has a higher angle of attack and essentially gets a larger bite out of the air then the ascending blade which causes the plane to yaw to the left
Gyroscopic Precession
A force applied to a gyroscope is manifested 90 degrees ahead n the direction of rotation, a force on the right side pushing the nose left.
Torque
As the propeller spins clockwise the plane experiences a rotating force in the opposite direction. The airplane wants to roll left. Increases with power
ICEFLAGS: Autokinesis
At night, stationary lights may appear to be in motion. Pilots may lose control of aircraft trying to align it with the “moving” light.
Types of drag:
Parasite increases with speed, ex. Tricycle tires
Induced byproduct of lift, decrease with speed. Anytime the angle of attack is increased a portion of the wings lift vector is angled backwards creating drag.
Type of clouds, visibility, and precipitation expected from stable air and unstable air
Stable air: stratiform clouds, poor visibility, smooth air, steady or continuous precipitation.
Unstable air: cumuliform clouds or with vertical development , good visibility , turbulence, and showery precipitation.
ICEFLAGS:
Somatogravic
Rapid acceleration causes illusion of being nose up attitude. Rapid decelerations will have opposite affect.
ICEFLAGS,
Inversion
Abrupt change in altitude creates the illusion of tumbling backwards
Type of oil and system
Aviation grade straight mineral oil MIL-L-6082 or SAE J1966 Lubricates engines moving parts Cools engine by reducing friction Provides seal between piston and cylinders Carries away contaminant Wet sump: oil located in a sump
Variation
Magnetic North Pole and geographic north pole are not collocated. So easterly variation is subtracted from true Heading and westerly variation is added to get our Heading.
East is least, West is best
DECIDE
Detect Estimate Choose Identify Do Evaluate
Dip errors
While flying on a north or south Heading turning errors are most pronounced. On north Heading a turn to the left the compass will initially show a turn in the opposite direction and lag behind while on a south Heading the compass will lead the turn and show that its turning at a much faster rate than what is true.
Deviation
A compass needs to align with the earths magnetic fields to read accurately, any kind of other local , magnetic fields will cause deviation. Other magnetic fields are caused by electrical currents from the aircrafts avionics.
Acceleration error
While on east or west Heading acceleration results in a slight turn towards the north.
Accelerate north, Decelerate south
V-speeds
Vso- stall speed flaps down:40 Vs- stall speed flaps up:48 Vr- rotating speed:55 Vg- best glide:68 Vfe- flaps extended:110-85 Va- maneuvering speed:90-104 Vno- max structural speed:129 Vne- never exceed speed:163 Vy- best rate of climb:73 Vx- bast angle of climb:65
Convective SIGMET
Issued for thunderstorms, embedded
Winds greater than 50kts
Hail greater then 3/4 in.
Blood hypemic
Inability of red blood cells to carry oxygen to other cells.
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Cell histoxic
The cells inability to use available oxygen
Using drugs or alcohol can cause this
ICEFLAGS:
Coriolis
Rapid head movement causes the illusion of accelerating or turning.
Transport stagnant
Inability of oxygen to reach cells because of poor circulation
When body experiences excessive G-forces
Body systems used to ascertain our orientation and movement in space:
Visual
Eyes. Light from the sun is constantly being reflected by everything on earth. Light enters the eyeball through the cornea, travels through the lens and falls on photoreceptors of the retina.
Rods used for night and peripheral vision
Cones sense color
Body systems used to ascertain our orientation and movement in space:
Somatosensory
Nerves in our skins cells, “flying by the seat of your pants,” or the sensations of motion we feel in our bodies from acceleration or turning.
Body systems used to ascertain our orientation and movement in space:
Vestibular
Inner ear system composed of 3 semicircular hollow but fluid filled canals arranged in he pitch, Roll, and yaw axis. The fluid inside the canals moves when The head or body moves and displaced tiny hair cells that stimulate nerve impulses. These signals are sent to the brain and interpreted as motion.
Propeller type
Fixed pitch
76”
Set at climbing setting
Induction System
Brings air from outside, mixes fuel and delivers the fuel-air mixture to the cylinders where combustion occurs.
Air enters the induction system through an intake port on the front of the engine cowling.
This port normally contains an air filter that inhibits the entry of dust and other foreign objects
Two types of induction systems
- Carb systems mixes fuel/air mixture in the carburetor before it enters the intake manifold.
- Fuel injection system mixes the fuel air mixture immediately in cylinder
Mixture Control
As altitude increases the density of air entering the carburetor decreases, while density of fuel remains the same. Creating a rich mixture which can result in engine roughness and loss of power.
Mixture decides the amount of fuel going into the fuel/air mixture.
Engine roughness
Roughness is usually due to spark plugs fouling from excessive carbon build up on the plugs.
Build up occurs because rich mixture lowers the temp. Inside the cylinder, inhibiting complete combustion of fuel.
Overly Lean Mixture
An overly leaned mixture causes detonation, may result in rough engine operation, overheating, and or loss of power
Maintain proper fuel/air mixture:
Monitor engine temp and enriched and lean mixture as needed
Fuel injection system
Engine driven fuel pump, fuel air control unit, fuel manifold (distributor), discharge nozzles, aux fuel pump, fuel flow indicator.
Aux Fuel Pump
Provides fuel under pressure the the fuel-air Control unit for engine starting and/or emergency use after starting, engine-driven fuel pump provides fuel under pressure from fuel tank to fuel-air control unit.
Ignition system
Made up of two magnetos, spark plugs, high tension leads, and ignition switch.
Magenetos
Use magnets to generate an electrical current completely independent of aircraft’s electrical system. They generate sufficiently high voltage to jump a spark across the spark plug gap in each cylinder.
The system begins to fire when the starter is engaged and crankshaft begins to turn.
And continues as long as the crankshaft is rotating.
Two individual magnetos with separate wires and spark plugs to increase reliability of ignition system.
Each magneto
Operates independently to fire one of the two spark plugs in each cylinder
This improves combustion of fuel/air mixture and results in a slightly higher output.
If one mag fails the other is unaffected
Engine will continue to operate normally with possible slight decrease in engine power. Also true if one of the spark plugs in the cylinder fails.
Malfunctioning ignition system cause
Fouled plugs, broken or shorted wires between mags and plugs, or improperly timed firing of the plugs.
Fuel System
Gravity fed system- transfers the fuel from tanks to engine
Fuel pump system- two fuel pumps, engine driven fuel pump with an electrically driven Aux pump to add reliability to fuel system
Battery and alternator
24 volt battery, 60 amp alternator; rated at 28 volts
Why do we use a vacuum pump for our gyros?
Pulls out air to keep the gyros up and creates less surface tension creating rigidity in space.
Alternator failure
You’ll see low volts
Depending on where you are you’ll be able to make it make to airport flying on battery
Try turning off alternator side of master then back on
Let ATC know you have an alternator failure
Winds ALoft
Issued 2 times daily, at 00/1200, valid: stated on report
Area Forecast
Issued 3 times daily
TAF
Issued 4 times daily at (00/06/12/1800) valid for 24 hours, within 5sm of airport
AIRMET
Airmen’s meteorological info
Issued 4 times a day every 6 hours
Issued for mountain obscurations and widespread IFR conditions (Sierra)
Moderate turbulence and surface winds greater than 30kts (tango)
Moderate icing (Zulu)
METARS
Routine weather report
Issued hourly valid for the hour
Radar
Hourly
Valid as observed
SIGMET
Significant weather info
Issued for sever turbulence not associated with thunderstorms
Widespread dust storms
Severe icing
Reported when occurs, valid for max of 4 hours
CONVECTIVE SIGMET
Hourly, valid 2 hours
Issued for thunderstorms, embedded thunderstorms or tornadoes
Winds greater than 50kts
Hail greater then 3/4”
VFR Ceiling
Ceiling >3000’ and visibility >5sm
Cold Front
Mass of cold, stable, dense air- replaces mass of warm air
Warm Front
Mass of warm air encounters and flows over mass of cold air
Occluded Front
Fast moving cold front overtakes and either a slower and smaller cold fronts or warm front
Stationary front
Warm and cold fronts meet but are relatively equal in strength, can last for days.
What are some in flight weather advisories we can use
ATIS, HIWAS, FSS, ATC
Radiation/Ground fog
Winds must be less than 5kts, warm air rises at night, heavy cold air moves in
Valley Fog
Winter time, little no wind, in valleys, weak winter sun cannot burn off radiation fog
Advection fog
Wind pushes warm humid air inland over cool ground surface
Upslope Fog
moist unstable air is cooled as Wind blows air up hill/mountains
Steam fog
Wind pushes cold air from land over warmer water
Precipitation fog
Falling rain is warmer than surrounding air rain drops evaporate and condense to fog
Coriolis Force
A force that as a result of earths rotation deflects moving objects to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere
Airworthiness Directives (AD)
A notification to owners and operators of certified aircraft that a known safety deficiency with a particular model of aircraft, engine, avionics or other system exists and must be corrected.
One-time and recurring
