Taxi, Take-off & Landing

Question 1

What are the two main landing gear configs?

Answer 1

Tail wheel (or tail dragger)
Nose wheel (or tricycle)

Question 2

What may tailwheel aircraft have to do while taxiing to improve visibility?

Answer 2

Turn side to side

Question 3

What type of steering do tailwheel aircraft have?

Answer 3

Fully or partially castoring tailwheel

Wheels are connected to rudder via springs

Question 4

What type of steering do tricycle config aircraft have?

Answer 4

Nosewheel steering

Question 5

Where must the CoG lie at all times?

Answer 5

Between the the three wheels

Question 6

What happens when the CoG is further away from any one wheel?

Answer 6

The less the tendency for the aircraft to tip over at that wheel

Question 7

Where is the CoG on a tricycle undercarriage?

Answer 7

Ahead of the main wheels

Question 8

Where is the CoG on a taildragger?

Answer 8

Behind the main wheels

Question 9

What can harsh braking cause in for a tail dragger?

Answer 9

It to flip onto its nose

Question 10

What is gear longitudinal stability?

Answer 10

I.e. a tail dragger will flip on to its nose if braking is harsh

Question 11

What is stable gear directional stability?

Answer 11

If the aircraft yaws, the CoG will swing out and the yaw will be resisted

Question 12

What is unstable gear direction stability?

Answer 12

If the aircraft yaws, the CoG will try to swing out and the yaw will continue

Question 13

Does tricycle landing gear have stable or unstable gear directional stability?

Answer 13

Stable

Question 14

Does tail wheel landing gear have stable or unstable gear directional stability?

Answer 14

Unstable

Question 15

What are ground loops?

Answer 15

Occur when a pilot is lazy with the rudder
Unstable situation which can result in the aircraft violently yawing around on the ground
Can cause substantial damage

Question 16

When are ground loops in a tricycle undercarriage aircraft most likely?

Answer 16

Following a wheelbarrow

Question 17

What is a wheelbarrow?

Answer 17

When the nose wheel remains in contact with the ground, while the main is not

Question 18

When is a wheelbarrow likely to occur?

Answer 18

Too much forward pressure on take-off or a nose wheel first landing

Question 19

What is the slipstream effect?

Answer 19

The airflow from the propeller rotates around the aircraft and pushes against the rudder

Question 20

When is the slipstream effect most pronounced?

Answer 20

Low airspeed and high power settings

Question 21

If the propeller rotates clockwise, which way will the aircraft try to yaw as a result of slipstream effect?

Answer 21

Left

Question 22

What is torque effect?

Answer 22

Engine torque causes the aircraft to want to roll

Question 23

If the propeller rotates clockwise, which way will the aircraft try to roll as a result of torque effect?

Answer 23

Left, however, on the ground this will be seen as a yaw to the left

Question 24

What is the gyroscopic effect of a propeller?

Answer 24

Occurs in tail wheel aircraft when the tail wheel is raised

In a clockwise spinning prop causes a yaw left

Question 25

Why does a propeller cause gyroscopic effect?

Answer 25

Prop adopts properties of a gyro when spinning high speed. In particular precession.

Question 26

What is asymmetric blade effect?

Answer 26

In a tailwheel aircraft, the prop is not perpendicular to the ground, so the blades are presented at different angles to the RAF

Question 27

What does asymmetric blade effect cause?

Answer 27

The down-going blade produces more thrust, so with a clockwise spinning prop, this causes a yaw to the left

Question 28

What is weather cocking?

Answer 28

When there is a crosswind, the aircraft will try to face into the wind

Question 29

What control inputs should be used when taxiing or taking off into wind?

Answer 29

Climb into wind, dive out of wind

Question 30

What is the benefit of taking off into wind?

Answer 30

Better climb performance through better angle of climb

Question 31

What is the benefit of landing into wind?

Answer 31

Allows steeper approach angle and so better forward visibility

Question 32

What other benefits does taking off/landing into wind have?

Answer 32

Significantly reduces the impact energy on touchdown

Question 33

What is pressure height?

Answer 33

Height above or below MSL ISA QNE or flight level

Question 34

What is pressure height?

Answer 34

Pressure height corrected for non-ISA temperatures

Question 35

What is the worst combo of pressure and temp for performance?

Answer 35

Hot and high So high temp and low pressure

Question 36

What does a decrease in air density cause?

Answer 36

Less air over the wing, so less lift Prop rotating through less air, so less thrust Less air into the engine, so less power

Question 37

What is the impact of a headwind on TODR and LDR?

Answer 37

Reduces TODR and LDR

Question 38

What is the impact of a tailwind on TODR and LDR?

Answer 38

Increases TODR and LDR

Question 39

What in the impact of an increase in temp on TODR and LDR?

Answer 39

Increases TODR and LDR

Question 40

What is the impact of an increase in QNH on TODR and LDR?

Answer 40

Decreases TODR and LDR

Question 41

What is the impact of an increase in density height on TODR and LDR?

Answer 41

Increases TODR and LDR

Question 42

What is the impact of high airfield elevation on on TODR and LDR?

Answer 42

Increases TODR and LDR

Question 43

Which type of runway slope is good for take-off?

Answer 43

Downslope

Question 44

Which type of runway slope is good for landing?

Answer 44

Upslope

Question 45

What is the impact of ground effect on TODR and LDR?

Answer 45

Increases TODR and LDR

Question 46

What is the impact of frost on TODR and LDR?

Answer 46

Increases TODR and LDR

Question 47

Why is ground effect a hazard on take-off?

Answer 47

Artificial reduction in drag will allow the aircraft to become airborne before it is safe

Question 48

What is ground effect a hazard on landing?

Answer 48

Will cause the aircraft to float and encourage the nose to be pushed down by the pilot

Question 49

What is ground effect?

Answer 49

Wingtip vortices are compressed when flying close to the ground, reducing induced drag

Question 50

Where is ground effect most pronouced?

Answer 50

Take-off or when flying within 1/2 wingspan of the ground