VFR Study Cards Flashcards
ACRONYM for what to do in a spin
PARE
P - Power to idle
A - Ailerons neutral
R - Rudder away from spin
E - Elevator down
ACRONYM for preflight passenger briefing
SAFETY
S - Seatbelts (latch, unlatch and adjust), seats
A - Air vents
F - Fie extinguisher
E - Exits (Latches, handle and direction to clear)
T - Talking / traffic
Y - Your questions
ACRONYM - In Flight Engine Failure
ABCDE
A - Airspeed (best glidespeed is 70 kts loaded)
B - Best landing spot
C - Checklist LtoR (FFFMMM = fuel tank, fuel primer locked, fuel pump on, master on, mix rich, magnetos on)
D - Declare emergency 121.5 / squawk 7700 (Mayday Mayday Cherokee 9726 Juliet engine failure landing in a field 4 miles north west of Punta Gorda county to souls aboard)
E - Execute emergency landing
ACRONYM - Landing checklist (on downwind)
GUMPS
G - Gas selection
U - Undercarriage (gear down)
M - Mixture rich
P - Aux fuel pump / propeller max RPM
S - Switches (pump/strobe) / seatbelt / seats
ACRONYM - Checklist before maneuvers
CHAMPS
C - Clearing turns
H - Heading (bug on DG)
A - Airspeed (10 Its +/-) / Altitude 600 - 1000 AGL (+/-100ft)
M - Mixture - rich
P - Power
S - Switches
ACRONYM - TAPIA for radio VHF coms
TAPIA
T - Them
A - Aircraft tail
P - Position
I - Intention
A - Atis
ACRONYM - Documents in the Aircraft
SPARROW
Supplemental indo - modifications
Placards
Airworthiness Certificate
Registration
Radio License (required for international flight)
Operating Limitations (found in the POH)
Weight and Balance equipment list
ACRONYM - Required Inspections
AVIATES
Annual – every 12 calendar months
VOR – every 30 days for IFR
100 hour - if airplane is being operated for hire
Altimeter/Pitot Static – 24 calendar months; required for IFR flight
Transponder – 24 calendar months
ELT – 12 calendar months or after 1 hour cumulative use or half of battery life
Service bulletins and ADs - complied with always
ACRONYMS - Minimum equipment required for flight
ATOMATOFLAMES (can us a MEL (Minimum Equipment List) is an FAA approved list of equipment that can be inoperative vs A KOEL (Kinds of Operations Equipment List) is similar, but it’s published by the manufacturer)
Altimeter
Tachometer
Oil temperature gauge
Magnetic compass
Airspeed Indicator
Temperature gauge (for liquid cooled engines)
Oil pressure
Fuel quantity gauge
Landing gear position indicator (for retractable landing gear)
Anti-collision lights – Aviation red or white (e.g. red rotating beacon or white strobes)
Manifold pressure gauge (for airplanes with a constant speed propeller)
ELT
Seatbelts
ALSO check:
1) type certificate data sheet (TCDS) FAA
2) KOEL (manufaturer)
3) MEL
4) any AD’s
ACRONYM - Required for night flight
FLAPS
Fuses 3 of each kind or 1 complete set
Landing light if airplane is being flown for hire (including flight training)
Anti-collision lights
Position lights – Also called navigation lights – red on the left side, green on the right and white on the tail
Source of electricity – Battery or alternator
Name and describe the different AIRSPEEDS (4)
IAS – indicated
CAS – calibrated (IAS corrected for instrument, position, and installation error) It is equal to TAS in the standard atmosphere at sea level.
TAS – true (CAS corrected for non-standard temperature and pressure)
GS – ground (TAS corrected for wind)
Names and describe the different types of ALTITUDE (5)
Indicated – altitude as read off of the altimeter with appropriate setting
Pressure – vertical distance above the standard datum plane: a theoretical plane where sea level pressure exists. It can be found by setting 29.92 in Kollsman window and reading the altitude. (=field elevation + 1000 ft / 29.92-indicated inches)
Density - Pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temp. (=PA+120x(OAT-15))temp of 15 has to be corrected for adiabadic lapse rate -2deg C/1000 ft
True – vertical distance above sea level (MSL)
Absolute - vertical distance above terrain (AGL)
ACRONYMS - Special Use Airsp aces
McPRAWN
Military Operation Area – Military training such as aerial intercepts, formation flying, and low altitude tactics is conducted in these areas. Contact FSS to obtain hours of operation and it is advised to contact controlling agency for traffic advisories. Permission is not needed to enter, but pilots must exercise extreme caution.
Controlled Firing Areas (does not appear on charts) – Activities that could be hazardous are suspended immediately when a spotter detects an aircraft.
Prohibited – Areas designated for national security or welfare. Flight in this area is prohibited.
Restricted – Unusual and oftentimes invisible hazards such as artillery or missile firing. When the restricted areas is active pilots will need to get permission from the controlling authority to enter.
Alert – May contain a high volume of pilot training or unusual aerial activity. No clearance is needed to enter but all pilots should be alert.
Warning Areas – Extends from 3nm outward from the U.S. coast, invisible hazardous to non-participating aircraft.
NSA - National security area (voluntary), blue boxcars on chart
SFRA - Special flight restrictions (DC need to file special flight plan) magenta dashed
ACRONYM - preflight actions required by the FARs
NWKRAFT
NOTAMS
Weather
Known ATC delays
Runway Lengths
Alternates
Fuel
Takeoff and Landing Distances
ACRONYM - What do you do if you become lost in-flight?
5C’s
Climb – obtain a better view of your surroundings
Circle – don’t become more lost; stay in one spot
Conserve – lean your mixture and save fuel
Communicate – make contact with an FSS or an air traffic controller
Confess – don’t be afraid to admit that you are lost. They are there to help you!
What are 3 stages of a Thunderstorm?
Cumulus stage: lifting action
Mature stage: most violent updrafts and downdrafts with rain or hail (ice}
Dissipating stage: downdrafts
What is a TFR and when is it issued?
A TFR is a Temporary flight restriction and can be issued for [VANSS]:
• VIP
• Airshow
• Natural Disaster
• Sporting event
• Space operations (e.g. NASA)
What are NOTAMs and types?
• A NOTAM is a Notice to Airmen and includes time-critical information the could affect a pilots decision to make a flight. NOTAMs are issued for things like:
• Runways, taxiways and ramp restrictions
• Obstructions (e.g. birds)
• Communications
• Airspace
What is ground effect?
• When an aircraft flies at a ground level approximately at or below the half length of the aircraft’s wingspan there occurs, depending on airfoil and aircraft design, an often noticeable ground effect.
• This is caused primarily by the ground interrupting the wingtip vortices and downwash behind the wing.
• When a plane is flown very close to the ground, wingtip vortices are unable to form effectively due to the obstruction of the ground.
• The result is lower induced drag, which increases the speed and lift of the aircraft.
What is considered ‘night’ for logging nighttime vs. TO and landing currency?
- For logging night time, ‘night’ is the time between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight (when the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon) - FAR/AIM definition
- For logging night takeoffs and landings and passenger carry, night is the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise
or
Position lights – sunset to sunrise
Special VFR – sunrise to sunset unless instrument rated
Carry Passengers – 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before
Everything else – twilight to twilight (26-30 minutes before and after)
ACRONYM - What are exceptions to hired flight restrictions for PPL?
PSCRIPT
• They pay at least the Pro-rata share of operating expenses (fuel, oil, airport expenses, rental fees)
• They’re an aircraft Salesperson (with at least 200 hours)
• It’s for a Charitable event
• Or Rescue operations (expenses can be reimbursed)
• Or its Incidental to that business or employment (but not carrying passengers or property)
• Or they’re conducting a Production test flight
• Or they’re Towing a glider
What is is Va and how does it change (plane will stall prior to damage)?
• Va is the design maneuvering airspeed. It’s 112 (gross) knots in our plane, depending on weight.
• Va is the maximum speed at which you can make full or abrupt movements of a single control without causing structural damage.
• It’s also the fastest speed at which the plane will stall before exceeding its limit load if the AOA suddenly and dramatically increases.
Tell me about your airplane:
Engine [LHAND]
• The engine is 180-hp Lycoming 0-360 A3A
• Horizontally-opposed, 4-cylinder (meaning a flat piston engine where the cylinders are located on either side of a central crankshaft)
• Air-cooled (air intakes at the front allow outside air to cool the cylinders)
• Normally aspirated - meaning self powered / no turbo or surpercharger
• Direct drive - meaning there’s no gear box or transmission
• Propeller is Sensich M76EMMS one piece, fixed pitch alloy forged.
Fuel System
• We have one fuel tank per wing, each with a 25 gallon capacity
• Fuel is moved from the tanks to the engine by an engine driven fuel pump
• There’s also an auxiliary boost pump which is electrically powered and used as a backup and during critical stages of flight
A fuel selector valve allows the pilot to control which tank the fuel is pulled from
• There are fuel quantity and pressure gauges in the cockpit to monitor the fuel situation
• Fuel enters the float type carburetor via a fuel inlet and is drawn into the Venturi to be mixed with air prior to reaching the cylinders
• Underneath each wing near the landing gear is a sump to drain fuel samples - this is the lowest point of either tank
• There’s another sump on the front left side of the aircraft - this is the lowest point of the fuel system
Electrical System
• 12 volt battery, 14 volt system with a 60 amp alternator
• The alternator is powered by the belt
• The electrical system provides power to the radio equipment, engine gauges, fuel pump, GPS, turn coordinator and all lights
• The magnetos are a self-sustaining source of electricity so as long as the propeller and crankshaft are turning, they’ll continue to provide electricity to the spark plugs and the engine will continue to run,
Brakes Hydraulics
• The plane has Cleveland single disc hydraulic brakes • It’s got a fixed landing gear and struts
ACRONYM - Names some special use airspace and requirements
MCPRAWNS
• MOA ok to fly through
• CFA controlled firing area - won’t likely see or know about
• *Prohibited - always (e.g. Area 51)
• *Restricted - only when active
• Alert - e.g. high volume / training
• Warning - off the coast 3nm
• *NSA -no fly
• SFRA Special Flight Restricted Area - e.g. Disneyland or Washington DC
What is a congested area?
• Any city. town, settlement or open air assembly of people
• Must st at least 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a 2,000’ horizontal radius
• [If asked] Over non-congested, you must be at least 500’ from any person, vessel, vehicle or structure
• Otherwise, you must maintain an altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property
What are some weather resources for pre-flight and in-flight?
• For pre-flight, some good resources are AviationWeather.gov, call or visit 1800WXBRIEF, and ForeFlight.
• In flight resources include the ATIS/AW0S/ASOS, ATC and Flight Service Stations on 122.2
Discuss lights on aircraft and field
- on the airplane we have the rotating beacon on the back and the strobe underneath (both red in front, white on back - anti-collision lights),
- the position (nav) lights - red on the left, green on the right - with white landing lights next to them on the wing tips and a white taxi light under the propeller.
Airport lighting includes:
- A rotating beacon that flashes white and green for civilian land airports, yellow - white seaports, white-yellow-green heliport - white-white-green military on from dusk till dawn or during IFR conditions
- Red and white glideslope indicators - e.g. VASIs and PAPIs
- White runway edge lights yellow last 2000 at night or low visibility • Blue omnidirectional taxiway lights green center lights
What is wind shear and what would you do to counter it?
Wind shear is a rapid change in the wind speed and/or direction
It can cause dramatic changes in heading, airspeed and altitude, especially close to the ground
Severe windshear is a change greater then 15 knots (about 17 miles per hour) or vertical speed change greater then 500 feet per minute (around 5 to 6 mph in the vertical direction).
Microbursts are powerful and intense downdrafts. They are like a giant hand pushing you down.
The microburst downdraft can be as strong as 6,000 feet per minute,
There are a couple of ways that your pilots can use to predict windshear and microburst potential. If the spread between the outside air temperature and dew point is large, then there is a good chance of windshear from microbursts.
If known wind shear exists, delay takeoff or landing or divert to another airport
How to avoid runway incursions?
• Request progressive taxi
• Read back all instructions to ATC
- Review airport layouts and have airport diagram handy
• Turn on lights to be seen
• Have a sterile cockpit for focus
• Continually scan for traffic
True airspeed, density altitude and how does it affect performance?
• True airspeed is the calibrated airspeed corrected for altitude and nonstandard temperature - it can be found through an E6B calculation (or similar flight computer)
• Density altitude is pressure altitude corrected for nonstandard temperature
• High density altitude negatively affects performance because the air-is not as dense so the engine doesn’t produce as much power, the propeller loses thrust and the wing is not as efficient
• These negatively affect your takeoff roll, climb rate and cruise performance
Discuss types of icing (3)
Structural icing - forms on the aircraft (happens when flying into any visible moisture when the temperature is near, at, or below freezing)
• Clear ice - most dangerous, can’t see, freezes over wing
* Rime ice - rough, freezes on impact
• Mixed - both clear and rime
Instrument icing
• Icing of the pitot tube or static ports which can cause the instruments to read inaccurately or fail
* Airspeed indicator uses both pitot and static
• VSI (Vertical Speed Indicator) and Altimeter use the static port
Induction icing
• Carburetor icing - even on a warm, 70* day
• Will notice when RPMs suddenly drop
• No issue in our plane as there’s an oil pan below the carburetor keeping it warm
Name SCUBA rules:
To avoid decompression sickness and allow the body sufficient time to rid itself of excess nitrogen, wait
- 12 hours before flying up to 8,000’ and
- 24 hours if flying above 8,000’.
Discuss types of Airmets:
• Sierra: Issued for widespread IFR conditions and mountain obscuration
• Tango: Moderate turbulence and surface winds greater than 30 kts
• Zulu: Moderate icing
• Valid for 6 hours; applicable to GA aircraft
Discuss Sigmets and Convective Sigmets
Sigmets: Significant weather information
• Issued for severe turbulence not associated with thunderstorms - Widespread dust storms and volcanic ash
• Severe icing
* Valid for 4 hours; applicable to all aircraft
Convective Sigmet
• Issued for thunderstorm (convective) activity
• Winds greater than 50 kts
• Hail greater than 3/4”
What constitutes a ceiling?
• A ceiling is the lowest layer of clouds reported as being broken or overcast
• Clouds are reported as broken when five-eighths to seven-eighths of the sky is covered with clouds
• Overcast means the entire sky is covered with clouds.
What flight experience must be entered into a pilot logbook?
The only flight experience that is required to be entered into a pilot logbook is that experience which is required for obtaining a certificate or rating, completing a flight review, or meeting recency of experience requirements.
