Private Pilot Course Study Guide

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering essential Private Pilot knowledge including regulations, aerodynamics, systems, weather, and navigation based on Flight Apprentice study materials.

Required Pilot Documents

The three items a pilot must carry: Pilot Certificate, Medical, and a government issued photo ID.

$3rd$ Class Medical Expiration (Under $40$)

Expires after the $60th$ calendar month.

$3rd$ Class Medical Expiration ($40$ and Over)

Expires after the $24th$ calendar month.

IMSAFE Assessment

A self-assessment tool for fitness for flight, involving checks for illness, medication, stress, alcohol, fatigue, and emotion/eating.

Alcohol Limitations

A pilot cannot fly within $8$ hours of consumption or if they have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of $.04\%$ or higher.

ADM

Aeronautical Decision Making.

CRM

Crew Resource Management; the effective use of all resources when flying with another pilot.

SRM

Single-Pilot Resource Management; the utilization of resources such as ATC, Nav Radios, GPS, passengers, and autopilot by a lone pilot.

ARROW

Acronym for required aircraft documents: Airworthiness Certificate, Registration Certificate, Radio Operators Permit (International Only), Operations and Limitations Handbook, and Weight and Balance Paperwork.

Calendar Month

The time period from the current day to the last day of the next month (e.g., October $17th$ to November $30th$).

ELT Inspection Requirement

Due every $12$ calendar months, after $1$ hour of cumulative use, or when $\frac{1}{2}$ of the battery life has been exceeded.

A1TAPE / AV1ATE

Acronyms for required aircraft inspections: Annual (or Airworthiness), VOR ($30$ days for IFR), $100$ Hour, Altimeter/Pitot-Static, Transponder, and ELT.

ATOMATOFLAMES

Acronym for Day VFR equipment: Anti-Collision Light, Tachometer, Oil Pressure Gauge, Manifold Pressure Gauge, Altimeter, Temperature Gauge (liquid cooled), Oil Temperature Gauge (air cooled), Fuel Quantity Indicators, Landing Gear Position Indicator, Airspeed Indicator, Magnetic Compass, ELT, and Safety Equipment.

FLAPS

Acronym for Night VFR equipment: Fuses, Landing Light (if for hire), Anti-Collision Light, Position Light, and Source of Electrical Power.

Airworthiness Directives (ADs)

Mandatory changes issued by the FAA when manufacturing defects or design errors are discovered; can be one-time or recurring.

Un-accelerated Flight

Condition where lift is equal to weight and thrust is equal to drag.

Airfoil

A surface that generates lift as a fluid flows across it, creating a pressure differential.

Boundary Layer

A thin layer of air along the surface of an airfoil that is mostly static.

AOA

Angle of Attack; the angle between the chordline of the wing and the relative wind.

Critical AOA

The fixed angle of attack that causes a stall when reached.

L/D Max

The airspeed that results in the lowest combined parasite and induced drag.

Ground Effect

The reduction of induced drag near the ground (usually within $\frac{1}{2}$ the wingspan), causing an airplane to float on landing.

Adverse Yaw

The yawing force toward the outside of a turn caused by unequal lift and drag produced by aileron deflection.

P-factor

Unequal thrust from a propeller at high angle of attack; the descending blade on the right produces more thrust, yawing the nose left.

Spiraling Slipstream

Airflow from the propeller that wraps around the fuselage and strikes the vertical stabilizer, yawing the nose left.

Torque

The left turning tendency resulting from the equal-and-opposite reaction to the right-rotating propeller and crankshaft.

Monocoque

A structural design where the skin of the aircraft supports the load.

Semi-monocoque

A structural design where the skin supports the load but includes extra reinforcing structures.

Magnetos

Devices that provide electrical power to the spark plugs independently of the aircraft's master electrical system.

Carburetor Ice

Ice formation caused by pressure and temperature drops in the venturi; indicated by a drop in RPM or rough engine operation.

Vapor Lock

A condition in fuel-injected systems where fuel vaporizes in the lines on hot days, making engine starts difficult.

Oleo Strut

A shock-absorbing landing gear system using hydraulic fluid and compressed air/nitrogen.

Aeration

The condition where air enters a hydraulic line, which can cause hydraulic system failure due to the compressibility of air.

Ammeter

An instrument that monitors the electrical system to show if the battery is being charged by the alternator or if it is discharging.

Pitot-Static Instruments

Airspeed Indicator, Altimeter, and Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI).

Gyroscopic Instruments

Attitude Indicator, Directional Gyro (Heading Indicator), and Turn Coordinator.

The 5Ws

A framework for radio communications: Who you are talking to, Who you are, Where you are, What you want, and Who you are talking to (for non-towered repeats).

Squawk Code 7500

Transponder code for Hijacking ("Seven five, I'm alive").

Squawk Code 7600

Transponder code for Lost Communications ("Seven six, can't hear shit").

Squawk Code 7700

Transponder code for General Emergency ("Seven seven, going to heaven").

Mode C Transponder Requirements

Required above $10,000'$ MSL (if above $2500'$ AGL), in Class Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie airspaces, and within the $30\,nm$ Mode C veil.

Class Alpha Airspace

Extends from FL180 ($18,000'$ pressure altitude) up to FL600.

Standard VFR Weather Minimums (3152)

$3\,sm$ visibility, $1000'$ above clouds, $500'$ below clouds, and $2000'$ horizontal distance from clouds.

Standard Atmospheric Pressure

$29.92''$ Hg at sea level, decreasing by $1''$ Hg per $1,000'$.

Standard Atmospheric Temperature

$15^{\circ}C$ at sea level, decreasing by $2^{\circ}C$ per $1,000'$.

Pressure Altitude

The height above the standard pressure plane ($29.92''$ Hg).

Density Altitude

Pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temperature.

Stratus Clouds

Cloud type formed in a stable atmosphere.

Cumulus Clouds

Cloud type formed in an unstable atmosphere.

Dew Point

The temperature at which air will become saturated.

Vx

Best Angle of Climb; the speed that provides the most altitude gain in a given horizontal distance.

Vy

Best Rate of Climb; the speed that provides the most altitude gain in a given time.

VOR

Very High Frequency Omni-directional Range; a ground-based nav station used to determine bearing.

DME Slant-Range Error

The error in distance measurement because DME calculates straight-line distance, which includes the aircraft's altitude.

GPS Functionality

Requires $4$ satellites for a $3$-dimensional position; a $5th$ satellite is often used for fault detection (RAIM).