Private Pilot Checkride Oral Questions

CHAPTER 1 CERTIFICATIONS AND DOCUMENTS

CHAPTER 1 CERTIFICATIONS AND DOCUMENTS

What is required to become a private pilot?

- Must be at least 17 years old

- Read, write, and speak English

- Pass a written knowledge exam

- Have adequate Ground and Flight training endorsements

- Hold at least a third class medical

What are your privileges and limitations?

Priviliges:

- Can demonstrate an aircraft to a buyer as long as you are a salesperson or broker with 200 hours

- Can act as PIC of an aircraft towing a glider as long as you meet requirements

- Can act as PIC of an aircraft as long as it is incidental to a business; can not carry passengers for compensation

Limitations:

- Can not pay less than pro rated share of operating expenses with passengers (fuel, oil, fees)

- Can not fly for hire or compensation

How do you remain current as a Private Pilot?

- Complete a Flight Review every 2 years

To remain current carrying passengers:

- Within preceding 90 days, complete 3 take offs and landings in aircraft of the same category, class, and type

(If conventional gear, must be to a full stop)

(If at night, must be to a full stop and between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise)

FAR/AIM 61.56 and 61.57

What documents are required aboard an aircraft?

- Airworthiness Certification

- Registration

- Radio Certification (International Only)

- Owner's Manual

- Weight and Balance

91 203 and 91.9

Does the registration ever expire?

Yes, every 3 years the owner must reregister

What documents must the PIC always have with them?

- Medical Certificate

- Student/Private Pilot Certificate

- Photo ID

What inspections are required for your aircraft?

A - Airworthiness Directives (AD's)

V - VOR Check (every 30 days) (IFR Only)

I - Inspections 100 hour (For Hire Only) and Annual (Required of all Aircraft)

A - Altimeter/ Pitot Static System

(Every 24 Calendar Months) (IFR Only)

T - Transponder (Every 24 Calendar Months)

E - ELT (Every 12 Calendar Months)

FAR/AIM 91 409

Difference between 100 hour inspection and Annual inspection?

All aircraft must undergo an annual inspection. Aircraft for hire must also undergo 100 hour inspection

Annual inspection is more in-depth and requires a more certified mechanic

Annual>100hr (annual can cover for 100hr)

What is an MEL?

Minimum equipment list.

Equipment that is allowed to be broken, but the flight can still proceed

What is a special flight permit?

Gives temporary airworthiness to an aircraft that does not have current airworthiness. Normally one day to a certain airport. FSDO (Flight standards District Office) can issue these, normally when going to see a mechanic

CHAPTER 2 AEROMEDICAL FACTORS

CHAPTER 2 AEROMEDICAL FACTORS

Explain the three types of medicals

Third Class: Least extensive, Every pilot must have at least a third class Duration is 60 months under 40, 24 calendar months over 40

Second Class: Commercial Pilots are required to have.

First Class: Most extensive, ATP's are required to have.

For me: 60 months for me, because only need third class medical

Must get renewed:

Over 40 - Every 2 years

Under 40 - Every 5 years

What is hypoxia?

Not getting enough oxygen to the brain

What are the 4 types of hypoxia?

- Hypoxic Hypoxia; not getting enough oxygen, higher altitudes over 12,500 ft (most common)

- Hypemic Hypoxia ; Enough oxygen, but not enough good blood to carry the oxygen. (Anemia or carbon monoxide poisoning)

- Stagnant Hypoxia ; Heart Pump is not working

- Histotoxic Hypoxia; Oxygen available, but cells can not soak up the oxygen (being drunk)

Symptoms of hypoxia

Headache, dizziness, skin turning blue, euphoria

Explain hyperventialtion

Overbreathing, breathing too rapidly

Breathing out carbon monoxide too quickly

Breathe into a bag or try and calm yourself

Symptoms:

Headache, dizziness, skin turning blue, euphoria

Name and explain the 8 types of spacial disorientation:

I - Inversion (in a climb for a while)
C - Coriolis Effect (quick head movements)
E - Elevator (updrafts)
F - False Horizon (false horizon)
L - Leans (quick roll movements)
A - Autokinesis (stationary lights move at night)
G - Graveyard Spiral (descending with bank → stall into spin)
S - Somatogravic (acceleration feels like pitch up)

CHAPTER 3 PHYSICAL WEATHER

CHAPTER 3 PHYSICAL WEATHER

What is standard temperature and pressure?

15 degrees Celsius

29.92 inches of mercury

What are the 3 main layers of the atmosphere?

- Troposphere

- Tropopause

- Stratosphere

The cause of all weather is a result of a:

Heat exchange

Causes atmospheric circulation

Wind is the result of:

Changes or differences in pressure

Name and explain the 4 main types of fog:

-Radiation Fog: Forms at night under clear skies with calm winds.

heat absorbed by earth's surface during the day is radiated into space. Earth's surface begins to cool, if moisture is available humidity will reach 100% and fog will form. NO WIND

Varies from 3 ft to 1000ft. stays stationary

-Advection Fog: looks like radiation fog. results form condensation, horizontal movement of warm moist air over a cool surface. can tell its advection for when there is horizontal motion. sea fogs are always advection fog. requires light breeze

-Upslope Fog: Light wind pushed moist air up hillside or mountainside where air becomes saturated and condensation occurs. occurs a good distance from peak of a hill or mountain and covers a large area

-Steam Fog: forms when sufficient water vapor is added to the air by evaporation and moist air mixes with cool air. When cold air moves over warm water. cool air mixes with warm air, the moist air cools until humidity reaches 100% and fog forms. Looks like wisps of smoke

Difference between stable and unstable air

Stable:

Calm

stratiform clouds (layer clouds)

Continuous precipitation

Smooth air

Poor to fair visibility

Unstable:

Turbulent

cumulus clouds (puffy cotton like clods)

Showery precipitation

Good visibility

Strong surface winds

What is the difference between an air mass and a front?

An air mass is a large body of air with similar temperature and moisture properties.

Best place to find these are large flat areas where the air can become stagnant and take on characteristics of surface below

A front is the transition zone between two air masses of different density. Can be horizontal and vertical

Name the 4 main types of fronts

Warm Front: Leading edge of warm air replacing cold air

Cold Front: Leading edge of cold air replacing warm air

Stationary Front: Front that is not moving

Occluded Front: Cold front catches up to a warm front

What causes turbulence?

Convective currents

Obstructions to wind flow

wind shear

Name and explain the 3 types of icing

Clear: Hard and glossy after drops freeze over airfoil

Rime: Brittle and frostlike, created by small drops freezing rapidly

Mixed: Hard and rough. Drops vary in size or snow is mixed in with the rain

What 3 ingredients must be present for a thunderstorm to develop?

Sufficient water vapor

Unstable lapse rate

Uplifting action to start the process in motion

What are the 3 stages of a thunderstorm?

Cumulus: Initial updrafts

Mature: Beginning of falling precipitation

Dissipating: Downdrafts as thunderstorm begins dissipating

What are isobars?

lines on a weather chart of equal pressure

CHAPTER 4 TEXTUAL WEATHER

CHAPTER 4 TEXTUAL WEATHER

Know how to read metars and tafs

Know how to read metars and tafs

How long are TAFs valid for?

24 hour period

When are TAFs issued?

4 times daily

When are PIREPs issued?

Issued by the pilot for turbulence, visibility, icing

When are METARs issued?

55 minutes past the hour, usually only good for an hour

What are prognostic charts?

Issued 4 times daily and provides 12 hour and 24 hour forecast for a given region up to 24,000 ft

Displays the likely weather forecast for a future time. Contain a variety of information such as temperature, wind, precipitation and weather fronts.

What is a surface analysis chart?

Depicts weather conditions as they were a few hours earlier, indicated by time stamped. Charts are developed every 3 hours. Gives atmospheric pressure locations, locations of high and low pressure systems, as well as high and low frontal movements

What is a weather depiction chart?

Computer generated chart based on metar reports giving a broad overview of the flying conditions at that time. Updated every 3 hours and is only valid at the time the chart is issued

What is the difference between an AIRMET, a SIGMET, and a CONVECTIVE SIGMET?

SIGMETs concern severe and extreme conditions important to ALL AIRCRAFT. This includes icing, turbulence, dust storms, sand storms, volcanic ash

CONVECIVE SIGMETS are issued for thunderstorms if they are sufficiently strong, wide spread, or embedded containing convective activity

AIRMETS concern less severe conditions that may be hazardous to smaller aircraft

What are the 3 types of airmets?

Sierra: IFR conditions or mountain obscurations

Tango: Turbulence and surface winds greater than 30 knots

Zulu: Icing conditions

What is a center weather advisory?

Issued by control centers and concern both SIGMET and AIRMET conditions and relate to specific air route traffic control center areas

Define the term Ceiling

The lowed broken or overcast layer of clouds

Which is worst, sigmet or airmet?

SIGMET, extreme conditions that relate to all aircraft

CHAPTER 5 PERFORMANCE AND LIMITATIONS

CHAPTER 5 PERFORMANCE AND LIMITATIONS

What 4 forces are always acting on an airplane?

Lift

weight

drag

thrust

What is angle of attack?

The angle between the chord line and relative wind

What is relative wind?

The direction of airflow with respect to am airfoil

Parallel and opposite the path of the airfoils movement

What is Bernoullis principle?

When a fluid's velocity increases, the pressure decreases. Produces lift as more pressure with slower moving air under the airfoil

What is a stall?

Exceed critical angle of attack. Abrupt decrease in lift because there is no more airflow over the wings

What factors affect stall speed?

Weight and center of gravity

characteristics of forward and aft CG

aft:

-less stable

(center of gravity is closer to center of pressure causes longitudinal instability, stall spin recovery is more difficult)

-higher cruise speed, because of reduced drag and smaller angle of attack required to maintain altitude

-lower stall speed because less wing loading

forward:

-more stable because CG is further from center of pressure, increases longitudinal stability

-slower cruise speed, bc increase of drag and higher AOA required to maintain altitude

-higher stall speed because of increased wing loaded

What is P-factor?

prop turns clockwise when viewed from the pilots seat . The descending blade of the propeller moves faster that the ascending blade, making the aircraft yaw left

What are the 2 types of drag?

Parasite drag and induced drag

Parasite drag: all the things that slow the aircraft down

-Form drag

-Skin drag

-Interference drag

Induced drag: byproduct of lift

What is load factor?

The load the wings are supporting divided by the total weigh of the airplane

Ratio of the lift generated by the wings /total weight of aircraft

usually expressed in G's

What effect does an increase in load factor have on stall speed?

A heavily loaded airplane has a higher stall speed than the same airplane with a light load. This is because the heavier loaded airplane must use a higher angle of attack to generate the required lift any given time than when lightly loaded

Define VA

VA is maneuvering speed = 129

The speed at which maneuvers can be performed without over stressing the airplane

What is the relationship between maneuvering speed and weight?

maneuvering speed decreases at lighter weight as the effects of aerodynamic forces become more pronounced

Lighter the airplane gets, the lighter Va gets because the easier it is for turbulence to rock around and displace that airplane

What causes a spin?

Both wings are stalled, but one is more stalled than the other

What is proper spin recovery?

Power idle

Ailerons neutral

Full opposite rudder

Forward pressure on elevator

When are spins most likely to occur?

Airplane must be stalled, so anytime in the flight that you meet or exceed the critical angle of attack

Define Ground Effect

The reduction of induced drag due to the interference of the ground over the wings

Looks and feels like the increase in lift

What is adverse yaw?

The tendency of an airplane to yaw opposite the direction it is rolling.

standard empty weight

the weight of the airframe and engine with all standard equipment installed, includes unusable fuel and oil

basic empty weight

Standard empty weight plus optional equipment

useful load

Weight of the pilot, copilot, passengers, baggage, usable fuel and drainable oil

Ramp weight - basic empty weight

(everything inside the plane)

payload

the load available as passengers, baggage, freight, etc

the weight after the pilot and crew and useable fuel have been deducted from the useful load

operational weight empty

the basic empty weight of the airplane plus the weight of the pilot

excludes payload and useable fuel

useable fuel

fuel available for flight planning

unusable fuel

The small amount of fuel in the tanks that cannot be safely used in flight or drained on the ground.

maximum gross weight

maximum allowable weight of an airplane

Maximum Takeoff Weight

The maximum allowable weight for takeoff.

Maximum Ramp Weight

The maximum weight approved for ground maneuver. It includes the weight of start, taxi, and run up fuel

Zero Fuel Weight

the weight of the aircraft without any usable fuel

passenger weight

weight of the passengers including clothing

weight shift problem**

rare

explain the different types of altitude

Indicated altitude - what you read right off the altimeter when set to correct altitude setting

True altitude - actual altitude above sea level

absolute altitude - actual altitude above the terrain

pressure altitude - what you would read from the altimeter if it was set to 29.92 in of mercury (standard)

density altitude - pressure altitude corrected for nonstandard temperature

What is density altitude?

The pressure altitude corrected for nonstandard temperature variations.

Air density is the single most important factor to aircraft performance

Density altitude is the altitude the airplane thinks it is operating at based on temperature and pressure

performance ______________ with altitude

decreases

what factors affect density altitude?

increased humidity increases DA (decreases performance)

increased temperature increases DA (decreases performance)

increased pressure/elevation increases DA (decreases performance)

VA

Maneuvering speed : 130 mph at 2300 lbs

VFE

Maximum flap extended speed: 115 mph

VLE

Maximum landing gear extended speed

VLO

Maximum landing gear operating speed

VNE

Never exceed speed: 171 mph

VNO

Maximum structural cruising speed

VSO

Stall speed in landing configuration (57 mph)

VS1

Stall speed in clean configuration (67 mph)

VX

Best angle of climb: 74 mph

VY

Best rate of climb: 85

White arc

Flap range 74mph-115mph

Green arc

Normal operating range: 65-140 mph

Yellow arc

max structural cruise/smooth air cruise 140mph

Red line

Never exceed speed: 160 knots

Indicated airspeed

type of airspeed is read directly from the airspeed indicator that's being driven by a pitot-static system

calibrated airspeed

Indicated airspeed corrected for instrument error.

true airspeed

the actual speed of the aircraft through the air

the airspeed indicator only depicts true airspeed at sea level under standard conditions. must calculate true airspeed based on indicated airspeed, the current pressure altitude, and air temperature

CHAPTER 6 FLYING AT NIGHT

CHAPTER 6 FLYING AT NIGHT