FAA Systems: Florida Tech FINAL EXAM

Study guide for Florida Tech's Intro to Aircraft Systems

The uncontrolled firing of the air-fuel charge in advance of normal spark ignition is known as

pre-ignition

A fixed-pitch propeller is designed for best efficiency only at a given combination of

Airspeed and RPM

To establish a climb after takeoff in an aircraft equipped with a constant-speed propeller, the output of the engine is reduced to climb power by decreasing manifold pressure and

 

decreasing RPM by increasing propeller blade angle.

The pilot controls the air-fuel ratio with the

mixture control

An abnormally high engine oil temperature indication may be caused by

the oil level being too low.

The best power mixture is that air-fuel ratio at which

 

the most power can be obtained for any given throttle setting.

A detuning of engine crankshaft counterweights is a source of overstress that may be caused by

rapid opening and closing of the throttle

The mixture control can be adjusted, which

prevents the air-fuel combination from becoming too rich at higher altitudes

Your aircraft has an exhaust manifold type heating system. The exhaust manifold should be periodically inspected to avoid

carbon monoxide poisoning

Consider a reciprocating aircraft engine. Detonation can be caused by

using a lower grade of fuel than recommended

What should be expected when making a downwind landing? The likelihood of

overshooting the intended landing spot and a faster groundspeed at touchdown

Unless adjusted, the air-fuel mixture becomes richer with an increase in altitude because the amount of fuel

remains constant while the density of air decreases

In aircraft equipped with constant-speed propellers and normally aspirated engines, which procedure should be used to avoid placing undue stress on the engine components? When power is being

increased, increase the RPM before increasing the manifold pressure.

Which statement best describes the operating principle of a constant-speed propeller?

The propeller control regulates the engine RPM and in turn the propeller RPM.

What will occur if no leaning is made with the mixture control as the flight altitude increases?

The density of air entering the carburetor decreases and the amount of fuel remains constant.

Air-fuel ratio is the ratio between the

weight of air and weight of fuel entering the cylinder

What is true regarding preheating an aircraft during cold weather operations?

The cabin area as well as the engine should be preheated.

Leaving the carburetor heat on while taking off

will increase the ground roll

Before shutdown, while at idle, the ignition key is momentarily turned OFF. The engine continues to run with no interruption; this

should not normally happen. Indicates a magneto not grounding in OFF position.

To develop maximum power and thrust, a constant-speed propeller should be set to a blade angle that will produce a

small angle of attack and high RPM.

If the ground wire between the magneto and the ignition switch becomes disconnected, the engine

could accidentally start if the propeller is moved with fuel in the cylinder.

A way to detect a broken magneto primary grounding lead is to

idle the engine and momentarily turn the ignition off

Fouling of spark plugs is more apt to occur if the aircraft

gains altitude with no mixture adjustment

Which statement is true concerning the effect of the application of carburetor heat?

It enriches the air-fuel mixture

The most probable reason an engine continues to run after the ignition switch has been turned off is

a broken magneto ground wire

For internal cooling, reciprocating aircraft engines are especially dependent on

the circulation of lubricating oil

Propeller efficiency is the

ratio of thrust horsepower to brake horsepower

At high altitudes, an excessively rich mixture will cause the

fouling of spark plugs

The basic purpose of adjusting the air-fuel mixture control at altitude is to

decrease the fuel flow to compensate for decreased air density

During preflight in cold weather, crankcase breather lines should receive special attention because they are susceptible to being clogged by

ice from crankcase vapors that have condensed and subsequently frozen

Applying carburetor heat will

enrich the air-fuel mixture

The reason for variations in geometric pitch (twisting) along a propeller blade is that it

permits a relatively constant angle of attack along its length when in cruising flight

Detonation may occur at high-power settings when

the fuel mixture ignites instantaneously instead of burning progressively and evenly

For takeoff, the blade angle of a controllable-pitch propeller should be set at a

small angle of attack and high RPM

Detonation occurs in a reciprocating engine when

the unburned air-fuel charge in the cylinders is subjected to instantaneous combustion

Carburetor icing can occur with an OAT as high as

20 degrees Celsius and high relative humidity

During the preflight inspection who is responsible for determining the aircraft is safe for flight?

The Pilot-in command

A precaution for the operation of an engine equipped with a constant-speed propeller is to

avoid high manifold pressure settings with low RPM

During a night flight, you observe a steady white light and a flashing red light ahead and at the same altitude. What is the general direction of movement of the other aircraft?

The other aircraft is flying away from you

Generally speaking, the use of carburetor heat tends to

decrease engine performance

Excessively high engine temperatures will

cause loss of power, excessive oil consumption, and possible permanent internal engine damage

 

If the engine oil temperature and cylinder head temperature gauges have exceeded their normal operating range, the pilot may have been operating with

too much power and with the mixture set too lean

What type fuel can be substituted for an aircraft if the recommended octane is not available?

The next higher octane aviation gas

What is an advantage of a constant-speed propeller?

Permits the pilot to select the blade angle for the most efficient performance

During a night flight, you observe a steady red light and a flashing red light ahead and at the same altitude. What is the general direction of movement of the other aircraft?

 

The other aircraft is crossing to the left

In what flight condition are torque effects more pronounced in a single-engine airplane?

Low airspeed, high power, high angle of attack

Should it become necessary to handprop an airplane engine, it is extremely important that a competent pilot

be at the controls in the flight deck

Which condition is most favorable to the development of carburetor icing?

 

Temperature between 20 and 70 degrees F and high humidity

What is one procedure to aid in cooling an engine that is overheating?

Enrichen the fuel mixture

With regard to carburetor ice, float-type carburetor systems in comparison to fuel injection systems are generally considered to be

more susceptible to icing

For internal cooling, reciprocating aircraft engines are especially dependent on

the circulation of lubricating oil

What should be the first action after starting an aircraft engine?

Adjust for proper RPM and check for desired indications on the engine gauges

Filling the fuel tanks after the last flight of the day is considered a good operating procedure because this will

prevent moisture condensation by eliminating airspace in the tanks

When does P-factor cause the airplane to yaw to the left?

When at high angles of attack

On aircraft equipped with fuel pumps, when is the auxiliary electric driven pump used?

In the event engine-driven fuel pump fails

What change occurs in the air-fuel mixture when carburetor heat is applied?

The air-fuel mixture becomes richer

Pilots are encouraged to turn on their landing lights when operating below 10,000 feet, day or night, and when operating within

10 miles of any airport

What action can a pilot take to aid in cooling an engine that is overheating during a climb?

Reduce rate of climb and increase airspeed

During the run-up at a high-elevation airport, a pilot notes a slight engine roughness that is not affected by the magneto check but grows worse during the carburetor heat check. Under these circumstances, what would be the most logical initial action?

 

Check the results obtained with a leaner setting of the mixture

How should an aircraft preflight inspection be accomplished for the first flight of the day?

Thorough and systematic means recommended by the manufacturer

The basic purpose of adjusting the air-fuel mixture at altitude is to

decrease the fuel flow in order to compensate for decreased air density

The presence of carburetor ice in an aircraft equipped with a fixed-pitch propeller can be verified by applying carburetor heat and noting

a decrease in RPM and then a gradual increase in RPM

While cruising at 9,500 feet MSL, the air-fuel mixture is properly adjusted. What will occur if a descent to 4,500 feet MSL is made without readjusting the mixture?

The air-fuel mixture may become excessively lean

An abnormally high engine oil temperature indication may be caused by

the oil level being too low

To properly purge water from the fuel system of an aircraft equipped with fuel tank sumps and a fuel strainer quick drain, it is necessary to drain fuel from the

fuel strainer drain and the fuel tank sumps

Who is primarily responsible for maintaining an aircraft in airworthy condition?

Owner or operator

Except in Alaska, during what time period should lighted position lights be displayed on an aircraft?

Sunset to sunrise

What is one purpose for using reciprocating engines?

They are relatively simple and inexpensive to operate

Excessively high engine temperatures, either in the air or on the ground, will

cause loss of power, excessive oil consumption, and possible permanent internal engine damage

The most important rule to remember in the event of a power failure after becoming airborne is to

immediately establish the proper gliding attitude and airspeed

An electrical system failure (battery and alternator) occurs during flight. In this situation, you would

experience avionics equipment failure

If the grade of fuel used in an aircraft engine is lower than specified for the engine, it will most likely cause

detonation

The uncontrolled firing of the air-fuel charge in advance of normal spark ignition is known as

pre-ignition

Which would most likely cause the cylinder head temperature and engine oil temperature gauges to exceed their normal operating ranges?

Using fuel that has a lower-than-specified fuel rating

Detonation occurs in a reciprocating aircraft engine when

the unburned charge in the cylinders explodes instead of burning normally

One purpose of the dual ignition system on an aircraft engine is to provide for

improved engine performance

If a pilot suspects that the engine (with a fixed-pitch propeller) is detonating during climb-out after takeoff, the initial corrective action to take would be to

lower the nose slightly to increase airspeed

If the ground wire between the magneto and the ignition switch becomes disconnected, the most noticeable result will be that the engine

cannot be shut down by turning the switch to the OFF position

How is engine operation controlled on an engine equipped with a constant-speed propeller?

 

The throttle controls power output as registered on the manifold pressure gauge and the propeller control regulates engine RPM

The left turning tendency of an airplane caused by P-factor is the result of the

propeller blade descending on the right, producing more thrust than the ascending blade on the left

If an aircraft is equipped with a fixed-pitch propeller and a float-type carburetor, the first indication of carburetor ice would most likely be

 

loss of RPM

Detonation may occur at high-power settings when

the fuel mixture ignites instantaneously instead of burning progressively and evenly

The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) specifically encourages pilots to turn on their landing lights when operating below 10,000 feet, day or night, and especially when operating

in conditions of reduced visibility

Applying carburetor heat will

enrich the air-fuel mixture

The operating principle of float-type carburetors is based on the

 

difference in air pressure at the venturi throat and the air inlet

The possibility of carburetor icing exists even when the ambient air temperature is as

high as 70 degrees F and the relative humidity is high

During a night flight, you observe steady red and green lights ahead and at the same altitude. What is the general direction of movement of the other aircraft?

The other aircraft is approaching head-on