PPL Oral checkride guide

Aviation

What documents must you have with you to fly the airplane? (61.3)

Pilot certificate, medical certificate, government issued photo ID

\*student pilot needs logbook for PIC/solo flight

Student pilot limitations? (61.89)

No passengers

Can’t carry property for compensation or hire

Cannot fly in furtherance of a business

Cannot fly with a flight or surface viability of less than 3NM during the day and 5NM at night and flight must be made with visual references to the surface

What privileges and limitations apply to a private pilot? (61.113, 91.146)

Privileges- Act as PIC and carry passengers – conduct search and rescue operations; fly for charitable, non-profit, or community event; act as an aircraft salesman if you have at least 200 hours.

Limitations – Cannot fly for hire; must pay no less than pro rata share

Do you need to take your logbook with you? (61.51)

Only as a solo student pilot on a cross country flight

What type of pilot certificate do you have? Does it expire? (61.19)

Under 40, a student pilot certificate expires after 60 calendar months Over 40 it expires after 24 calendar months PPL, CPL, CFI, Ground Instructors, and ATP certificates are issued without an expiration date.

How do we keep our pilot certificate current? (61.56, 61.57)

Student pilot: with valid medical certificate PPL: Flight review every 24 calendar months

What are the currency requirements for carrying passengers? (61.57)

3 take offs and landings within the preceding 90 days in an aircraft of the same category, class and type if required. At night, these 3 landings must be made to a full stop.

Night definition? When can you perform required night landings? (1.1, 61.57)

Night = the time between evening civil twilight and morning civil twilight

Night landings can be logged 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise.

How long is a medical certificate valid for? (61.23)

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What documents should be in the aircraft before flight? ARROW (91.9, 91.203)

Airworthiness Certificate

Registration

Radio License (required for international flight)

Operating Limitations (found in the POH)

Weight and Balance equipment list

When will an aircraft registration certificate expire? (PHAK 8-6)

7 years

Which weight and balance information must be in the aircraft, the one on the takeoff data card or the one in the airplane flight manual?

\`Updated weight and balance equipment list in the AFM

With respect to the certification, privileges, and limitations of airmen, whAat do category, class, and type mean? (61.5)

Category: Airplane, Rotocraft, Glider, Lighter-than-air

Class: Single Engine Land/Sea, Multi-Engine Land/Sea

Type: Specific to aircraft and only required with a max gross weight equal to or greater than 12500 lbs, turbojet, or any aircraft specified by the FAA to require one (61.60)

If a pilot changes his or her permanent mailing address, how long can the pilot continue to exercise the privileges of their pilot certificate without notifying the FAA?

30 days

Does an Airworthiness Certificate ever expire?

Not as long as inspections are kept up to date and manufacturer's original design is adhered to

Does the POH meet the requirement of having an AFM? (PHAK 8-2)

Yes. The POH for most light aircraft built after 1975 is also the FAA designated AFM.

Who says we have to follow the POH? (91.9)

FAR 91.9 states, “...no person may operate a civil aircraft without complying with the operating limitations specified in the approved Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual...”

Who is responsible for ensuring an aircraft is maintained in an airworthy condition?

(91.403)

The owner/operator

Discuss AVIATES. Required Inspections

Annual – every 12 calendar months (91.409)

VOR – every 30 days for IFR (91.171)

100 hour if airplane is being operated for hire

Altimeter/Pitot Static – 24 calendar months; required for IFR flight (91.411)

Transponder – 24 calendar months (91.413)

ELT – 12 calendar months or after 1 hour cumulative use or half of battery life (91.207)

Service bulletins and ADs complied with

What is an Airworthiness Directive? Is it mandatory? (PHAK 8-12)

FAA issued order to fix a known issue. It is mandatory.

What different kinds of AD’s are there?

Emergency – These require immediate compliance before flight

One Time – After the AD is complied with once, there is no further need to address the specified issue

Recurring – This AD must be complied with at the specified interval.

Can you over fly an annual? 100 hour? (91.409)

The only way to overfly an annual is to obtain a special flight permit from the FSDO.

A 100 hour inspection may be overflown by no more than 10 hours and only if enroute to the place where the inspection will be done. An annual inspection can be substituted for the 100 hour however, a 100 hour cannot substitute an annual inspection.

Do you need to have an ELT in the airplane today? (91.207)

Not needed for training within 50 nm of home airport

When does an ELT battery have to be replaced or recharged? (91.207)

12 calendar months, 1 hour cumulative use, or half the battery life

What equipment and instruments do you need to have in the airplane for today’s flight?

91\.205 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

Required night equipment? FLAPS (91.205c)

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

What would you do if you found that the landing light was inoperative? (91.213)

Cannot fly at night per the FARs – During the day you would deactivate or remove the component and placard it inoperative (deactivating could be as simple as pulling the circuit breaker out)

Can you fly an airplane with known inoperative equipment?

Yes, if it is not included in 91.205 and it has been deactivated/removed and placarded inoperative

What is a Minimum Equipment List? (PHAK 8-9)

An FAA approved list of equipment that can be inoperative

Do we have a MEL? What do we have?

KOEL and CEL

Can an aircraft owner change an MEL?

If a change is sought, a letter and a proposed MEL that is based off of the Master MEL must be sent to the FAA for approval

What are the four forces of flight?

Lift, weight, thrust, drag

What are the primary flight controls? (PHAK 5-3)

Elevator (longitudinal stability), Ailerons (Lateral stability), Rudder (Directional stability)

What are the secondary flight controls? (PHAK 5-8)

Flaps, leading edge devices, spoilers, and trim systems (anti-servo tab)

For us, elevator trim, rudder trim, and flaps

How is lift created? (PHAK 3-4)

Newton's 3rd law - Airfoils accelerate airflow downward. The equal and opposite reaction as

described by Newton forces the airfoil upwards.

Bernoulli's Principle – As the velocity of a fluid or gas increases the pressure decreases. High speed air over the upper surface creates low pressure area while comparatively lower speed air beneath the wing creates high pressure which produces an upwards force that contributes to the total lift.

Explain the different types of drag.

Parasite – increases with speed. Some types of parasite drag include form (shape of aircraft), skin friction (smoothness), and interference drag(intersecting airstreams)

Induced – byproduct of lift, decreases with speed. Ex. wingtip vortices. Any time the angle of attack is increased, a portion of the wing’s lift vector is angled backwards increasing induced drag.

What is the airspeed where Induced and Parasite drag meet?

Vg – Best glide speed. (L/D Max or maximum lift to drag ratio)

Components of an airfoil

What is camber? Can we change it?

Curvature of the wing – it can be changed by extending/retracting flaps

What is angle of incidence? Can we change it?

The angle between the wing chord line and the fuselage – it cannot be changed

What is center of gravity?

CG is the point where the aircraft is balanced or the place where the entire weight is concentrated

What happens when the center of gravity is moved forward? (PHAK 4-38)

Lower cruise speed, higher stall speed, more stable, favorable stall recovery, difficulty in rotation and rounding out during landing, difficulty in steering

What happens when the center of gravity is moved aft? (PHAK 4-38)

Higher cruise speed, lower stall speed, less stable, difficult stall recovery, shorter arm between CG and control surfaces on the tail makes them less effective

What causes a wing to stall? (PHAK 4-22)

The wing will stall anytime the critical angle of attack is exceeded.

How does temperature change the takeoff distance? Weight? Air density? (PHAK 10-2 and 9-2)

High temperatures = less dense air= longer take off rolls and decreased climb performance

High weight= longer take off rolls and increased landing distance

What are the different types of airspeeds? 

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)

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What are the different types of Altitudes?

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.

Density - Pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temp.

True – vertical distance above sea level (MSL) \n Absolute - vertical distance above terrain (AGL)

Calculate pressure/density altitude.

PA = Altitude (field elevation) + (29.92 - current altimeter setting) x 1000

DA = PA + \[120 x (outside air temp.in degrees Celsius – standard temp. for that altitude)\]

What factors affect air density? (PHAK 10-4)

Heat – warm air expands is less dense

Height (altitude) – air at higher altitudes is less dense

Humidity – A parcel of humid air is less dense because water molecules take up more room and spread out the air molecules.

What are the maximum ramp, takeoff & landing weights for the airplane? (POH 1-4)

2550lbs

Why is the ramp weight different from takeoff weight? (POH 1-8)

Ramp weight = max weight approved for ground maneuvers (taxi)

Takeoff weight = max weight approved for takeoff run

How do you find the crosswind component? Max crosswind component for aircraft? (AIM 4-3-3) 

Crosswind Component chart

MAximum demonstrated crosswind is 15 knots

How does wind affect takeoff and landing?

Headwinds decrease takeoff and landing roll – Tailwinds increase the takeoff and landing roll

How much does one gallon of 100LL weigh?

6 lbs

V-speeds?

Vso 40 – stalling speed in the landing configuration

Vs1 48 – stalling speed in specified configuration

Vy 74 – best rate of climb (greatest altitude gain per unit of time)

Vx 62 – best angle of climb (greatest altitude gain per distance over the ground)

Vfe 110-85 – flap extension speed

Va 90-105 – design maneuvering speed (heavier aircraft = higher maneuvering speed)

Vno 129 – maximum structural cruising speed (flight above this speed only permissible in smooth air)

Vne 163 – never exceed speed

Does Vg change? Why?

Vg is only 68 at max gross weight. Vg will be slower at a lower weight

When would you want to climb at Vx? How about a Vy climb?

Vx is used to clear an obstacle/ best altitude in a given distance

Vy is used to get to altitude in the shortest amount of time

Explain left turning tendencies

ALL TENDENCIES MORE PRONOUNCED AT LOW AIRSPEEDS, HIGH ANGLES OF ATTACK, AND HIHG POWER SETTINGS

Torque- propellor causes left roll. On the ground, left rolling tendency causes more weight to be on the left main gear increasing friction and causing a left yawing tendency

Gyroscopic Precession- During descent, air hits top of propellor felt right on the propellor causing left yawing tendency. Mostly associated with tailwheel aircraft because of tail raised in takeoff roll. Otherwise a right turning tendency in a climb because the effective force would now be at the bottom of the propeller and thus the effective force would be on the left side.

Asymmetrical Thrust- In a climb, the descending propeller blade (right side) has a greater angle of attack and therefore creates more lift. This causes a left yawing tendency.

Spiraling Slipstream – Propeller wash strikes the aircraft of the left side of the vertical stabilizer causing a left yawing tendency. (also creates a right rolling tendency from hitting the right wing from above but cancelled from left roll from torque)

Explain stability

Lateral stability- resistance to roll-given by the wing dihedral

Longitudinal stability- resistance to pitch- fly “inside the envelope”. CG must be within limits to maintain longitudinal stability

Vertical stability- resistance to yaw- the size of the elevator and the area of the fuselage aft of the CG contribute to it- the bigger and farther aft the elevator, the greater the stability

Types of stability other than those associated with the axises?

Positive stability- Tendency to return to equilibrium

Neutral stability- Tendency to stay in new position

Negative stability- Tendency to continue to move away from equilibrium

Static stability- Initial tendency

Dynamic stability- Response over time

Describe the pitot-static flight instruments \*\*\*

Airspeed Indictaor- uses pitot tube and static ports, measures distance between dynamic pressure and static pressure, ram air exerts a force on a diaphragm inside of the instrument, instrument case full of static air

Altimeter- measures difference between static pressure inside of the instrument case and standard pressure sealed inside of an aneroid wafer, wafer expands as pressure decreases

Vertical speed indicator(VSI)- measures the difference between static pressure and static pressure that is subject to a calibrated leak every 6-9 seconds

How does the pitot-static instruments respond to blockages?

Pitot tube and drain hole blocked- ASI increases wiht altitude gain and decreases with altitude loss

Pitot tub blocked w/ drain hole open- ASI shows 0

Static source blocked- ASI decreases with altitude gain and increases with altitude loss, Altitude and VSI gets stuck

Static and Pitot sources blocked- all get stuck

Describe the gyroscopic instruments\*\*\*

Come back to this

Magnetic compass errors?

Variation- because of difference between magnetic north and true north, easterly variation subtracted and westerly variation added

Deviation- because of magnetic disruption corrected with compass correction card

Dip Errors- most pronounced in N and S headings, while flying north and turning left compass will initially show a turn in the opposite direction and a lag behind the turn, when flying south, compass will show a much faster turn than is actually occurring

Acceleration error- on west and east headings, acceleration results in a slight turn to the north, and deceleration to the south

Oscillation error- a combination of errors resulting in the compass swinging back and forth around the headings being flown

Describe the engine

Horizontally opposed, four cylinder, overhead valve, air cooled, fuel-injected engine with a wet sump lubrication system. Lycoming IO-360-L2A with 180 horsepower at 2700 RPM. Includes a starter and a belt driven alternator mounted on the front of the engine, dual magnetos, dual vacuum pumps, and a full flow oil filter on the rear of the engine accessory case

What does naturally aspirated mean?

Ambient air enters the engine- there is no turbo or super charger

What is used to cool the engine?

Air intake allows outside air to flow over the engine and cool it with air, also oil for internal cooling

Why do we need oil in the engine?

Lubricates all the moving parts

Cools- reduces friction and removes heat from he cylinders

Seals- creates a seal between the cylinder walls and pistons

Cleans- carries away contaminants inside of the engine

what is meant by four stroke?

Combustion!

1 Intake- Intake valve opens as downward moving piston pulls fuel/air mixture into cylinder

2 Compression- Intake valve closes as piston moves back up and compresses this mixture

3 Power/ Ignition- while this piston is in its upmost position the spark plugs ignite the mixture and force the piston back down

4 Exhaust- As the piston rises, the exhaust valve opens and expels the exhaust gas from the chamber

What’s your aircraft’s oil capacity?

8 Quarts

What type of oil do we use?

Aviation grade straight mineral oil- MIL-L-6082 or SAE J1966 Aviation grade Ashley’s dispersant oil

What type of propellor do we have?

76” McCauley fixed pitch

What does the mixture control do?

Controls fuel to air ratio- if we do not make adjustments as we gain altitude and air become more dense, carbon will build up in the cylinders causing the spark plugs to foul and reduce engine power.

Describe the fuel system

Consists of two vented integral fuel tanks, a three position selector valve, auxiliary fuel pump, fuel shutoff valvue, fuel strainer, engine driven fuel pump, fuel/air control unit, fuel distribution valve and fuel injection nozzles

What color is 100LL? What about other types of fuel? What happens when they are mixed together?

Green or blue. 80 is red and jet a is colorless or straw. When mixed together, fuel becomes clear

Why do we sump fuel before every flight?

Checking to ensure the fuel is clear of water and sediment

What are stall strips?

Strips placed on leading edge of the wing close to the wing root to help induce a stall towards the wing root so that the pilot still has directional control with the ailerons

What type of brakes does the airplane have?

Single disk, hydraulically actuated brake on each main landing gear wheel. Each brake is connected by a hydraulic line to a master cylinder attached to each of the pilots rudder pedals.

How does the vacuum system operate? \*\*\*

Come back to this

Describe the electrical system

28 volt direct current system consisting of a belt driven 60 amp here alternator and a 24 volt main storage battery. Alternator and battery are controlled through the master switch. Power is supplied to the electrical circuits through two primary buses (ELECTRICAL BUS 1 and 2) with an essential bus and a cross feed bus connected between the two primary buses to support essential equipment

What’s the diffference between controlled and uncontrolled airspace?

ATC has no jurisdiction in uncontrolled airspace. G is the only uncontrolled airspace

Alpha airspace requirements and weather minimums?

FL 180 to FL 600, need instrument rating and IFR flight plan, Mode B Transponder and 2-way radio communication, no weather minimums.

Bravo airspace requirements and minimums?

Upside down wedding cake up to 10,000 MSL, endorsement needed if student pilot, clearance required from ATC to enter, mode C transponder required within 30 nm (mode c veil, magenta colored), 3 SM visibility and clear of clouds

Charlie airspace requirements and weather minimums?

Inner core 5 nm radius and from surface to 4500 AGL, outer core 10 nm radius and from 1200’ AGL to 4000’ AGL, Mode C transponder and 2 way radio communication, 3 SM visibility and 152 from clouds

Delta airspace requirements and weather minimums?

4 nm radius and from surface to 2500’ AGL, 2 way radio communications, 3 SM visibility and 152 from clouds

Echo airspace requirements and weather minimums?

SFC, 700’,1200’,14500’ to up to FL180 and above FL600, no equipment requirements.

Below 10000- 3SM and 152

Above 10000-5SM and 111

Golf requirements and weather minimums?

SFC- 14500 MSL or 1200’AGL, no equipment requirements

Below 1200 AGL’- 1SM and clear of clouds

Above 1200’ AGL but below 10000’ MSL- 1 SM and 152

At night- 3SM and 152

Above 10000-5SM and 111

Special use airspace’s? MCPRAWN

Military Operating Area- don’t need permission, contact FSS for active times

Controlled firing area- don’t need permission and doesn’t appear on charts

Prohibited- for national security or welfare

Restricted- Missile firing etc., need permission to enter

Alert- student pilots don’t need permission

Warning- 3nm outward from coast don’t need permission

National security- don’t need permission but asked not to fly through them

Other airspace’s?

Local Airport Advisory- within 10 nm or airport with FSS but no operating control tower

Military training routes- aircraft traveling at more than 250 KTS

Temporary flight restriction, parachute jump zones

Published VFR routes- published on TAC to provide VFR aircraft with a means to transition through complex airspace

Terminal Radar Service Area (TRSA)- voluntary radar services available so IFR and VFR can have seperation , Class D with class C capabilities

When do you need a Mode C transponder?

A,B,C, inside mode c veil, above B and C airspace, and above 10000

What are the standard temperature and pressure values for sea level?

15C or 59F- 29.92 Hg” 1013.2 mb

Discuss isobars. What does it mean when isobars are close together?

Isobars connect equal lines of pressure. Closely spaced isobars means that there is a strong pressure gradient and winds will be strong

How do surface winds flow in relationship to isobars? Why?

At the surface winds flow at an angle to the isobars because of surface friction. Aloft, winds from more or less parallel because of the Coriolis force

What type of clouds visibility and precipitation would you expect from stable air?

Stratiform clouds, poor visibility, smooth air, steady/ continuous precipitation

What type of clouds, visibility, and precipitation would you expect unstable air

Cumuliform clouds or clouds with vertical development, good visibility, turbulence, and showery precipitation

What are the general characteristics of low/high pressure? (How does it move)

Low- Cyclone- counterclockwise and rising air

High-Anti Cyclonic- clockwise and descending air

What is a ridge & trough?

Ridge- extended area of high pressure- descending air

Trough- extended area of low pressure-rising air

What must be present for thunderstorms to form?

Unstable atmosphere (noted by ambient lapse rate>standard), sufficient moisture (the temperature/dew point spread, the closer the air is to becoming saturated or so full of moisture that it can hold no more. Warmer air can hold more moisture than cooler air), or frontal lifting (heating from below -thermals-, orographic lifting-wind pushing a moist unstable air mass upslope-, frontal lifting -fast moving cold front displacing warm, moist, and unstable warmer air for example)

What are stages of a thunderstorm?

Cumulus- updrafts and cumulus clouds

Mature- updrafts and downdrafts, violent turbulence under cumulonimbus clouds, beginning of rainfall

Dissipating- downdrafts, anvil top (direction facing= where storm is moving)

What is wind shear? Why is it an operational hazard? 

Rapid change in wind direction or velocity – it can cause dramatic changes in indicated airspeed

and causes severe turbulence within the shear zone