Chapter 12 Section B FAA Questions

12-18 AMA025
What is the primary purpose of an autopilot?

A—To fly a more precise course for the pilot.
B—To obtain the navigational aid necessary for extended over water flights.
C—To relieve the pilot of control of the aircraft during long periods of flight.

12-18. Answer C. JSAT 12B, FAH
The purpose of an automatic pilot system is primarily to reduce the work strain, and fatigue of controlling the aircraft during long flights.

12-19 AMA025
Which of the following provides manual maneuverability of the aircraft while the autopilot is engaged?

A—Directional gyro indicator.
B—Servo amplifier.
C—Flight controller.

12-19. Answer C. JSAT 12B, FAH
While the automatic pilot system is engaged, the manual operation of the various knobs on the controller allows the pilot to maneuver the aircraft.

12-20 AMA025
In an autopilot, which signal nullifies the input signal to the ailerons?

A—Course signal.
B—Follow-up signal.
C—Displacement signal.

12-20. Answer B. JSAT 12B, FAH
As the aileron surfaces move, a follow-up signal builds up in opposition to the input signal. When the two signals are equal in magnitude, the servo stops moving.

12-21 AMA025
In which control element of an autopilot system is an attitude indicator?

A—Sensing.
B—Command.
C—Input.

12-21. Answer A. JSAT 12B, FAH
The directional gyro, turn-and-bank gyro, attitude gyro, and altitude control are the sensing elements in an autopilot system. These units sense the movements of the aircraft, and automatically generate signals to keep these movements under control.

12-22 AMA025
What is the operating principle of the sensing device used in an autopilot system?

A—The rate of change of motion between the gyro gimbal rings and the aircraft.
B—The reaction of the force 90° away from the applied force in the direction of gyro rotation.
C—The relative motion between a gyro and its supporting system.

12-22. Answer C. JSAT 12B
In an autopilot system, attitude is sensed by the relationship between the gyros and their supporting systems.

12-23 AMA025
What will occur if an aircraft attitude is changed by its autopilot system in order to correct for an error and the involved control surfaces are returned to streamline by the time the aircraft has reached its correct position?

A—Normal operation.
B—Overshoot and oscillation.
C—Undershoot and oscillation.

12-23. Answer A. JSAT 12B
If the control surfaces were not returned to neutral until the desired position is reached, the inertia of the aircraft would keep it moving in the same direction until it caused a gyro to sense a new error and send a signal to correct. This overshoot and correct would begin a series of oscillations that would cause the aircraft to rock its wings violently. The follow-up system prevents this from happening.

12-24 AMA025
What component of an autopilot system applies torque to the control surfaces of an aircraft?

A—Controller.
B—Gyro.
C—Servo.

12-24. Answer C. JSAT 12B, FAH
In an autopilot system, the servo is the device which is connected to the control surface and converts the electrical signals into mechanical force to move the control surface.

12-25 AMA025
What is the main purpose of a servo in an autopilot system?

A—Correct for displacement of the aircraft about its axis.
B—Move the control surface as commanded.
C—Change mechanical energy to electrical energy.

12-25. Answer B. JSAT 12B, FAH
In an autopilot system, servomotors are the devices which apply the mechanical force to move the control surfaces. Electrical and electro/pneumatic are typical of the servos in use today.

12-26 AMA025
Which channel of an autopilot detects changes in pitch attitude of an aircraft?

A—Aileron.
B—Elevator.
C—Rudder.

12-26. Answer B. JSAT 12B, FAH
The elevator channel circuits detect changes in the pitch attitude of the aircraft.

12-27 AMA025
The elevator channel of an autopilot controls the aircraft about which axis of rotation?

A—Lateral.
B—Roll.
C—Longitudinal.

12-27. Answer A. JSAT 12B, FAH
The elevator of an aircraft provides control about the lateral axis.

12-28 AMA025
What component is the sensing device in an electromechanical autopilot system?

A—Gyro.
B—Servo.
C—Controller.

12-28. Answer A. JSAT 12B, FAH
The directional gyro, turn-and-bank gyro, attitude gyro and the altitude control are the sensing elements. They sense the movements of the aircraft and automatically generate signals to keep these movements under control.

12-29 AMA025
A fully integrated autopilot controls the aircraft around how many axes?

A—Four.
B—Two.
C—Three.

12-29. Answer C. JSAT 12B
A fully integrated autopilot controls the aircraft around all three axes.

12-30 AMA025
Dutch roll, a combination yawing and rolling oscillation that affects many swept wing aircraft, is counteracted with

A—a yaw damper system.
B—an aileron damper system.
C—a flight director system

12-30. Answer A.
Dutch roll is a combined roll and yaw condition. It is sensed by the yaw dampers and counteracted by the rudder servo system.

12-31 AMA026
When operationally checking an autopilot system on the ground, after the aircraft's main power has been switched on, the autopilot should be engaged

A—only after the gyros come up to speed and the amplifier warms up.
B—for only a few minutes at a time.
C—whenever the operator desires.

12-31. Answer A. JSAT 12B, FAH
After the aircraft's main power switch has been turned on, allow the gyros to come up to speed and the amplifiers to warm up before engaging the autopilot.

12-32 AMA025
On modern large aircraft, what electronic device typically monitors flight parameters and performs autopilot functions?

A—Control/display unit.
B—Transponder.
C—Flight management computer.

12-32. Answer C. JSAT 12B
The Flight Management Computer is the main memory unit of a Flight Management System.