Mass & Balance in Aviation

These flashcards cover key concepts related to mass, balance, and performance factors in aviation, derived from lecture content.

Mass & Balance is an important aspect in aviation because __________.

how safe and efficient an aircraft operates is highly dependent on the loading and balance of the aircraft.

The SI unit for mass is __________.

kg

The force produced when a mass is subjected to gravity is known as __________.

weight.

The center of gravity (C.G) is defined as __________.

the average location of the weight of an object.

A fixed point of reference for measuring moment arms in aviation is called __________.

datum.

The __________ is the mass of the entire aircraft before it sorties from the gate/apron.

taxi mass.

The weight of the aircraft plus fuel, crew, and special equipment, but no payload is referred to as __________.

operating mass.

If the maximum zero fuel mass is exceeded, it can lead to __________ problems.

structural.

In terms of flight performance, __________ can affect fuel burn, drag, and climb performance.

mass.

Increasing the center of gravity forward of the optimal position will __________ fuel burn throughout flight.

increase.

The speed at which the pilot can initiate a nose pitch up during takeoff is known as __________.

VR (Velocity Rotate).

During the descent phase, __________ refers to the flight without or with minimal engine thrust.

glide.

A decrease in total drag will __________ glide range.

increase.

The velocity at which the aircraft is expected to touch down is indicated by the __________.

touchdown point.

The landing distance required is measured from __________ to a complete stop.

50 feet above the threshold.

A maneuver to slowly reduce and arrest the descent rate before touchdown is called __________.

flare.

Factors affecting the approach rate of descent include changes in engine power/thrust and __________.

nose attitude.