First Class Medical Under 40
First Class privileges for 12 months then third class privileges for 48 months
Second Class Medical Under 40
Second Class privileges for 12 months then third class privileges for 48 months
Third Class Medical Under 40
Third class privileges for 60 months
First Class Over 40
First class privileges for 6 months, then second class privileges for 6 months, then third class privileges for 12 months
Second Class Over 40
Second class privileges for 12 months, then third class privileges for 12 months
Third Class Over 40
Third class privileges for 24 months
Difference Between Part 141 and Part 61
141 follows a syllabus, 61 does not
Aircraft Category Examples
Airplane, rotorcraft, glider, lighter-than-air, and powered lift
Aircraft Class Examples
Single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land, multi-engine sea, helicopter, gyroplane, airship, and balloon
Flight Reviews
Must be completed every 24 months, 1 hour of ground and 1 hour of flight
Glider Rating
40 hours as pilot in a heavier-than-air aircraft, 3 hours of flight training in a glider, and 10 solo flights
IM SAFE Checklist
Illness
Medication
Stress
Alcohol
Fatigue
Eating
Emotion
Hazardous Attitudes
Anti-Authority - Follow the rules, they’re usually right
Impulsivity - Not so fast, think first
Invulnerability - It could happen to me
Macho - Taking chances is foolish
Resignation - I’m not helpless, I can make a difference
Controlled Flight Into Terrain
When an airplane is flown into terrain with no prior awareness
Results from weather, unfamiliar environment, nonstandard procedures, breakdown/loss of communication, loss of situational awareness, lack of perception hazards, and lack of sound risk management techniques
Alcohol
FARs require blood alcohol level of less than .04, 8 hours bottle to throttle, and cannot be under the effects of alcohol
POH
Should be followed unless in an emergency
Ailerons
Thumbs point to up aileron
Horizontal Stabilizer
Elevator is attached to the back
Vertical Stabilizer
Rudder is attached to the back
Trim Devices
Help minimize workload
Pilots Operating Handbook and Airplane Flight Manual
Synonymous with each other
AVIATE
Annual Inspection (12 Months)
VOR Inspection (30 Days)
100 Hour Inspection
Altimeter (Pitot/Static) (24 Months)
Transponder (24 Months)
ELT (12 Months)
Annual and 100 Hour
Annual covers 100 Hour but not vise versa
Four Stroke Operating Cycle
Intake
Compression
Power
Exhaust
4 Strokes, 2 Full Cycles
Magnetos
Should see a drop in RPM when one is turned off and the other is left on
Detonation
An uncontrolled, explosive ignition of the fuel/air mix
Preignition
When the fuel/air mix is ignited in advance of normal ignition
Fuel
Most common for piston-powered aircraft is avgas 100 low lead (Blue)
Can use next higher grade of fuel in emergency
87→ 100 → 100LL
Cooling Systems
Engine is mainly cooled by outside air which is let into the engine by cowlings
Propellers
Closer to center = Higher angle of attack
Further from center = Lower angle of attack
Outside cuts air faster, lift is the same throughout the propeller
Airspeed Indicator
Uses both pitot and static pressure to calculate airspeed
Vx
Best angle
Vy
Best climb
Va
Maneuvering speed
Vso
Lower limit of white arc, stalling speed, minimum steady flight in landing
Vs1
Lower limit of green arc, stalling speed, minimum steady flight speed
Vfe
Upper limit of white arc, maximum flaps extended speed
Vno
Upper limit of green arc, maximum cruising speed
Vne
Red line, never exceed speed
White Arc
Flap operating range
Green Arc
Normal operating range
Yellow Arc
The caution range
Altimeter Saying
High to low, look out below
Low to high, you’re in the sky
Both for pressure and temperature
Vertical Speed Indicator
Uses static pressure
Heading Indicator
Uses gyros, can be prone to tumbling, but can be realigned using the magnetic compass on the ground or in straight-and-level flight
Four Forces of Flight
Lift, weight, thrust, and drag
Angle of Attack
Angle between chord line and relative wind
Lift on Wings
Created by low pressure, high speed air on top and high pressure, low speed air on bottom
(Newtons 3rd law and Bernoulli’s principle)
Vertical Axis
Controlled by rudder, creates yawing motion
Longitudinal Stability
Controlled by elevator, aircraft stability about lateral axis
Lateral Stability
Controlled by ailerons, aircraft stability about longitudinal axis
Center of Gravity Aft
Severe control problems
PARE
Power Idle
Ailerons neutral
Rudder opposite
Elevator pressure
Left Turning Tendencies
Torque
Gyroscopic Precession
Asymmetrical Thrust
Spiraling Slipstream
Turns are Accomplished By
Horizontal component of lift
Accelerated Stalls
Stalls that occur from increased G-forces at higher airspeeds
Scanning
Should be done in 10 degree incraments
During Night Flight, Use
Peripheral Vision
Right of Way
Aircraft that have right-of-way: aircraft being overtaken, aircraft to the right, and aircraft in distress
Runway Numbers
Nearest magnetic direction to runway, then rounded to nearest 10 degrees, then 0 is dropped
Displaced Threshold
May not be used for landing, but can be used for taxiing, landing rollout, and takeoffs
Blastpad/Stopway
Cannot be used for landing, takeoff, or taxiing, but can be used in emergencies
Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI)
Two bar: red above white, on glide path
Both white, too high
Both red, too low
Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI)
Lights installed in a row: Two white to the left, two red on the right, on glide path
All white, too high
All red, too low
Airports
Controlled, blue
Uncontrolled, magenta