Private Pilot: FAA Written Exam 2025

What is one purpose of wing flaps?

To enable the pilot to make steeper approaches to a landing without increasing the airspeed

One of the main functions of flaps during approach and landing is to...

Increase the angle of descent without increasing the airspeed

What is the purpose of the rudder on an airplane?

To control yaw

Which is not a primary flight control surface?

A. Flaps

B. Stabilator

C Ailerons

A. Flaps

The elevator controls movement around which axis?

Lateral

Which statement is true concerning primary flight controls?

A. The effectiveness of each control surface increases with speed because there is more airflow over them.

B. Only when all three primary flight controls move in sequence do the airflow and pressure distribution change over and around the airfoil.

C. Primary flight controls include ailerons, rudder, elevator, and trim systems.

A. The effectiveness of each control surface increases with speed because there is more airflow over them

Which of the following is true concerning flaps?

A. Flaps are attached to the leading edge of the wing and are used to increase wing lift.

B. Flaps allow an increase in the angle of descent without increasing airspeed.

C. Flaps are high drag devices deployed from the wings to reduce lift.

B. Flaps allow an increase in the angle of descent without increasing airspeed

Which device is a secondary flight control?

A. Spoilers

B. Ailerons

C. Stabilators

A. Spoilers

Trim systems are designed to do what?

They relieve the pilot of the need to maintain constant back pressure on the flight controls

The four forces acting on an airplane in flight are:

Lift, Weight, Thrust, and Drag

When are the four forces that act on an airplane in equilibrium?

During unaccelerated flight

What is the relationship of lift, drag, thrust, and weight when the airplane is in straight-and-level flight?

Lift equals weight

Thrust equals drag

Which statement relates to Bernoulli's principle?

Air traveling faster over the curve upper surface of an airfoil causes lower pressure on the top surface

The term "angle of attack" is defined as the angle...

Between the wing chord line and the relative wind

Angle of attack is defined as the chord line of an airfoil and the...

Direction of the relative wind

The angle of attack at which an airplane wing stalls will...

Remain the same regardless of gross weight

As altitude increases, the indicated airspeed at which a given airplane stalls in a particular configuration will...

Remain the same regardless of altitude

In what flight condition must an aircraft be placed in order to spin?

Stalled

During a spin to the left, which wing(s) is/are stalled?

Both wings are stalled

How will frost on the wings of an airplane affect takeoff performance?

Frost will disrupt the smooth flow of air over the wing, adversely affecting its lifting capability

Why is frost considered hazardous to flight?

Frost spoils the smooth flow of air over the wings, thereby decreasing lifting capability

How does frost affect the lifting surfaces of an airplane on takeoff?

Frost my prevent the airplane from becoming airborne at normal takeoff speed

What is ground effect?

The result of inference of the surface of the earth with the airflow patterns about an airplane

Floating caused by the phenomenon of ground effect will be most realized during an approach to land when at...

Less than the length of the wingspan above the surface

What must a pilot be aware of as a result of ground effect?

Induced drag decreases; therefore, any excess speed at the point of flare may cause considerable floating

Ground effect is most likely to result in which problem?

Becoming airborne before reaching recommended takeoff speed

What force makes an airplane turn?

The horizontal component of lift

An airplane said to be inherently stable will...

Require less effort to control

What determines the longitudinal stability of an airplane?

The location of the CG with respect to the center of lift

Changes in the center of pressure of a wing affect the aircraft's...

Aerodynamic balance and controllability

An airplane has been loaded in such a manner that the CG is located aft of the aft CG limit. One undesirable flight characteristic a pilot might experience with this airplane would be...

Difficulty in recovering from a stalled condition

What causes an airplane (except a T-tail) to pitch nosedown when power is reduced and controls are not adjusted?

The downwash on the elevators from the propeller slipstream is reduced and the elevator effectiveness is reduced

Loading an airplane to the most aft CG will cause the airplane to be...

Less stable at all speeds

In what flight condition is torque effect the greatest in a single-engine airplane?

Low airspeed, high power, high angle of attack

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

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

When at high angles of attack

The amount of excess load that can be imposed on the wing of an airplane depends upon the...

Speed of the airplane

Which basic flight maneuver increases the load factor on an airplane as compared to straight-and-level flight?

Turns

During an approach to a stall, an increased load factor will cause the aircraft to...

Stall at a higher airspeed

In the Northern Hemisphere, a magnetic compass will normally indicate a turn toward the north if...

An aircraft is accelerated while on an east—west heading

During flight, when are the indications of a magnetic compass accurate?

Only in straight-and-level, unaccelerated flight

Deviation in a magnetic compass is caused by the...

Magnetic fields within the aircraft distorting the lines of magnetic force

In the Northern Hemisphere, if an aircraft is accelerated or decelerated, the magnetic

compass will normally indicate...

Correctly when on a north or south heading

In the Northern Hemisphere, a magnetic compass will normally indicate initially a turn toward the west if...

A right turn is entered from a north heading

In the Northern Hemisphere, a magnetic compass will normally indicate a turn toward the south when...

The aircraft is decelerated while on a west heading

In the Northern Hemisphere, a magnetic compass will normally indicate initially a turn toward the east if...

A left turn is entered from a north heading

What should be the indication on the magnetic compass as you roll into a standard rate turn to the right from a south heading in the Northern Hemisphere?

The compass will indicate a turn to the right, but at a faster rate than is actually occurring

The pitot systems provides impact pressure for what instrument?

Airspeed indicator

Which instrument will become inoperative if the pitot tube becomes clogged?

Airspeed

If the pitot tube and outside static vents become clogged, which instruments would be affected?

The altimeter, airspeed indicator, and vertical speed indicator

Which instrument(s) will become inoperative if the static vents become clogged?

Airspeed, altimeter, and vertical speed indicator

What does the red line on an airspeed indicator represent?

(Vne) Never-exceed speed

What is an important airspeed limitation that is not coded on airspeed indicators?

Maneuvering speed

What is absolute altitude

The vertical distance of the aircraft above the surface

What is true altitude?

The vertical distance of the aircraft above sea level

What is density altitude?

The pressure altitude corrected for nonstandard temperature

Under what conditions are pressure altitude and density altitude the same value?

At standard temperature

Under what condition is indicated altitude the same as true altitude?

When at sea level under standard conditions

Under what condition will pressure altitude be equal to true altitude?

When standard atmospheric conditions exist

What is pressure altitude?

The altitude indicated when the barometric pressure scale is set to 29.92

Altimeter setting is the value to which the barometric pressure scale of the altimeter is set so the altimeter indicates...

True altitude at field elevation

If it is necessary to set the altimeter from 29.15 to 29.85 what change occurs?

700' increase in indicated altitude. (The altimeter-indicated altitude moves in the same direction as the altimeter setting and changes about 1,000' per inHg)

If a pilot changes the altimeter setting from 30.11 to 29.96 what is the approximate change in indication?

Altimeter will indicate 150' lower

If a flight is made from an area of low pressure into an area of high pressure without the altimeter setting being adjusted, the altimeter will indicate...

Lower than the actual altitude above sea level

If a flight is made from an area of high pressure into an area of lower pressure without the altimeter setting being adjusted, the altimeter will indicate...

Higher than the actual altitude above sea level

Which condition would cause the altimeter to indicate a lower altitude than true altitude?

A. Air temperature lower than standard

B. Atmospheric pressure lower than standard

C. Air temperature warmer than standard

C. Air temperature warmer than standard

Under what condition will true altitude be lower than indicated altitude?

A. In colder than standard air temperature

B. In warmer than standard air temperature

C. When density altitude is higher than indicated altitude

A. Colder than standard air temperature

How do variations in temperature affect the altimeter?

Pressure levels are raised on warm days and the indicated altitude is lower than the true altitude

What is a benefit of flying with a glass cockpit?

Situational awareness is increased

What steps must be taken when flying with glass cockpits to ensure safe flight?

Regularly scan both inside and outside, use all appropriate checklist, and cross-check with other forms of information

An abnormally high engine oil temperature indication may be caused by...

The oil level being too low

Excessively high engine temperatures will...

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

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

For internal cooling, air cooled engines are especially dependent on...

The circulation of lubricating oil

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

Reduce rate of climb and increase airspeed

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

Enrich the fuel mixture

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

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

Avoid high manifold pressure settings with low RPM

What is an advantage of a constant-speed propeller?

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

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

Improved engine performance, and increased safety (redundancy)

If the ignition switch ground wire becomes disconnected, the magneto...

May continue to fire

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

More susceptible to icing

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

Temperature between 20ºF and 70ºF and high humidity

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

High as 70ºF and the relative humidity is high

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

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

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

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

Generally speaking, the use of carburetor heat tends to...

Decrease engine performance

Applying carburetor heat will...

Enrich the fuel/air mixture

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

The fuel/air mixture becomes richer

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

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

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

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

The fuel/air mixture may become excessively lean

Detonation occurs in a reciprocating aircraft engine when?

The unburned charge in the cylinders explodes instead of burning normally

Detonation may occur at high-power settings when?

The fuel mixture ignites instantaneously instead of burning progressively and evenly

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

Lower the nose slightly to increase airspeed

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 fuel/air charge in advance of normal spark ignition is know as...

Pre-ignition

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

The next higher octane aviation gas