Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations

Aviation Seminars 23
AERODYNAMICS AND AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS

Definitions Angle Of Attack And Stalling Speeds

Angle of attack is the angle between the wing chord line

and the direction of the relative wind. An increase in
angle of attack will increase impact pressure below the The angle of attack at which a wing stalls remains
wing to increase lift and drag, and will cause the center constant regardless of weight, dynamic pressure, bank
of pressure to move forward. By changing the angle of angle, or pitch attitude.
attack, the pilot controls the airplane’s lift, airspeed and
drag. There is a corresponding indicated airspeed required for
every angle of attack to generate sufficient lift to
Chord line is the line between the leading and the trailing maintain altitude.
edges of the airfoil.
Indicated stalling speed is increased by added weight,
Relative wind is the direction of the airflow with respect increased load factor and bank angle, decreased power,
to the wing. It is also the direction opposite and parallel and is most affected by variations in loading. Turbulent
to the flight path. air can cause an Increase in stalling speed when there is
an abrupt change in relative wind.

Forces Acting On The Aircraft An airplane will spin only after having been stalled. If the
CG is too far rearward, stall recovery becomes more
difficult and normal spin recovery may become difficult.
The airplane may become uncontrollable if the most
rearward CG position is exceeded.

Types Of Drag

Drag is comprised of parasite drag and induced drag. As

speed increases, parasite drag Increases and induced
Lift is the differential pressure between the higher air drag decreases.
pressure below the wing’s surface and the lower air
pressure above the wing’s surface. It acts perpendicular The velocity Indicated by points ‘A’ and ‘B’ (on
to the relative wind and flight path. next page) shows the maximum L/D speed (lift divided
by drag). The maximum L/D speed decreases as weight
Drag is the rearward force of wind resistance, and acts decreases. Maintaining maximum L/D speed will result in
parallel to the relative wind. the maximum range and maximum distance glide.

Thrust is the forward acting force, produced by the

propeller. It is equal to drag whenever your airspeed is
constant:

Lift equals weight whenever you are in straight and level

flight, or climbing or descending at a constant rate.
In steady-state flight (straight and level or steady climb
or descent), the sum of the opposing forces is equal to
zero.

If airspeed is doubled and the angle of attack remains

constant, lift and drag will be four times greater.
 Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations
Aviation Seminars 24
Drag (Cont)

Load factor is the actual load on the wings at any time

divided by the weight of the airplane.

Load factor in a constant altitude turn depends strictly on The proper technique for crosswind takeoffs is to use
angle of bank. As long as bank remains constant, load rudder as required to maintain directional control, aileron
factor is also constant. pressure into the wind, and a higher-than-normal lift-off
speed. During landing, the direction of motion of the
If an airplane is listed as utility category, it can perform airplane and its longitudinal axis should be parallel to the
limited acrobatics, including spins. runway.

Functions Of The Flight Controls During gusty wind conditions, make a power-on
approach and power-on landing.

Air Density

High temperatures, high elevations, high humidity, and

low atmospheric pressure result in lower air density and
decreased performance.

Uphill runway slope will increase takeoff distance.

Regardless of altitude and air density, the indicated

Elevators pitch the airplane about the lateral axis to airspeed at which an airplane stalls will remain the
change the angle of attack. same. At higher elevations, the airplane will have a
higher true airspeed, and a higher groundspeed at
Rudder controls yaw about the vertical axis, not to turn touchdown.
the airplane, but to overcome adverse yaw produced by
the depressed aileron on the high wing. Ground Effect

Wing flaps increase lift and drag. This decreases stalling

speed and increases the angle of descent during landing
without increasing airspeed.

Ground effect cushions the air beneath the wing,

increasing lift and decreasing drag.

An airplane leaving ground effect will experience an

Increase in induced drag, require more thrust and a
greater angle of attack.
Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations
Aviation Seminars 25
Stability Constant Speed Propellers (Cont)

Longitudinal stability (the nose pitching up or down) setting with low RPM. First Increase RPM, then manifold
involves the motion of the airplane about the lateral axis. pressure.
if the airplane center of gravity is to the rear of its range,
the airplane will be unstable about its lateral axis. When decreasing power, first decrease manifold
pressure, then RPM.
If the airplane attitude initially tends to return to its
original position after the elevator control is pressed Engine Cooling
forward and released, the airplane displays positive
static stability. Engine cooling is caused by airflow and is especially
dependent on the circulation of lubricating oil. An
If the airplane attitude remains in a new position after the abnormally high engine oil temperature may be caused
elevator control is pressed forward and released, the by the oil level being too low.
airplane displays neutral static stability.
Detonation occurs when the unburned charge (fuel) in
AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE OPERATION the cylinders explodes Instead of burning evenly.
Detonation may be caused by too lean a mixture.
Propellers
Preignition is the uncontrolled firing of the fuel/air charge
Propeller efficiency is the ratio of thrust horsepower to in advance of normal spark ignition.
brake horsepower. A fixed pitch propeller can be efficient
only at a given combination of airspeed and RPM. Fuel Mixture

The reason for ‘twisting’ along a propeller blade is that it Fuel/air ratio is the ratio between the weight of fuel and
permits a relatively constant angle of attack along its weight of air entering the cylinder.
length when in cruising flight.
The main purpose of the fuel/air mixture control is to
adjust the fuel flow (in both carburetor and fuel-injected
‘P’ Factor And Torque engines) to obtain the proper fuel/air ratio.

A propeller rotating clockwise, as seen from the rear, The best power mixture is the fuel/air ratio that gives the
creates a spiraling slipstream that tends to rotate the most power for any given throttle setting.
airplane to the left around the vertical axis, and to the
right around the longitudinal axis. As you climb out to a higher altitude, if no adjustment is
Engine Operation made to the mixture, your mixture will become richer.
The density (weight) of the air decreases and the
Dual Ignition, in addition to providing an Increased safety amount of fuel remains the same.
factor, also provides improved engine performance.
An excessively rich mixture may cause spark plug
Aircraft magnetos receive their electrical energy from fouling.
magnets and coil. If the ground wire between magnetos
and Ignition switch becomes disconnected, the engine Induction Icing
cannot be shut down by turning the Ignition switch to the
OFF position. Carburetor heat reduces the density of the air by heating
it, and this enriches the fuel/air mixture. It decreases
Constant Speed Propellers engine horsepower output and increases operating
temperatures.
A constant speed propeller permits the pilot to
select the blade angle for the most efficient performance.
Pitch angle of the blades changes through the use of Emergencies And Miscellaneous Information
governor-regulated oil pressure so that engine speed
remains at selected RPM. The four fundamentals involved in maneuvering an
aircraft are straight-and-level flight, turns, climbs, and
For takeoff or maximum power, a constant-speed descents.
propeller should be set to a blade angle that will produce
a small angle of attack and high RPM. A detuning of the engine crankshaft counterweights may
be caused by rapid
When increasing power in an aircraft equipped with a opening and closing of the throttle.
constant speed propeller, avoid high manifold pressure
 Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations
Aviation Seminars 26
If necessary to takeoff from a slushy runway, the 5154. H303 COM
freezing of landing gear mechanisms can be minimized Airplane wing loading during a level coordinated turn in
by recycling the gear. smooth air depends upon the

In cold weather, crankcase breather lines should receive A) rate of turn.

special attention because they are susceptible to being B) angle of bank.
clogged by ice from crankcase vapors that have C) true airspeed.
condensed and subsequently frozen.
5155. H303 COM
If preheating an aircraft during cold weather operations, In a rapid recovery from a dive, the effects of load factor
preheat the cabin area as well as the engine. would cause the stall speed to

Frequent inspections should be made of aircraft exhaust A) increase.

manifold-type heating systems to minimize the possibility B) decrease.
of exhaust gases leaking into the cockpit. C) not vary.

When diverting to an alternate airport because of an 5156. H303 COM

emergency, apply rule-of-thumb computations, If an aircraft with a gross weight of 2,000 pounds was
estimates, and other appropriate shortcuts to divert to subjected to a 60° constant-altitude bank, the total load
the new course as soon as possible. would be

Minimize the possibility of gear-up landings by A) 3,000 pounds.

completing a prelanding checklist. B) 4,000 pounds.
C) 12,000 pounds.
If you lose power immediately after takeoff, maintain a
safe airspeed. 5157. H303 COM
While maintaining a constant angle of bank and altitude
5017. in a coordinated turn, an increase in airspeed will
If the operational category of an airplane is listed as
utility, it would mean that this airplane could be operated A) decrease the rate of turn resulting in a decreased
in which of the following maneuvers? load factor.
B) decrease the rate of turn resulting in no change in
A) Limited acrobatics, excluding spins. load factor.
B) Limited acrobatics, including spins. C) increase the rate of turn resulting in no change in load
C) Any maneuver except acrobatics or spins. factor.

5151. H303 COM 5158. H300 COM

The ratio between the total airload imposed on the wing Lift on a wing is most properly defined as the
and the gross weight of an aircraft in flight is known as
A) force acting perpendicular to the relative wind.
A) load factor and directly affects stall speed. B) differential pressure acting perpendicular to the chord
B) aspect load and directly affects stall speed. of the wing.
C) load factor and has no relation with stall speed. C) reduced pressure resulting from a laminar flow over
the upper camber of an airfoil, which acts perpendicular
5152. H303 COM to the mean camber.
Load factor is the lift generated by the wings of an
aircraft at any given time 5159. H303 COM
While holding the angle of bank constant in a level turn,
A) divided by the total weight of the aircraft. if the rate of turn is varied the load factor would
B) multiplied by the total weight of the aircraft.
C) divided by the basic empty weight of the aircraft. A) remain constant regardless of air density and the
resultant lift vector.
5153. H303 COM B) vary depending upon speed and air density provided
For a given angle of bank, in any airplane, the load the resultant lift vector varies proportionately.
factor imposed in a coordinated constant-altitude turn C) vary depending upon the resultant lift vector.

A) is constant and the stall speed increases.

B) varies with the rate of turn.
C) is constant and the stall speed decreases. NOTE: CORRECT ANSWER IN BOLD ITALICS
Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations
Aviation Seminars 27
5160. H303 COM 5165. H300 COM
The need to slow an aircraft below VA is brought about (Refer to figure 1.) At the airspeed represented by point
by the following weather phenomenon: A, in steady flight, the airplane will

A) High density altitude which increases the indicated A) have its maximum L/D ratio.
stall speed. B) have its minimum L/D ratio.
B) Turbulence which causes an increase in stall speed. C) be developing its maximum coefficient of lift.
C) Turbulence which causes a decrease in stall speed.
5166. H300 COM
5161. H300 COM (Refer to figure 1.) At an airspeed represented by point
In theory, if the airspeed of an airplane is doubled while B, in steady flight, the pilot can expect to obtain the
in level flight, parasite drag will become airplane's maximum

A) twice as great. A) endurance.

B) half as great. B) glide range.
C) four times greater. C) coefficient of lift.

5162. H300 COM 5167. H300 COM

As airspeed decreases in level flight below that speed Which statement is true relative to changing angle of
for maximum lift/drag ratio, total drag of an airplane attack?

A) decreases because of lower parasite drag. A) A decrease in angle of attack will increase pressure
B) increases because of increased induced drag. below the wing, and decrease drag.
C) increases because of increased parasite drag. B) An increase in angle of attack will decrease pressure
below the wing, and increase drag.
5163. H303 COM C) An increase in angle of attack will increase drag.
If the airspeed is increased from 90 knots to 135 knots
during a level 60° banked turn, the load factor will 5170.
Leaving the carburetor heat on while taking off
A) increase as well as the stall speed.
B) decrease and the stall speed will increase. A) leans the mixture for more power on takeoff.
C) remain the same but the radius of turn will increase. B) will decrease the takeoff distance.
C) will increase the ground roll.
5164. H303 COM
Baggage weighing 90 pounds is placed in a normal 5171. H307 COM
category airplane's baggage compartment which is A way to detect a broken magneto primary grounding
placarded at 100 pounds. If this airplane is subjected to lead is to
a positive load factor of 3.5 G's, the total load of the
baggage would be A) idle the engine and momentarily turn the ignition off.
B) add full power, while holding the brakes, and
A) 315 pounds and would be excessive. momentarily turn off the ignition.
B) 315 pounds and would not be excessive. C) run on one magneto, lean the mixture, and look for a
C) 350 pounds and would not be excessive. rise in manifold pressure.

5172. H307 COM

Fouling of spark plugs is more apt to occur if the aircraft

A) gains altitude with no mixture adjustment.

B) descends from altitude with no mixture adjustment.
C) throttle is advanced very abruptly.

5173. H307 COM

The most probable reason an engine continues to run
after the ignition switch has been turned off is

A) carbon deposits glowing on the spark plugs.

B) a magneto ground wire is in contact with the engine
casing.
C) a broken magneto ground wire.
NOTE: CORRECT ANSWER IN BOLD ITALICS
 Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations
Aviation Seminars 28
5174. H307 COM 5180. H303 COM
If the ground wire between the magneto and the ignition (Refer to figure 2.) Select the correct statement
switch becomes disconnected, the engine regarding stall speeds. The airplane will stall

A) will not operate on one magneto. A) 10 knots higher in a power-on, 60° bank, with gear
B) cannot be started with the switch in the BOTH and flaps up, than with gear and flaps down.
position. B) 25 knots lower in a power-off, flaps-up, 60° bank, than
C) could accidentally start if the propeller is moved with in a power-off, flaps-down, wings-level configuration.
fuel in the cylinder. C) 10 knots higher in a 45° bank, power-on stall, than in
a wings-level stall with flaps up.
5175. H307 COM
For internal cooling, reciprocating aircraft engines are
especially dependent on 5181. H305 COM
Which is true regarding the use of flaps during level
A) a properly functioning cowl flap augmenter. turns?
B) the circulation of lubricating oil.
C) the proper freon/compressor output ratio. A) The lowering of flaps increases the stall speed.
B) The raising of flaps increases the stall speed.
5176. H307 COM C) Raising flaps will require added forward pressure on
The pilot controls the air/fuel ratio with the the yoke or stick.

A) throttle 5182. H305 COM

B) manifold pressure One of the main functions of flaps during the approach
C) mixture control and landing is to

A) decrease the angle of descent without increasing the

airspeed.
B) provide the same amount of lift at a slower airspeed.
C) decrease lift, thus enabling a steeper-than-normal
approach to be made.

5183. H308 COM

Which statement best describes the operating principle
of a constant-speed propeller?

A) As throttle setting is changed by the pilot, the prop

governor causes pitch angle of the propeller blades to
remain unchanged.
B) A high blade angle, or increased pitch, reduces the
propeller drag and allows more engine power for
takeoffs.
C) The propeller control regulates the engine RPM, and
in turn, the propeller RPM.

5184.
In aircraft equipped with constant speed propellers and
normally-aspirated engines, which procedure should be
used to avoid placing undue stress on the engine
components? When power is being
5179. H303 COM
(Refer to figure 2.) Select the correct statement A) decreased reduce the RPM before reducing the
regarding stall speeds. manifold pressure.
A) Power-off stalls occur at higher airspeeds with the B) increased, increase the RPM before increasing the
gear and flaps down. manifold pressure.
B) In a 60° bank the airplane stalls at a lower airspeed C) increased or decreased, the RPM should be adjusted
with the gear up. before the manifold pressure.
C) Power-on stalls occur at lower airspeeds in shallower
banks. NOTE: CORRECT ANSWER IN BOLD ITALICS
Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations
Aviation Seminars 29
5185. H307 COM 5191. H532 COM
Detonation may occur at high-power settings when Name the four fundamentals involved in maneuvering an
aircraft.
A) the fuel mixture ignites instantaneously instead of
burning progressively and evenly. A) Power, pitch, bank, and trim.
B) an excessively rich fuel mixture causes an explosive B) Thrust, lift, turns, and glides.
gain in power. C) Straight-and-level flight, turns, climbs, and descents.
C) the fuel mixture is ignited too early by hot carbon
deposits in the cylinder. 5194. H534 COM
Why is it necessary to increase back elevator pressure
5186. to maintain altitude during a turn? To compensate for the
The uncontrolled firing ofthe fuel air charge in advance
of normal spark ignition is known as A) loss of the vertical component of lift.
B) loss of the horizontal component of lift and the
A) instantaneous combustion. increase in centrifugal force.
B) detonation. C) rudder deflection and slight opposite aileron
C) pre-ignition. throughout the turn.

5187. H307 COM 5195.

Fuel/air ratio is the ratio between the To maintain altitude during a turn, the angle of attack
must be increased to compensate for the decrease in
A) volume of fuel and volume of air entering the cylinder. the
B) weight of fuel and weight of air entering the cylinder.
C) weight of fuel and weight of air entering the A) forces opposing the resultant component of drag.
carburetor. B) vertical component of lift.
C) horizontal component of lift.
5188. H307 COM
The mixture control can be adjusted, which 5196. H303 COM
Stall speed is affected by
A) prevents the fuel/air combination from becoming too
rich at higher altitudes. A) weight, load factor, and power.
B) regulates the amount of air flow through the B) load factor, angle of attack, and power.
carburetor's venturi. C) angle of attack, weight, and air density.
C) prevents the fuel/air combination from becoming lean
as the airplane climbs. 5197. H300 COM
A rectangular wing, as compared to other wing
5189. H307 COM planforms, has a tendency to stall first at the
Which statement is true concerning the effect of the
application of carburetor heat? A) wingtip, with the stall progression toward the wing
root.
A) It enriches the fuel/air mixture. B) wing root, with the stall progression toward the wing
B) It leans the fuel/air mixture. tip.
C) It has no effect on the fuel/air mixture. C) center trailing edge, with the stall progression
outward toward the wing root and tip.
5190.
Detonation occurs in a reciprocating aircraft engine 5198. H300 COM
when By changing the angle of attack of a wing, the pilot can
control the airplane's
A) there is an explosive increase of fuel caused by too
rich a fuel/air mixture. A) lift, airspeed, and drag.
B) the spark plugs receive an electrical jolt caused by a B) lift, airspeed, and CG.
short in the wiring. C) lift and airspeed, but not drag.
C) the unburned charge in the cylinders is subjected to
instantaneous combustion. 5199.
The angle of attack of a wing directly controls the

NOTE: CORRECT ANSWER IN BOLD ITALICS A) angle of incidence of the wing.

B) amount of airflow above and below the wing.
C) distribution of pressures acting on the wing.
 Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations
Aviation Seminars 30
5200. H300 COM 5207. H316 COM
In theory, if the angle of attack and other factors remain If an airplane is loaded to the rear of its CG range, it will
constant and the airspeed is doubled, the lift produced at tend to be unstable about its
the higher speed will be
A) vertical axis.
A) the same as at the lower speed. B) lateral axis.
B) two times greater than at the lower speed. C) longitudinal axis.
C) four times greater than at the lower speed.
5208. H317 COM
5201. H300 COM At higher elevation airports the pilot should know that
An aircraft wing is designed to produce lift resulting from indicated airspeed
a difference in the
A) will be unchanged, but groundspeed will be faster.
A) negative air pressure below and a vacuum above the B) will be higher, but groundspeed will be unchanged.
wing's surface. C) should be increased to compensate for the thinner
B) vacuum below the wing's surface and greater air air.
pressure above the wing's surface.
C) higher air pressure below the wing's surface and 5209. H317 COM
lower air pressure above the wing's surface. An airplane leaving ground effect will

5202. A) experience a reduction in ground friction and require

On a wing, the force of lift acts perpendicular to and the a slight power reduction.
force of drag acts parallel to the B) experience an increase in induced drag and require
more thrust.
A) chord line. C) require a lower angle of attack to maintain the same
B) flight path. lift coefficient.
C) longitudinal axis.
5210. H300 COM
5203. H300 COM If airspeed is increased during a level turn, what action
Which statement is true, regarding the opposing forces would be necessary to maintain altitude? The angle of
acting on an airplane in steady-state level flight? attack

A) These forces are equal. A) and angle of bank must be decreased.

B) Thrust is greater than drag and weight and lift are B) must be increased or angle of bank decreased.
equal. C) must be decreased or angle of bank increased.
C) Thrust is greater than drag and lift is greater than
weight. 5211. H303 COM
The stalling speed of an airplane is most affected by
5204. H300 COM
The angle of attack at which a wing stalls remains A) changes in air density.
constant regardless of B) variations in flight altitude.
C) variations in airplane loading.
A) weight, dynamic pressure, bank angle, or pitch
attitude. 5212. H300 COM
B) dynamic pressure, but varies with weight, bank angle, An airplane will stall at the same
and pitch attitude.
C) weight and pitch attitude, but varies with dynamic A) angle of attack regardless of the attitude with relation
pressure and bank angle. to the horizon.
B) airspeed regardless of the attitude with relation to the
5205. horizon.
In light airplanes, normal recovery from spins may C) angle of attack and attitude with relation to the
become difficult if the horizon.

A) CG is too far rearward and rotation is around the 5213.

longitudinal axis. (Refer to figure 3.) If an airplane glides at an angle of
B) CG is too far rearward and rotation is around the CG. attack of 10°, how much altitude will it lose in 1 mile?
C) spin is entered before the stall is fully developed.
A) 240 feet.
B) 480 feet.
NOTE: CORRECT ANSWER IN BOLD ITALICS C) 960 feet.
Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations
Aviation Seminars 31

5214. 5218. H300 COM

(Refer to figure 3.) How much altitude will this airplane Which is true regarding the forces acting on an aircraft in
lose in 3 miles of gliding at an angle of attack of 8°? a steady-state descent? The sum of all

A) 440 feet. A) upward forces is less than the sum of all downward
B) 880 feet. forces.
C) 1,320 feet. B) rearward forces is greater than the sum of all forward
forces.
5215. C) forward forces is equal to the sum of all rearward
(Refer to figure 3.) The L/D ratio at a 2° forces.
angle of attack is approximately the same as the
LID ratio for a 5219. H300 COM
Which is true regarding the force of lift in steady,
A) 9.75° angle of attack. unaccelerated flight?
B) 10.5° angle of attack.
C) 16.5° angle of attack. A) At lower airspeeds the angle of attack must be less to
generate sufficient lift to maintain altitude.
5216. H317 COM B) There is a corresponding indicated airspeed required
If the same angle of attack is maintained in ground effect for every angle of attack to generate sufficient lift to
as when out of ground effect, lift will maintain altitude.
C) An airfoil will always stall at the same indicated
A) increase, and induced drag will decrease. airspeed; therefore, an increase in weight will require an
B) decrease, and parasite drag will increase. increase in speed to generate sufficient lift to maintain
C) increase, and induced drag will increase. altitude.

5217. H300 COM 5220.

What performance is characteristic of flight at maximum During the transition from straight and level flight to a
lift/drag ratio in a propeller-driven airplane? Maximum climb, the angle of attack is increased and lift

A) gain in altitude over a given distance. A) is momentarily decreased.

B) range and maximum distance glide. B) remains the same.
C) coefficient of lift and minimum coefficient of drag. C) is momentarily increased.
NOTE: CORRECT ANSWER IN BOLD ITALICS
 Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations
Aviation Seminars 32

5221. H303 COM 5225.

(Refer to figure 4.) What is the stall speed of an airplane As the angle of bank is increased, the vertical
under a load factor of 2 G's if the unaccelerated stall component of lift
speed is 60 knots?
A) decreases and the horizontal component of lift
A) 66 knots. increases.
B) 74 knots. B) increases and the horizontal component of lift
C) 84 knots. decreases.
C) decreases and the horizontal component of lift
5222. remains constant.
(Refer to figure 4.) What increase in load factor would
take place if the angle of bank were increased from 60° 5226. H302 COM
to 80°? If the airplane attitude remains in a new position after the
elevator control is pressed forward and released, the
A) 3 G’s. airplane displays
B) 3.5 G’s.
C) 4G’s. A) neutral longitudinal static stability.
B) positive longitudinal static stability.
5223. C) neutral longitudinal dynamic stability.
To generate the same amount of lift as altitude is
increased, an airplane must be flown at 5227. H302 COM
Longitudinal dynamic instability in an airplane can be
A) the same true airspeed regardless of angle of attack. identified by
B) a lower true airspeed and a greater angle of attack.
C) a higher true airspeed for any given angle of attack. A) bank oscillations becoming progressively steeper.
B) pitch oscillations becoming progressively steeper.
5224. C) Trilatitudinal roll oscillations becoming progressively
To produce the same lift while in ground effect as when steeper.
out of ground effect, the airplane requires
A) a lower angle of attack. 5206. H316 COM
B) the same angle of attack. Recovery from a stall in any airplane becomes more
C) a greater angle of attack. difficult when its

NOTE: CORRECT ANSWER IN BOLD ITALICS A) center of gravity moves forward.

B) elevator trim is adjusted nosedown.
C) center of gravity moves aft.
Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations
Aviation Seminars 33

5228. H302 COM 5232.

Longitudinal stability involves the motion of the airplane (Refer to figure 5.) The vertical line from point E to point
controlled by its F is represented on the airspeed indicator by the

A) rudder. A) upper limit of the yellow arc.

B) elevator. B) upper limit of the green arc.
C) ailerons. C) blue radial line.

5229. 5233.
What changes in airplane longitudinal control must be H303 COM
made to maintain altitude while the airspeed is being (Refer to figure 5.) The vertical line from point D to point
decreased? G is represented on the airspeed indicator by the
maximum speed limit of the
A) Increase the angle of attack to produce more
lift than drag. A) green arc.
B) Increase the angle of attack to compensate for B) yellow arc.
the decreasing lift. C) white arc.
C) Decrease the angle of attack to compensate for the
increasing drag. 5235. H308 COM
Propeller efficiency is the
5230. H302 COM
If the airplane attitude initially tends to return to its A) ratio of thrust horsepower to brake horsepower.
original position after the elevator control is pressed B) actual distance a propeller advances in one
forward and released, the airplane displays revolution.
C) ratio of geometric pitch to effective pitch.
A) positive dynamic stability.
B) positive static stability. 5236. H308 COM
C) neutral dynamic stability. A fixed-pitch propeller is designed for best efficiency only
at a given combination of
5231.
(Refer to figure 5.) The horizontal dashed line from point A) altitude and RPM.
C to point E represents the B) airspeed and RPM.
C) airspeed and altitude.
A) ultimate load factor.
B) positive limit load factor.
C) airspeed range for normal operations. NOTE: CORRECT ANSWER IN BOLD ITALICS
 Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations
Aviation Seminars 34
5237. H308 COM 5300.
The reason for variations in geometric pitch (twisting) What effect, if any, would a change in ambient
along a propeller blade is that it temperature or air density have on gas turbine engine
performance?
A) permits a relatively constant angle of incidence along
its length when in cruising flight. A) As air density decreases, thrust increases.
B) prevents the portion of the blade near the hub from B)As temperature increases, thrust increases.
stalling during cruising flight. C) As temperature increases, thrust decreases.
C) permits a relatively constant angle of attack along its
length when in cruising flight. 5503.
When diverting to an alternate airport because of an
5238. H301 COM emergency, pilots should
A propeller rotating clockwise as seen from the rear,
creates a spiraling slipstream. The spiraling slipstream, A) rely upon radio as the primary method of
along with torque effect, tends to rotate the airplane to navigation.
the B) climb to a higher altitude because it will be
easier to identify checkpoints.
A) right around the vertical axis, and to the left around C) apply rule-of-thumb computations, estimates, and
the longitudinal axis. other appropriate shortcuts to divert to the new course
B) left around the vertical axis, and to the right around as soon as possible.
the longitudinal axis.
C) left around the vertical axis, and to the left around the 5505.
longitudinal axis. Which maximum range factor decreases as weight
decreases?
5239. H702 COM
When the angle of attack of a symmetrical airfoil is A) Altitude.
increased, the center of pressure will B) Airspeed.
C) Angle of attack.
A) have very limited movement.
B) move aft along the airfoil surface. 5606. H307 COM
C) remain unaffected. Applying carburetor heat will

5271. K20 COM A) not affect the mixture.

A detuning of engine crankshaft counterweights is a B) lean the fuel/air mixture.
source of overstress that may be caused by C) enrich the fuel/air mixture.

A) rapid opening and closing of the throttle. 5607. H307 COM

B) carburetor ice forming on the throttle valve. An abnormally high engine oil temperature indication
C) operating with an excessively rich fuel/air mixture. may be caused by

5298. A) a defective bearing.

The best power mixture is that fuel/air ratio at which B) the oil level being too low.
C) operating with an excessively rich mixture.
A) cylinder head temperatures are the coolest.
B) the most power can be obtained for any given throttle 5608. H307 COM
setting. What will occur if no leaning is made with the mixture
C) a given power can be obtained with the highest control as the flight altitude increases?
manifold pressure or throttle setting.
A) The volume of air entering the carburetor decreases
5299. H307 COM and the amount of fuel decreases.
Detonation can be caused by B) The density of air entering the carburetor decreases
and the amount of fuel increases.
A) a 'rich' mixture. C) The density of air entering the carburetor decreases
B) low engine temperatures. and the amount of fuel remains constant.
C) using a lower grade of fuel than recommended.
NOTE: CORRECT ANSWER IN BOLD ITALICS
Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations
Aviation Seminars 35
5609. H307 COM 5656.
Unless adjusted, the fuel/air mixture becomes richer with While taxiing a light, high-wing airplane during strong
an increase in altitude because the amount of fuel quartering tailwinds, the aileron control should be
positioned
A) decreases while the volume of air decreases.
B) remains constant while the volume of air decreases. A) neutral at all times.
C) remains constant while the density of air decreases. B) toward the direction from which the wind is
blowing.
5610. H307 COM C) opposite the direction from which the wind is blowing.
The basic purpose of adjusting the fuel/air mixture
control at altitude is to 5664. H550 COM
Which type of approach and landing is recommended
A) decrease the fuel flow to compensate for decreased during gusty wind conditions?
air density.
B) decrease the amount of fuel in the mixture to A) A power-on approach and power-on landing.
compensate for increased air density. B) A power-off approach and power-on landing.
C) increase the amount of fuel in the mixture to C) A power-on approach and power-off landing.
compensate for the decrease in pressure and density of
the air. 5665. H550 COM
A proper crosswind landing on a runway requires that, at
5611. H307 COM the moment of touchdown, the
At high altitudes, an excessively rich mixture will cause
the A) direction of motion of the airplane and its lateral axis
be perpendicular to the runway.
A) engine to overheat. B) direction of motion of the airplane and its longitudinal
B) fouling of spark plugs. axis be parallel to the runway.
C) engine to operate smoother even though fuel C) downwind wing be lowered sufficiently to eliminate
consumption is increased. the tendency for the airplane to drift.

5653. H351 COM 5667. H308 COM

Frequent inspections should be made of aircraft exhaust To develop maximum power and thrust, a constant-
manifold-type heating systems to minimize the possibility speed propeller should be set to a blade angle that will
of produce a

A) exhaust gases leaking into the cockpit. A) large angle of attack and low RPM.
B) a power loss due to back pressure in the exhaust B) small angle of attack and high RPM.
system. C) large angle of attack and high RPM.
C) a cold-running engine due to the heat withdrawn by
the heater. 5668. H308 COM
For takeoff, the blade angle of a controllable-pitch
5654. H308 COM propeller should be set at a
To establish a climb after takeoff in an aircraft equipped
with a constant-speed propeller, the output of the engine A) small angle of attack and high RPM.
is reduced to climb power by decreasing manifold B) large angle of attack and low RPM.
pressure and C) large angle of attack and high RPM.

A) increasing RPM by decreasing propeller blade angle. 5766. L52 COM

B) decreasing RPM by decreasing propeller blade angle. During preflight in cold weather, crankcase breather
C) decreasing RPM by increasing propeller blade angle. lines should receive special attention because they are
susceptible to being clogged by
5655.
When taxiing during strong quartering tailwinds, which A) congealed oil from the crankcase.
aileron positions should be used? B) moisture from the outside air which has frozen.
C) ice from crankcase vapors that have condensed and
A) Neutral. subsequently frozen.
B) Aileron up on the side from which the wind is blowing.
C) Aileron down on the side from which the wind is
blowing. NOTE: CORRECT ANSWER IN BOLD ITALICS
 Aerodynamics and Aircraft Operations
Aviation Seminars 36
5767. L52 COM
Which is true regarding preheating an aircraft during cold
weather operations?

A) The cabin area as well as the engine should be

preheated.
B) The cabin area should not be preheated with portable
heaters.
C) Hot air should be blown directly at the engine through
the air intakes.

5768. L52 COM

If necessary to take off from a slushy runway, the
freezing of landing gear mechanisms can be minimized
by

A) recycling the gear.

B) delaying gear retraction.
C) increasing the airspeed to VLE before retraction.