Airplanes and Aerodynamics Commercial Pilot Practice Test

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• Compared to a less cambered airfoil, a more cambered airfoil typically stalls at a lower angle of attack?
• What is the difference between a VOR approach and a GPS (RNAV) approach?
• Which of the following can be a compressibility-related problem when accelerating past the critical Mach number?
• In a level, constant-altitude banked turn, if airspeed increases while bank angle remains the same, what happens to the load factor and turn radius?
• One main function of flaps during approach and landing is to
• Which of the following is a potential consequence when accelerating through the critical Mach number?
• Wing spoilers are used to:
• Accelerating through the critical Mach number may lead to which issue as a compressibility effect?
• In a coordinated constant-altitude turn, for a given bank angle, the load factor is:
• Which stability is described when the airplane attitude tends to return to its original position after the elevator control is pressed forward and released?
• If the angle of attack is kept constant and airspeed doubles, the lift produced at the higher speed will be what?
• What altitudes or altitude types are used in IFR enroute airspace and how are they selected?
• A holding pattern is typically depicted as which pattern, used to stack arriving aircraft?
• If air density increases while airspeed remains constant, what will be the effect on both lift and drag?
• In straight-and-level flight, the load factor is typically:
• When crossing the critical Mach threshold, which effect is a known compressibility consequence?
• What is the general entry requirement for Class D airspace?
• What is a VOR and how does a VOR receiver determine course?
• When angle of attack increases, what happens to drag?
• Which primary flight instruments provide information on pitch, bank, and yaw, and how do they convey that information?
• Which is true regarding the forces acting on an aircraft in a steady-state descent? The sum of all forward forces is equal to the sum of all rearward forces.
• During a coordinated level 45° banked turn, if airspeed increases from 89 knots to 98 knots, what happens to the turn radius?
• Doubling the airspeed in level flight affects parasite drag how?
• How does center of gravity position affect stability and stall behavior?
• Which statement accurately describes the general entry requirements for Class B vs Class C airspace?
• Which flight condition provides maximum glide distance for a given weight and density?
• Induced drag varies with airspeed in which way?
• If true airspeed equals the speed of sound in the same atmosphere, the Mach number is what?
• What does MEA (minimum enroute altitude) protect, and why is it important?
• Which compressibility effect is associated with the critical Mach number, with the correct option as the last choice?
• In transonic speeds, which effect may occur as a result of compressibility, with the correct choice being the last option?
• What is the rate of turn in degrees per second for a standard rate turn?
• Drag is the force that acts in which direction relative to the flight path?
• According to the guidelines, at what altitude must oxygen be provided to all occupants?
• How do fuel grade and fuel system design affect engine performance and safety?
• Longitudinal dynamic instability in an airplane can be identified by which of the following?
• Which instrument is most useful to maintain orientation during an instrument approach when outside visibility is poor?
• Transonic airflow typically occurs in airplane speed regimes between Mach
• In an engine-out scenario, how should you determine glide distance and best-glide speed?
• Which of the following statements about detonation and high engine temperatures is true?
• Lift on a wing is most properly defined as the force acting in which direction relative to the relative wind?
• As angle of attack increases on a typical wing, the center of pressure generally:
• A stall will occur when the critical angle of attack is exceeded.
• When the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack, what occurs?
• In flight planning, which sources provide the most complete weather picture for both current conditions and forecast?
• In a power-on stall at 60° bank, the stall speed is higher with gear and flaps up than with gear and flaps down.
• During level turns, which is true regarding flap use?
• Higher gross weight affects stall speed by causing it to:
• While holding the angle of bank constant in a level turn, if the rate of turn is varied, the load factor would which of the following?
• In a level banked turn at a fixed bank angle, what is the effect on turn radius when airspeed increases?
• Turbulence increases stall speed, requiring the airplane to slow below V_A.
• The flight instruments that rely on the pitot-static system and faults that can produce erroneous indications are:
• Stall speed is affected by weight, load factor, and power.
• Power-on stall occurs at lower airspeeds in shallower banks.
• Which problem can arise when speeds exceed the critical Mach number, as a compressibility effect?
• How does a fixed-pitch propeller compare to a constant-speed propeller in terms of efficiency across flight regimes?
• If the unaccelerated stall speed is 60 knots, what is the stall speed under a load factor of 2.5 Gs?
• If a standard rate turn is maintained, how long would it take to turn 360 degrees?
• For a coordinated turn at constant altitude with a fixed angle of bank and airspeed, for a given bank and airspeed, the rate and radius of turn will do what?
• As bank angle increases, the load factor in a coordinated turn increases.
• Performance charts must be read using indicated airspeed instead of true airspeed because:
• Which of the following is a possible compressibility effect when crossing critical Mach?
• Frost covering the upper surface of an airplane wing usually will cause the airplane to stall at an angle of attack lower than normal. This statement is:
• Which stability description applies when the airplane tends to return to its original attitude after a control input?
• If airspeed decreases in level flight below the speed for maximum lift/drag ratio, what happens to total drag?
• A load factor of 1.2 means the total load on the airframe is how many times the gross weight?
• If the unaccelerated stall speed is 60 knots, what is the stall speed under a load factor of 2 Gs?
• What are the general entry requirements for Class Bravo airspace?
• To produce the same lift while in ground effect as when out of ground effect, the airplane requires which change to angle of attack?
• Which statement about lift at higher altitude is true?
• To hold an airplane in level flight across a wide range of airspeeds, the pilot must coordinate which two parameters?
• What is carburetor heat used for and when should it be used?
• An airplane will stall at the same angle of attack regardless of its attitude relative to the horizon.
• What are the general entry requirements for Class C airspace?
• In steady, unaccelerated flight, which statement about lift is true?
• What is the purpose of the fuel/air mixture control, and what mixture settings are typical for takeoff and cruise?
• During a level turn, if airspeed increases, what action is necessary to maintain altitude?
• What does ATIS stand for and what information does it provide to pilots?
• Which statement about takeoff speeds V1, VR, and V2 is correct?
• What are the four strokes of a spark-ignition piston engine?
• What are NOTAMs and how should you use them in flight planning?
• Accelerating past the critical Mach number may result in which compressibility-related issue?
• To maintain constant airspeed in steady, level flight, thrust must balance which aerodynamic force?
• Which flight regime is best for maintaining stable approach speeds to avoid stalls, and how does angle of attack influence stall risk?
• Past the critical Mach speed, a common compressibility effect is which of the following?
• What is the function of spark plugs in a piston engine?
• The stall angle of attack remains constant regardless of weight, dynamic pressure, bank angle, or pitch attitude.
• Why is local altimeter setting important and when should you update it?
• The center of pressure is affected by which of the following?
• Which statement is true relative to changing angle of attack?
• What is the recommended oxygen requirement for crew at altitude in unpressurized aircraft according to the guidelines?
• What is the purpose of weight-and-balance calculations and how are they used on a flight?
• In a level coordinated turn, the lift vector tilts, reducing the vertical component relative to total lift.
• Which stability description applies when the airplane holds a new attitude after a control input?
• Which statement about stall speeds is supported by the material?
• A stall occurs when the wing's critical angle of attack is exceeded.
• If an airplane is loaded to the rear of its CG range, it will tend to be unstable about which axis?
• If the airplane attitude remains in a new position after the elevator control is pressed forward and released, the airplane displays which stability condition?
• During a level coordinated turn in smooth air, wing loading depends upon which factor?
• What is the primary purpose of a Mode C transponder?
• Which factors determine the choice of holding pattern entry methods?
• During approach, which parameter is most critical to prevent stalls?
• During the transition from straight-and-level flight to a climb, the angle of attack is increased and lift is momentarily increased.
• An aircraft wing is designed to produce lift as a result of what pressure difference?
• What changes in airplane longitudinal control must be made to maintain altitude while the airspeed is being decreased? Increase the angle of attack to compensate for the decreasing lift.
• In a glide with an angle of attack of 10 degrees, how much altitude is lost in 1 mile?
• Higher gross weight affects stall speed and takeoff/landing distances by:
• In takeoff performance, what do V1, VR, and V2 represent, and what does each indicate?
• The ratio of an airplane's true airspeed to the speed of sound in the same atmospheric conditions is called what?
• Vmc is defined as:
• During a coordinated level 45° banked turn, if airspeed is reduced from 98 knots to 85 knots, what happens to the turn radius?
• In small airplanes, spin recovery may be difficult if the CG is rearward; rotation is around the CG.
• Increase in load factor would take place when the angle of bank changes from 60 degrees to 80 degrees by how many Gs?
• Increasing load factor causes stall speed to:
• Baggage weighing 90 pounds is placed in a baggage compartment placarded at 100 pounds. If the airplane experiences +3.5 Gs, the total load on the baggage would be which of the following?
• To maintain altitude during a turn, the angle of attack must be increased to compensate for the decrease in the vertical component of lift.
• Density altitude increases with higher temperatures and lower pressure, which generally results in which effect on performance?
• When planning IFR enroute routes, which factors determine how altitudes are selected?
• If the bank angle is fixed but airspeed increases, the load factor in a level turn will do what?
• In a level flight with a 60° bank, the total load on the airframe for a gross weight of 2,000 pounds is how many pounds?
• In a rapid recovery from a dive, the effects of load factor would cause the stall speed to increase.
• Which action increases the rate of turn and decreases the turning radius?
• Why does high density altitude affect engine performance and detonation risk?
• What is the difference between a power-on stall and a power-off stall, and how would you recover?
• Which factor is not listed as affecting stall speed in the provided material?
• If an airplane is loaded to the rear of its CG range, instability is exhibited about which axis?
• During stall recovery, after reducing angle of attack, what is the recommended next step?
• Compared with out of ground effect, in-ground-effect at the same angle of attack yields what change in lift and induced drag?
• In a level turn, increasing the bank angle requires a greater amount of lift, which increases the load factor. This implies that:
• What is the primary purpose of autopilot in a transport airplane, and when might it be disengaged during training?
• What is wind shear, where is it most dangerous, and how can pilots mitigate it?
• In a level coordinated turn with a 60° bank, the load factor is how many times the gross weight?
• An aircraft airfoil is designed to produce lift resulting from a difference in the air pressure:
• Which statement about load factor is correct?
• At what cabin pressure altitude is oxygen required for crew for any duration, according to the guidelines?
• What is the best-glide speed used for engine-out procedures?
• What are METAR and TAF, and how are they used in flight planning?
• What are the primary hazards of thunderstorms and how should you plan to avoid them?
• Increasing airfoil camber at a fixed angle of attack typically causes:
• Which factor does not directly affect lift?
• What is detonation (fuel burn) in a piston engine and how is it prevented?
• Which would best indicate to the pilot that the load factor on the airframe has increased?
• In steady-level flight, which pair of forces balance to maintain altitude?
• In small airplanes, normal recovery from spins may become difficult if the CG is too far rearward, and rotation is around the CG.
• In steady, unaccelerated flight, for a given angle of attack, the necessary lift is achieved at what airspeed?
• A forward center of gravity influences elevator effectiveness, stall speed, and stability as follows:
• Which icing conditions require anti-ice/de-ice systems and what are common indicators of icing?
• Why is it necessary to increase back elevator pressure to maintain altitude during a turn?
• Recovery from a stall becomes more difficult when its center of gravity moves aft.
• Some aircraft are fitted with wing spoilers to decrease lift.
• In a level banked turn at a fixed bank angle, what is the effect on turn radius when airspeed decreases?
• Aft center of gravity effects on longitudinal stability and pitch response are:
• Which flight condition yields maximum range and best glide?
• Which of the following is a valid compressibility effect when crossing the critical Mach number, with correct answer at the second option?
• The speed that yields the maximum lift-to-drag ratio in steady flight is associated with which performance?
• What is the fundamental purpose of a holding pattern in air traffic control?
• In 3 statute miles of gliding at an angle of attack of 8 degrees, what altitude is lost?
• Using the diagram, the critical angle of attack is 20 degrees.
• Which is a direct consequence of increasing angle of attack on a typical wing?
• A rectangular wing tends to stall first at the wing root, with stall progression toward the wingtip. This statement is:
• By changing the angle of attack of a wing, the pilot can control the airplane's:
• Which of the following are typical components of an aircraft electrical system in a small airplane?
• A pilot who intends to maintain level flight must coordinate the angle of attack and thrust.
• While maintaining a constant angle of bank and altitude, decreasing the rate of turn will result in what change to the load factor?
• In steady-state level flight, the opposing forces are equal in magnitude.
• Which factor is NOT typically considered when selecting enroute altitudes?
• Deploying flaps decreases stall speed.
• What are the general entry requirements for Class D airspace?
• An airplane leaving ground effect will experience which of the following changes?
• In instrument flight, a holding pattern entry is commonly described as a racetrack pattern used to stack arriving aircraft. Which methods are the common entry options?
• Turbulence, by increasing stall speed, necessitates operating below the maneuvering speed V_A.
• What is a typical instrument scan technique for maintaining control and orientation in IMC?
• Which statement is correct regarding stall speeds in a power-on stall with a 60-degree bank?
• To increase the rate of turn and at the same time decrease the radius, a pilot should do which of the following?
• On a wing, lift and drag act in which directions relative to the flight path?
• The design maneuvering speed is defined as:
• What are the two primary sources of power for most flight instruments and electrical systems on modern airplanes, and what happens if one fails?
• In steady flight, the airspeed that yields maximum glide range is associated with which condition?
• Which statement best describes how fuel system design affects weight and balance?
• The stall speed of an airplane is most affected by variations in airplane loading.
• At high speeds near or beyond the critical Mach, which event can occur as a compressibility effect, with the correct choice being the second option?
• The load factor is the ratio of which two quantities?
• Wind shear is most dangerous near convective activity and frontal zones. Which mitigation strategy is most effective?
• What performance is characteristic of flight at maximum lift/drag ratio in a propeller-driven airplane?
• Beyond the critical Mach speed, what is a recognized compressibility effect?
• What is the role of a voltage regulator in an aircraft electrical system?
• Which statement correctly describes how lift is produced on a wing?
• What is the difference between magnetic north and true north, and how do you convert between them?
• Longitudinal stability is primarily controlled by which control surface?
• MOCA stands for Minimum Obstacle Clearance Altitude, and what is a key limitation of MOCA compared with MEA?
• What is pre-ignition and how does it differ from detonation?
• Which statement about aft center of gravity and stall recovery is true?
• In steady-state level flight, thrust must balance which aerodynamic force?
• As Mach approaches and exceeds the critical Mach, which compressibility effect may occur?
• Which statement correctly describes the effect of increasing bank angle on lift components?
• The angle of attack directly controls:
• Density altitude is defined as pressure altitude corrected for temperature; why is it important for performance?
• What is the primary purpose of operating at the best-glide speed during engine-out?
• The lift-to-drag ratio at an angle of attack of 2 degrees is approximately the same as the lift-to-drag ratio at which angle?
• The load factor for a 60-degree banked turn is how many Gs?
• As the angle of bank is increased, the vertical component of lift decreases and the horizontal component of lift increases.
• Blockages in the pitot-static system can cause which indications?
• To generate the same amount of lift as altitude is increased, an airplane must be flown at a higher true airspeed for any given angle of attack.
• Which statement is true about stall speeds and bank angle?
• Which factor best indicates positive or negative G forces acting on an aircraft?
• When is a flight plan required for IFR operations?
• Across high-speed flight, which issue may be observed as a compressibility effect when crossing the critical Mach number?
• Forward center of gravity affects stability by:
• If air density increases while the airspeed remains the same, which statement best describes lift and drag?