Aircraft Systems and Navigation Quiz

A system that compares the aircraft's position with a database of terrain and obstacles to identify potential hazards during flight.

A ground-based system that receives information from air traffic control facilities to provide pilots with the locations of nearby aircraft, alerting them to potential conflicts.

An instrument used to measure Earth's magnetic field, which determines the aircraft's heading and sends this information to the AHRS.

An aircraft instrument that combines information from multiple sensors to calculate the aircraft's attitude, heading, and altitude.

The process of setting a reference attitude for the AHRS, which is crucial for accurate measurement of future attitude changes.

An electrical component that helps to power essential aircraft systems when the main power sources fail. It's typically a smaller, reserve battery that's kept charged and ready to activate.

The standby battery powers a dedicated set of circuits that are crucial for maintaining essential aircraft systems in an emergency. It typically includes displays for altitude, heading, and other basic flight parameters.

This unit combines input from various sensors to calculate and display the aircraft's attitude and heading, which is vital for maintaining safe flight control.

If one of the electronic flight displays (PFD or MFD) fails, some aircraft systems can switch to a 'reversion' mode, which displays primary flight instruments and engine instruments on the remaining operative display.

A device responsible for converting raw air pressure and temperature data into usable flight information.

An Air Data Computer (ADC) failure will result in red Xs displayed on the PFD for the airspeed, altitude, and vertical speed indicators.

The Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS) provides attitude information to the PFD. If it fails, the attitude indicator will display a red X.

The primary visual display for piloting information. It often combines altitude, heading, speed, and other essential data in one central location.

A magnetometer loss affects the AHRS by preventing it from accurately providing heading information.

In advanced aircraft with sophisticated systems like Flight Management Systems (FMS) and autopilots, a single equipment failure can cascade and affect other systems.

An elongated area of low atmospheric pressure where air converges, rises, and creates cloudiness and precipitation, often associated with bad weather.

An elongated area of high atmospheric pressure where air diverges, descends, and dissipates cloudiness, often associated with good weather.

A boundary separating moist and dry air masses, often stretching hundreds of miles. It can cause severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, especially in the US Great Plains.

When a cold front moves into a region, it brings with it a rapid temperature drop, heavy precipitation, possible thunderstorms, and sometimes tornadoes.

When a warm front moves into a region, it brings with it gradual warming, drizzle, stratus clouds, and poor visibility.

Atmospheric pressure decreases by approximately 1 inch of mercury (inHg) for every 1,000 feet increase in altitude.

Standard sea level conditions are 15°C (59°F) for temperature and 29.92 inHg for pressure.

In the Northern Hemisphere, air flows inward, upward, and counterclockwise around a low-pressure system. Air flows outward, downward, and clockwise around a high-pressure system.

Low-pressure systems are associated with rising air, which creates cloudiness, precipitation, and potentially bad weather. High-pressure systems are associated with descending air, resulting in clear skies and good weather.

A cold front is the boundary where cold air replaces warmer air. A warm front is the boundary where warm air replaces cooler air.

An occluded front occurs when a faster-moving cold front overtakes a slower-moving warm front.

A stationary front occurs when two air masses are balanced, with little movement. It can result in prolonged mixed weather.

Ice accumulation rate requires occasional manual deicing.

Ice forms on aircraft in clouds below freezing temperatures.

Ice accumulation rate is slightly higher than sublimation rate (less than 0.5 inches per hour on the outer wing).

Icing is more variable and depends on the cloud's developmental stage. It can be clear or mixed with rime in the upper levels.

Typically between 3,000 and 4,000 feet, rime and mixed icing are common.

This is a glossy, clear, or translucent ice formed by the relatively slow freezing of large, supercooled water droplets. It forms when only a small portion of the droplet freezes immediately, while the remaining unfrozen portion flows over the aircraft surface.

This is a rough, milky, and opaque ice formed by the instantaneous freezing of small, supercooled water droplets. It favors colder temperatures (below -15°C), lower liquid water content, and smaller droplets.

This is a mixture of clear ice and rime ice, forming as an airplane collects both types due to small-scale variations in liquid water content, temperature, and droplet sizes. It appears as layers of relatively clear and opaque ice when viewed from the side, posing a similar hazard to clear ice. It can form horns or other shapes, disrupting airflow and causing handling and performance problems.

Refers to the ice that forms on aircraft surfaces and components.

Refers to ice in the engine's induction system.

The rate of ice accumulation is so high that even the most sophisticated ice protection systems cannot remove it effectively. This condition is extremely dangerous and requires immediate action to exit the icing area.

The rate of ice accumulation is moderate, requiring frequent use of de-icing systems to prevent excessive build-up. The pilot should prioritize exiting this condition.

A boundary between two air masses with different temperatures and moisture content. They can cause various weather phenomena like thunderstorms, tornadoes, and changes in temperature and precipitation.

The altitude at which the temperature drops below freezing, crucial for avoiding icing conditions by flying above or below the level.

A low-pressure area often associated with cloudiness, precipitation, and potentially icing conditions.

Planning a route that avoids areas with potential icing conditions or uses altitudes above the freezing level to minimize exposure.

Loading close to maximum gross weight reduces climb performance, making it harder to climb above icing conditions.

Consider climb or descent strategies to avoid icing, factoring in terrain, airspace, procedures, and approaches.

Extra fuel may be needed for icing systems, drag, and ice build-up. Increased power might be needed to maintain altitude and airspeed.

Winds generally flow across isobars at an angle because of surface friction.

When temperature and dew point are close together, it suggests there is a lot of moisture in the air, which can lead to clouds, fog, or dew.

Atmospheric stability determines the type and vertical extent of clouds. A stable atmosphere inhibits vertical cloud development, while an unstable atmosphere promotes vertical cloud growth.

A stable atmosphere resists vertical air movement, while an unstable atmosphere encourages it. Instability causes turbulence, vertical cloud development, and severe weather.

Atmospheric stability is determined by temperature changes with height. If temperature decreases rapidly with altitude, it's unstable. If temperature decreases slowly, it's stable. This is called the lapse rate.

The Lifted Index (LI) and Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) are used to evaluate atmospheric stability and the potential for thunderstorms. High CAPE values indicate a strong likelihood of severe weather, while low LI values suggest instability.

Changes in atmospheric stability are often caused by air movement, but day/night temperature variations also play a role. For example, the sun heating the ground creates unstable air, while cooling at night leads to stable air.

If temperature lapse rates increase, atmospheric stability decreases, making the air more likely to develop thunderstorms. If temperature lapse rates decrease, atmospheric stability increases.