Pilots Handbook Chapter 3 Flashcards

Aviation Product Certification

• FAA certifies three types of aviation products: aircraft, aircraft engines, and propellers.
• Airworthiness standards ensure aviation products are designed to minimize unsafe features.

Type Certificates

• A Type Certificate includes a data sheet that outlines key design and operational characteristics of certified aviation products.

Airworthiness Certificates

• Standard airworthiness certificates are white and issued for normal, utility, acrobatic, commuter, or transport category aircraft.
• Special airworthiness certificates are pink and issued for restricted, limited category aircraft, and light sport aircraft.

Forces Acting on Aircraft

• Four forces act during straight and level, unaccelerated flight: thrust, lift, weight, and drag.
• Thrust is the forward force from the power plant/propeller and counters drag.
• Drag is the rearward force that opposes thrust, caused by airflow disruption.
• Weight is the gravitational force pulling the aircraft downward, including all loads.
• Lift counteracts weight and arises from dynamic airflow over the wings.

Aircraft Structure Components

• The fuselage is the central body designed for crew, passengers, and cargo.
• Wings are the primary lifting surfaces essential for flight.
• Ailerons are wing control surfaces that facilitate rolling motion.
• Flaps increase lift for takeoffs and landings by moving downwards.
• Trim tabs are small surfaces that reduce control pressure on larger control surfaces.

Tail Section and Landing Gear

• The empennage includes the rudder, elevator, and trim tabs, controlling yaw and pitch.
• The rudder moves the aircraft's nose left and right during flight.
• Landing gear supports the aircraft on the ground during various phases of operation.

Powerplant and Propeller

• The powerplant consists of the engine and propeller.
• The engine provides power for the propeller and generates electrical and vacuum power.
• The propeller converts engine rotation into thrust, propelling the aircraft forward.

Aircraft Subcomponents

• An airplane's subcomponents include the airframe, electrical system, flight controls, and brakes.
• The airframe withstands aerodynamic forces and supports the weight of the aircraft.

Aircraft Electrical System

• The primary function of the electrical system is to generate, regulate, and distribute electrical power.

Flight Controls and Braking System

• Flight controls manage altitude and aircraft flight path.
• The braking system consists of caliper pads and rotors that engage to decelerate the aircraft.

Structural Types

• Truss structure utilizes welded tubing to form a stiff framework.
• Monocoque structure uses stressed skin to bear loads, akin to an aluminum can.
• Semi-monocoque structure combines substructure elements with stressed skin for added support.

Composite Materials

• In 2005, over 35% of newly constructed aircraft utilized composite materials, known for their lighter weight.
• Common reinforcing fibers in aircraft construction include fiberglass and carbon fiber.
• Advantages of composites include reduced weight, but they lack visible damage indicators.

Lightning Strikes on Aircraft

• Lightning strikes deliver significant energy that needs to be dissipated over a large area to prevent damage.

Instrumentation

• Performance instruments (altimeter, airspeed indicator, etc.) reveal the aircraft's performance metrics.
• Control instruments display immediate attitude and power changes in precise increments.
• Navigation instruments help ascertain the aircraft's position relative to navigation facilities.
• The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system developed by the U.S. Department of Defense.