Test Pilot

GENERAL

1. One of the most famous airplanes in the world is the Piper J-3 Cub. What does the "J" stand for?
2. Describe a relatively easy method for converting degrees Celsius into degrees Fahrenheit without using a chart, calculator, or pen and paper.
3. Why did all transatlantic air service terminate in May 1937?
4. Reader Rob Edwards asks: Underlining the frequency of a VOR station in the frequency box on a sectional chart is used to indicate that communications is not available on that frequency. What is indicated when the name of the station is underlined?
5. When using a VASI (visual approach slope indicator), a pilot is assured safe obstruction clearance only when he is within _____ degrees of the extended runway centerline and is no more than _____ nm from the runway threshold.
6. Reader David McGlumphy asks: What is the minimum safe altitude (agl) when overflying an area designated on a sectional chart by a parachute symbol?

TRUE OR FALSE

7. A passenger is seated behind the center of gravity of an airplane and is holding a slip-skid instrument in his hand so that he can observe it while facing forward. The pilot depresses the right rudder pedal. At such a time, the ball in the pilot's instrument moves left, but the passenger's ball moves toward the right side of the airplane.
8. During stabilized cruise flight on a constant heading, the advancing rotor blade of a helicopter has more airspeed and, therefore, creates more lift than the retreating blade.
9. Aerobatic maneuvers may not be conducted in aircraft that are not certificated in the aerobatic category.
10. Pilots operating conventional piston engines with constant-speed propellers can save fuel and reduce engine wear by reducing rpm and increasing manifold pressure to maintain the same horsepower as is obtained with increased rpm and reduced manifold pressure.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

11. Which of the following does not belong?
    1. acceleration error
    2. dip error
    3. heeling error
    4. northerly turning error
12. The letters "DC" in DC-3, DC-10, and so forth, stand for
    1. Douglas Civilian.
    2. Douglas Commercial.
    3. Douglas Company.
    4. Douglas Corporation.
13. A pilot drains a sample from a wing tank containing an approximately equal mixture of 80/87 octane (red dye) and 100/130 octane (blue dye) fuel. The sample will have the appearance of
    1. water.
    2. Jet A fuel.
    3. 80/87 octane fuel.
    4. 100/130 octane fuel.

ANSWERS

1. The letter "J" represents the name of Walter C. Jamouneau, William Piper's chief engineer during the evolution of the J-2 and J-3 Cubs.
2. Double the value of Celsius, deduct 10 percent of the result, and add 32.
3. In May 1937 the Hindenburg erupted in flames at Lakehurst, New Jersey, which abruptly ended the use of hydrogen-filled airships. Boeing 314 flying boats enabled the resumption of service in 1939.
4. The underlined name indicates that the VOR station is a designated visual checkpoint to be used for position reporting.
5. 10 degrees and 4 nautical miles.
6. There is none (except when operating in Class A, B, or C airspace and being advised by air traffic control of skydiving operations). Otherwise, it is suggested that pilots give parachute jumping areas a wide berth.
7. True. The nose moves to the right at such a time, which causes a normal slip-skid ball to move left. The tail, however, moves left, which causes a slip-skid ball behind the center of gravity to move right. A slip-skid ball situated at the pivot point of the aircraft would not move at all during a wings-level skid.
8. False. If this were so, the rotor disk would be unbalanced and the excess lift on the side of the advancing blade would cause the helicopter to roll forcefully toward the retreating rotor blade.
9. False. Limited aerobatic maneuvers often are permitted when operating some normal-category airplanes in the utility category when the pilot complies with limitations published in the pilot's operating handbook.
10. True. Most modern piston engines have an approved power range for which this practice is approved. Often, however, the approved power settings are not published in the pilot's operating handbook for the airplane and must be obtained from the operator's handbook published by the engine manufacturer.
11. (b) The other choices are errors caused by magnetic dip, which is not an error. Instead, dip is the vertical component of the Earth's magnetic field at any given location.
12. (b) Technically, the DC-3 is the Douglas Commercial [Model Number] 3, and so forth.
13. (a) The red and blue dyes can neutralize each other and give the appearance of a clear liquid.