Test Pilot

GENERAL

1. From reader Ben Moyle: What was the first U.S. airplane to be equipped with counterrotating propellers?
2. From reader John V. Graff: Charles was a wealthy sportsman and engineer who was killed in a Wright Flyer; Henry struggled from humble beginnings to become an engineer. Their first creation went into production in 1907. What was (were) the last name(s) of this famous duo?
3. Why did early pilots refer to their autopilots as George (as in "let George do it")?
4. From reader Harv Denton: How is it possible in many types of airplanes to experience reversed effect of a primary flight control during upright, 1-G flight?
5. From reader Michael Gibbons: Under what conditions might a tower controller instruct a pilot to "begin a high-speed taxi"?
6. What is the definition of a slow airplane?
7. David Hinson was the eleventh FAA administrator. Can you name five of his predecessors (excluding acting administrators)?

MULTIPE CHOICE

8. When an FAA-certificated pilot flies his U.S.-registered airplane outside the United States (including Canada and Mexico), he must abide by
   1. the Federal Aviation Regulations.
   2. regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
   3. the regulations of the host country.
   4. all of the above
9. The first production, pressurized, piston-powered, general aviation twin was the
   1. Aero Commander 720 Alti-Cruiser
   2. Beech Queen Air 88
   3. Cessna 421 Golden Eagle
   4. Piper PA-31P Navajo
10. Which of the following does not belong?
    1. amber
    2. green
    3. magenta
    4. red
11. Which of the following does not belong?
    1. aileron
    2. barrel
    3. slow
    4. snap

TRUE OR FALSE

12. A turbocharged engine developing 36 inches of manifold pressure and 2,700 rpm at sea level produces 300 hp. The same manifold pressure and rpm at 20,000 feet msl results in the same horsepower.
13. From reader Jim Clarkson: The word virga, which means rain or ice particles that evaporate before reaching the ground, is an acronym.
14. Pressing the balls of both feet firmly and equally against the bottoms of both rudder pedals reduces aircraft yaw in turbulence.

ANSWERS

1. The Wright Flyer (1903). The first U.S. production airplane appears to have been the Lockheed P-38 Lightning.
2. Rolls and Royce. Their first product was the "Silver Ghost" automobile.
3. Early autopilots were called gyroscopic systems (or G systems, for short). In the old phonetic alphabet, George (instead of Golf) represented the letter G.
4. Aileron reversal can occur when attempting to roll while on the verge of a stall. An aileron deflected downward (to raise a wing) increases the angle of attack of that wing, induces a stall, and lowers the wing.
5. The instruction might be issued to an aircraft holding in position on the runway and immediately prior to a takeoff clearance to make room between an aircraft on short final and one that is slow to clear the runway.
6. A slow airplane is one that receives a bird strike from behind.
7. Elwood Quesada, Najeeb Halaby, William McKee, John Shaffer, Alexander Butterfield, John Lucas, J. Lynn Helms, Donald Engen, T. Allen McArtor, and James Busey IV.
8. (d) When any of these regulations are in conflict, the pilot must abide by the most restrictive ones (per FAR 91.703). It is the pilot's responsibility to know the applicable regulations.
9. (a) The Alti-Cruiser was first produced in 1958. The others were introduced in 1966, 1967, and 1970, respectively.
10. (c) Amber, green, and red — along with blue — were the designations for the low/medium-frequency airways that preceded Victor (VHF) airways.
11. (d) The snap roll is essentially a spin performed about a horizontal axis and is the only one of the four rolls performed while the airplane is stalled.
12. False. The compressed air from the turbocharger results in a much higher induction temperature, which usually results in less horsepower (assuming that the engine is not fitted with an intercooler).
13. False. Virga is derived from a Latin word that means spray. The notion that virga is an acronym derived from vermogenig indizienbeewis regen geschehenligh ahoc is a myth.
14. True. During a right yaw, for example, the tail moves left, and the rudder would otherwise move right because the relative wind (from the left) would push it that way. This exacerbates yaw. Holding the rudder in place improves directional stability.