Test Pilot

GENERAL

1. Why can taildraggers typically be made to slip more steeply (and have steeper descent angles) than aircraft with tricycle landing gear?
2. What would cause an airspeed indicator to behave like an altimeter? In other words, indicated airspeed would increase with an increase in altitude and decrease with a decrease in altitude, irrespective of pitch and/or power changes.
3. What is or was the world's fastest, highest-flying airplane?
4. What is the difference between an inverted normal loop and an inverted outside loop?
5. Why is the cluster of engine controls in a cockpit often called a control quadrant?
6. _______ manufactured Skymasters at the beginning of World War II, but _______ did not produce them until 1961.
7. The first person to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross was _______, and the only civilian to receive one was _______.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

8. Which of the following describe(s) the changes that occur to a flow of subsonic air as it enters a venturi tube and approaches the throat (narrowest cross-section)?

   1. airspeed decreases
   2. airspeed increases
   3. density decreases
   4. density increases
   5. pressure decreases
   6. pressure increases

9. A pilot wants to fly as perfectly a rectangular pattern as possible while in the left traffic pattern to Runway 36 at a time when the wind is strong and from the northeast. This requires that the radius of all corners be the same with respect to the ground. Assuming a constant airspeed throughout the pattern, the most steeply banked turn will be required when turning from

   1. base to final.
   2. crosswind to downwind.
   3. downwind to base.
   4. upwind to crosswind.

10. Which of the following does not belong?

    1. Fowler
    2. Friese
    3. slotted
    4. split
    5. Zap

TRUE OR FALSE

11. During 1942, the first full year of America's involvement in World War II, there were more airports in the United States than there are today.
12. The minimum safe altitude for an airplane over a congested area is 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet.
13. An FAA-certificated pilot may log flight time as pilot in command of an ultralight airplane.
14. A strong wind is blowing across a narrow gorge or canyon. The strongest downdrafts are found on the downwind side of the gorge.

ANSWERS

1. Because of their directional instability on the ground, taildraggers typically are provided with relatively large rudders. These make it possible to enter and maintain larger slip angles.
2. A blocked pitot tube. When the pitot is clogged, air pressure in the bourdon tube (diaphragm inside the instrument) remains constant. Decreasing static pressure during a climb allows the diaphragm to expand and the airspeed indication to increase. The opposite occurs during descent.
3. The rocket-powered North American X–15 was launched from a "mother" aircraft, achieved a speed of 4,534 mph (3,940 knots), and holds an altitude record of 354,330 feet.
4. An inverted normal loop is begun by pulling the nose down from an inverted attitude; an inverted outside loop is begun by pushing the nose up from an inverted attitude.
5. On early aircraft (especially multiengine aircraft), engine controls were moved through a 90-degree arc or quadrant. With the obvious exception of push-pull controls, modern engine controls typically move through a smaller arc (less than a quadrant).
6. The Douglas C–54 Skymaster was the military variant of the four-engine DC–4, and Cessna's versions were the "push-me, pull-you" models 336 (fixed landing gear) and 337 (retractable gear).
7. Capt. Charles A. Lindbergh (Army Air Corps Reserve), who also was awarded the Medal of Honor, and Amelia Earhart.
8. (b) and (e) only. Air density does not change. In the case of supersonic air, airspeed decreases, density increases, and pressure increases. Engine inlets of a supersonic aircraft are designed to slow down incoming air to subsonic speed so that shock waves cannot enter and damage these engines.
9. (b) There are two reasons for this. The groundspeed and required heading change are greatest during this turn. This can be confirmed by sketching such a rectangular course and showing the crab direction on each leg.
10. (b) The others are types of flaps. The Friese aileron was designed to reduce or eliminate adverse yaw effect. When the Friese aileron moves up, a lip on the leading edge of the aileron extends beneath the bottom of the wing and increases drag on that wing.
11. False. It wasn't even close. There were only 1,084 "landing fields" in the 48 states in 1942. As of January 1, 1998, there were 18,345 landing facilities (including heliports, STOLports, and seaplane bases), of which 13,192 were airports.
12. False. The statement is only partially correct. The aircraft also must be high enough to permit an emergency landing in the event of power failure without endangering people or property on the ground. Refer to FAR 91.119(a).
13. True. A pilot may log anything he'd like. Such flight time, however, may not be used to satisfy currency or experience requirements.
14. True. Also, the worst turbulence is found between the middle and the downwind side of the gorge.