Checkride-ready
See how you measure up to FAA standards with questions from the AOPA Pilot Information Center.
1. When can hazardous wind shear be expected?
A. Following frontal passage when stratocumulus clouds form, indicating mechanical mixing.
B. In areas of low-level temperature inversion, frontal zones, and clear air turbulence.
C. When stable air crosses a mountain barrier where it tends to flow in layers, forming lenticular clouds.
2. The numbers 2 and 20 on a runway indicate that the runway is oriented approximately
A. 2 degrees and 20 degrees true.
B. 20 degrees and 200 degrees magnetic.
C. 20 degrees and 200 degrees true.
3. If an in-flight emergency requires immediate action, the pilot in command may
A. not deviate from any rule of FAR Part 91 unless prior to the deviation, approval is granted by the administrator.
B. deviate from any rule of FAR Part 91 to the extent required to meet the emergency, but must submit a written report to the administrator within 24 hours.
C. deviate from any rule of FAR Part 91 to the extent required to meet that emergency.
4. A state of temporary confusion resulting from misleading information being sent to the brain by various sensory organs is defined as
A. spatial disorientation.
B. hyperventilation.
C. hypoxia.
5. What should an owner or operator know about airworthiness directives (ADs)?
A. They are voluntary.
B. They are mandatory.
C. They are for informational purposes only.
Ace
Can you correctly answer these questions from retired TWA captain and 28,000-hour pilot Barry Schiff?
6. What is the difference between a derated engine and a flat-rated engine?
7. A pilot takes off from an airport at high density altitude in a lightplane with a turbocharged engine that develops approximately the same horsepower that it does at sea level. Takeoff distance, however, is greater than at sea level primarily because
A. the aircraft must accelerate to a greater indicated airspeed.
B. the aircraft must accelerate to a greater groundspeed.
C. of the change in stall speed.
D. Takeoff distance is the same in both cases.
8. True or false? Water vapor is lighter than air.
9. When performing an ignition check prior to departure, a pilot turns off one magneto, returns to Both, turns off the other mag, and returns to Both. Why is it important to return to the Both position between the checking of each magneto?
10. A sign indicating the halfway point of the runway is installed next to some unimproved runways. How is a pilot supposed to utilize this information?
Illustrations by John Ueland
Final exam answers
1. The correct answer is B. Wind shear is a sudden, drastic change in wind speed and/or direction over a very small area. While wind shear can occur at any altitude, low-level wind shear is especially hazardous because of the proximity of an aircraft to the ground. Low-level wind shear is commonly associated with passing frontal systems, thunderstorms, temperature inversions, and strong upper-level winds greater than 25 knots. (Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Chapter 12)
2. The correct answer is B. Runways are oriented and numbered in reference to magnetic north. While on the runway for takeoff, or aligning for landing, you should see that Runway 2 is approximately 20 degrees magnetic, and Runway 20 is approximately 200 degrees magnetic. (Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Chapter 14)
3. The correct answer is C. FAR 91.3 authorizes a pilot to deviate from any flight rule, as needed and as necessary to overcome that emergency. A written report of the deviation is required to be sent only if requested by the FAA.
4. The correct answer is A. Spatial disorientation refers to the lack of orientation with regard to the position, attitude, or movement of the aircraft in space. All sensory information comes together in the brain, and most of the time, streams of information agree. Flying can sometimes cause conflicting information to reach the brain, which can lead to disorientation. Prevention is usually the best remedy for spatial disorientation; VFR flight should be avoided in reduced visibility or at night when the horizon is not visible. (Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Chapter 17)
5. The correct answer is B. FAR 39.3 notes that airworthiness directives are legally enforceable rules that apply to aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers, and appliances (installed equipment and components like alternators, magnetos, mufflers, fuel pumps, and others). Owners and operators are required to comply with ADs, and pilots must confirm, via logbook entries, that ADs have been complied with.
6. A derated engine is typically a piston engine that has been physically limited by its manufacturer to produce less power than that for which it was originally designed. A flat-rated engine is typically a turboprop engine that can develop more power (at low altitude) than the pilot is allowed to use.
7. The correct answer is B. Although the indicated airspeed when lifting off at the higher altitude is the same as at sea level, this translates into a higher true airspeed and thus a higher groundspeed, which increases the required takeoff distance.
8. True. This is why humid air—which contains water vapor—is less dense than dry air, which contains no water vapor.
9. Returning to Both allows the engine to stabilize at the normal, precheck rpm so that each magneto is checked from a common starting point. This makes valid a comparison of the two rpm drops (one for each magneto). Also, the short period on Both allows oil and fuel to burn off the set of spark plugs that were deactivated when the first mag was turned off.
10. The Aeronautical Information Manual states that a pilot should reach at least 70 percent of the airplane’s liftoff airspeed by the time it reaches the halfway point. If not, he might want to consider aborting the takeoff. (Refer to Aeronautical Information Manual 7-5-7 for elaboration.)
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