Checkride-ready
See how you measure up to FAA standards with questions from the AOPA Pilot Information Center.
1. The minimum flight visibility required for visual flight rules (VFR) flights above 10,000 feet msl and more than 1,200 feet agl in controlled airspace is
A. 5 miles.
B. 1 mile.
C. 3 miles.
2. What often leads to spatial disorientation or collision with the ground or obstacles when flying under VFR?
A. Duck-under syndrome.
B. Getting behind the aircraft.
C. Continuing VFR flight into instrument conditions.
3. The danger of spatial disorientation during flight in poor visual conditions may be reduced by
A. having faith in the instruments rather than taking a chance on the sensory organs.
B. leaning the body in the opposite direction of the motion of the aircraft.
C. shifting the eyes quickly between the exterior visual field and the instrument panel.
4. Which would provide the greatest gain in altitude in the shortest distance during climb after takeoff?
A. VY.
B. VX.
C. VA.
5. A student pilot certificate is a pilot certificate. Because of this, it is permissible for a student pilot to carry another student pilot on board, as the other student pilot is not considered a passenger.
A. True
B. False
C. It depends on the circumstances.
Ace
Can you correctly answer these questions from retired TWA captain and 28,000-hour pilot Barry Schiff?
6. What special restrictions do the federal aviation regulations impose on aerobatic flight at night?
7. A pilot who has made a forced landing needs to advise the pilot of a rescue aircraft circling overhead that urgent medical assistance is required. Assuming that radio communications are not possible, what body signal should the downed pilot use to convey this message?
8. The absence of a ceiling (or sky condition) and visibility on an ATIS broadcast indicates that these have been observed to be at least
A. 3,000 feet and 3 miles.
B. 3,000 feet and 5 miles.
C. 5,000 feet and 5 miles.
D. 5,000 feet and 8 miles.
9. What does a G-meter indicate during steady knife-edge flight while the aircraft is maintaining a constant heading?
10. True or false? It is legal for a pilot to land in a crosswind that exceeds the maximum demonstrated crosswind published in the pilot’s operating handbook.
Illustrations by Ryan Snook
Final Exam Answers
1. The correct answer is A. Additionally, 1,000 feet clearance above and below clouds must be maintained, as well as 1 statute mile horizontal distance from clouds. (FAR 91.155)
2. The correct answer is C. Still a leading cause of general aviation accidents, pressing on as weather deteriorates rather than turning around or landing can lead to spatial disorientation, which can lead to colliding with terrain, or loss of control accidents. (Pilot’s Handbook of Aviation Knowledge, Chapter 17)
3. The correct answer is A. Changing body positions and looking back and forth from inside to outside in poor visual conditions can exacerbate spatial disorientation. Become proficient in the use of flight instruments and rely upon them. Trust the instruments, as they are usually correct, and disregard your sensory perceptions. (Pilot’s Handbook of Aviation Knowledge, Chapter 17)
4. The correct answer is B. This is commonly known as the short-field climb-out speed, or best angle of climb speed, to be used when you have to clear an obstacle or gain the greatest amount of altitude in the shortest horizontal distance. (FAR 1.2)
5. The correct answer is B. This is false. A student pilot may never carry a passenger. The other student pilot on board would be considered a passenger as he is not required under any regulation to be onboard for the flight. (FAR 61.89)
6. None. The same rules apply to aerobatics performed at night as those performed during the day.
7. He should lie on his back with his arms extended horizontally above his head. Body signals can be found in chapter 6 of the Aeronautical Information Manual.
8. The correct answer is C. When reported, ceiling is expressed in feet above ground level (agl) and visibility is expressed in statute miles.
9. A conventional G-meter measures acceleration along the airplane’s vertical axis. During knife-edge flight on a constant heading, the meter would indicate 0 Gs.
10. True. The maximum demonstrated crosswind is not a limitation. It is simply the maximum crosswind component that was available to test pilots during the certification process of the airplane.
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