ASA Ground Instructor Basic (BGI) Exam
Questions And Correct Answers (Verified
Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
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SECTION 1 — AERODYNAMICS & PRINCIPLES OF FLIGHT
1. The primary purpose of the rudder on an airplane is to control
A. overbanking tendency — Incorrect: overbanking is a roll tendency in steep turns, addressed with
aileron.
B. pitch — Incorrect: pitch about the lateral axis is the elevator's function.
C. yaw — ✅ Correct: the rudder controls movement about the vertical axis, which is yaw.
2. What is the angle between the chord line of the wing and the relative wind?
A. Aspect ratio — Incorrect: aspect ratio is span-to-chord proportion.
B. Dihedral — Incorrect: dihedral is the upward wing angle for lateral stability.
C. Angle of attack — ✅ Correct: AOA is the angle between the wing chord line and the relative wind.
3. Which V-speed represents maneuvering speed?
A. VNO — Incorrect: VNO is maximum structural cruising speed.
B. VA — ✅ Correct: VA is maneuvering speed, the max speed for full, abrupt control movement.
C. VNE — Incorrect: VNE is never-exceed speed.
4. The four forces acting on an aircraft in straight-and-level, unaccelerated flight are
A. lift, weight, thrust, and drag — ✅ Correct: these are the four fundamental aerodynamic forces in
equilibrium.
B. lift, gravity, power, and resistance — Incorrect: nonstandard terminology.
C. upforce, downforce, propulsion, and resistance — Incorrect: invented terms.
5. What is the primary function of flaps?
A. Increase cruise speed — Incorrect: flaps add drag and reduce cruise performance.
,B. Increase lift and drag — ✅ Correct: flaps increase both, allowing steeper, slower approaches.
C. Decrease stall speed and increase descent rate only — Incorrect: "only" is wrong; drag increase is a
key function.
6. In a coordinated turn, what is the relationship between the horizontal and vertical components of lift?
A. Equal — Incorrect: components vary with bank angle.
B. Horizontal component is greater — Incorrect: not generally true.
C. Horizontal and vertical components combine to equal total lift — ✅ Correct: lift tilts, dividing into
components that vector-sum to total lift.
7. What determines the longitudinal stability of an airplane?
A. Rudder deflection — Incorrect: rudder affects yaw, not longitudinal stability.
B. The location of the CG with respect to the center of lift — ✅ Correct: CG ahead of the center of lift
provides positive longitudinal stability.
C. The dihedral angle — Incorrect: dihedral gives lateral stability.
8. The elevator controls movement about which axis?
A. Longitudinal axis — Incorrect: roll about the longitudinal axis is ailerons.
B. Lateral axis — ✅ Correct: the elevator produces pitch about the lateral axis.
C. Vertical axis — Incorrect: yaw about the vertical axis is the rudder.
9. Ailerons control movement about the
A. Longitudinal axis (roll) — ✅ Correct: ailerons roll the aircraft about the longitudinal axis.
B. Lateral axis (pitch) — Incorrect: that is the elevator.
C. Vertical axis (yaw) — Incorrect: that is the rudder.
10. Dihedral angle primarily contributes to
A. Longitudinal stability — Incorrect: that comes from CG/lift relationship.
B. Lateral stability — ✅ Correct: dihedral causes the low wing to generate more lift, rolling the aircraft
level.
C. Directional stability — Incorrect: the vertical fin provides directional stability.
11. Aspect ratio is the ratio of the
A. Wingspan to mean chord — ✅ Correct: aspect ratio = span ÷ chord (or span² ÷ area).
B. Wing area to fuselage length — Incorrect: meaningless ratio.
C. Chord to thickness — Incorrect: that relates to airfoil thickness ratio.
,12. A stall is caused by
A. Excessive airspeed — Incorrect: stalls can occur at any speed.
B. Exceeding the critical angle of attack — ✅ Correct: airflow separates when critical AOA is exceeded.
C. Excessive load factor only — Incorrect: load raises stall speed but AOA causes the stall.
13. As weight increases, stall speed
A. Decreases — Incorrect: heavier wings must fly at higher AOA/speed.
B. Increases — ✅ Correct: more weight requires more lift, raising the speed at which critical AOA is
reached.
C. Is unchanged — Incorrect: stall speed varies with weight.
14. At what angle of attack will an airplane stall?
A. Lower AOA when heavy — Incorrect: critical AOA is constant.
B. Higher AOA when fast — Incorrect: speed does not change critical AOA.
C. The same critical AOA regardless of weight or speed — ✅ Correct: a given airfoil always stalls at its
critical AOA.
15. What is "ground effect"?
A. Increased induced drag near the ground — Incorrect: induced drag is reduced.
B. Reduced induced drag within about one wingspan of the surface — ✅ Correct: interference with
wingtip vortices and downwash reduces induced drag, causing floating.
C. Increased parasite drag on landing — Incorrect: parasite drag is unaffected by ground proximity.
16. Adverse yaw is caused by
A. Greater drag on the descending aileron (raised wing) — ✅ Correct: the down aileron produces more
lift and more drag, yawing the nose opposite the turn.
B. Propeller torque — Incorrect: torque is a separate left-turning tendency.
C. Rudder overcontrol — Incorrect: rudder corrects adverse yaw.
17. P-factor (asymmetric propeller loading) causes left yaw when
A. At low angles of attack — Incorrect: at low AOA the blades are symmetrically loaded.
B. At high angles of attack (climb) — ✅ Correct: the descending right blade has higher AOA and thrust,
yawing the nose left.
C. In a descent — Incorrect: low AOA minimizes P-factor.
18. Torque effect is greatest at
, A. High airspeed, low power — Incorrect: torque is proportional to power.
B. Low airspeed, high power, high AOA — ✅ Correct: reaction to propeller rotation is strongest in high-
power climb.
C. Cruise flight — Incorrect: cruise power and speed reduce torque effect.
19. Spiraling slipstream causes left yaw because
A. The slipstream strikes the left side of the vertical fin — ✅ Correct: the corkscrewed airflow pushes
the tail right, yawing the nose left.
B. The propeller turns counterclockwise — Incorrect: conventional props turn clockwise as seen from
the cockpit.
C. The right main gear creates more drag — Incorrect: unrelated.
20. Gyroscopic precession from a tailwheel takeoff (nose pitching up) tends to yaw the nose
A. Left — Incorrect: precession acts 90° ahead in the plane of rotation.
B. Right — ✅ Correct: force applied at the bottom of the spinning prop appears 90° later, yawing right.
C. Not at all — Incorrect: precession is a real left-turning tendency factor.
21. Load factor is the ratio of
A. Thrust to weight — Incorrect: that relates to climb performance.
B. Lift (wing load) to gross weight — ✅ Correct: load factor = total lift ÷ weight, expressed in Gs.
C. Empty weight to useful load — Incorrect: that is a weight ratio.
22. In a coordinated 60° bank, the load factor is approximately
A. 1.15 G — Incorrect: that is about 30° of bank.
B. 1.41 G — Incorrect: that is 45° of bank.
C. 2.0 G — ✅ Correct: 60° of bank doubles the load factor.
23. Compared to a wings-level stall, stall speed in a 60° bank increases by about
A. 10% — Incorrect: too small.
B. 41% — ✅ Correct: stall speed rises by the square root of load factor (√2 ≈ 1.41).
C. 100% — Incorrect: that would require 4 G.
24. If an airplane's weight is reduced, maneuvering speed (VA) will
A. Increase — Incorrect: lighter aircraft must fly slower to limit loads.
B. Decrease — ✅ Correct: VA drops at lower weight because less lift is needed to reach limit load.
Questions And Correct Answers (Verified
Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf
SECTION 1 — AERODYNAMICS & PRINCIPLES OF FLIGHT
1. The primary purpose of the rudder on an airplane is to control
A. overbanking tendency — Incorrect: overbanking is a roll tendency in steep turns, addressed with
aileron.
B. pitch — Incorrect: pitch about the lateral axis is the elevator's function.
C. yaw — ✅ Correct: the rudder controls movement about the vertical axis, which is yaw.
2. What is the angle between the chord line of the wing and the relative wind?
A. Aspect ratio — Incorrect: aspect ratio is span-to-chord proportion.
B. Dihedral — Incorrect: dihedral is the upward wing angle for lateral stability.
C. Angle of attack — ✅ Correct: AOA is the angle between the wing chord line and the relative wind.
3. Which V-speed represents maneuvering speed?
A. VNO — Incorrect: VNO is maximum structural cruising speed.
B. VA — ✅ Correct: VA is maneuvering speed, the max speed for full, abrupt control movement.
C. VNE — Incorrect: VNE is never-exceed speed.
4. The four forces acting on an aircraft in straight-and-level, unaccelerated flight are
A. lift, weight, thrust, and drag — ✅ Correct: these are the four fundamental aerodynamic forces in
equilibrium.
B. lift, gravity, power, and resistance — Incorrect: nonstandard terminology.
C. upforce, downforce, propulsion, and resistance — Incorrect: invented terms.
5. What is the primary function of flaps?
A. Increase cruise speed — Incorrect: flaps add drag and reduce cruise performance.
,B. Increase lift and drag — ✅ Correct: flaps increase both, allowing steeper, slower approaches.
C. Decrease stall speed and increase descent rate only — Incorrect: "only" is wrong; drag increase is a
key function.
6. In a coordinated turn, what is the relationship between the horizontal and vertical components of lift?
A. Equal — Incorrect: components vary with bank angle.
B. Horizontal component is greater — Incorrect: not generally true.
C. Horizontal and vertical components combine to equal total lift — ✅ Correct: lift tilts, dividing into
components that vector-sum to total lift.
7. What determines the longitudinal stability of an airplane?
A. Rudder deflection — Incorrect: rudder affects yaw, not longitudinal stability.
B. The location of the CG with respect to the center of lift — ✅ Correct: CG ahead of the center of lift
provides positive longitudinal stability.
C. The dihedral angle — Incorrect: dihedral gives lateral stability.
8. The elevator controls movement about which axis?
A. Longitudinal axis — Incorrect: roll about the longitudinal axis is ailerons.
B. Lateral axis — ✅ Correct: the elevator produces pitch about the lateral axis.
C. Vertical axis — Incorrect: yaw about the vertical axis is the rudder.
9. Ailerons control movement about the
A. Longitudinal axis (roll) — ✅ Correct: ailerons roll the aircraft about the longitudinal axis.
B. Lateral axis (pitch) — Incorrect: that is the elevator.
C. Vertical axis (yaw) — Incorrect: that is the rudder.
10. Dihedral angle primarily contributes to
A. Longitudinal stability — Incorrect: that comes from CG/lift relationship.
B. Lateral stability — ✅ Correct: dihedral causes the low wing to generate more lift, rolling the aircraft
level.
C. Directional stability — Incorrect: the vertical fin provides directional stability.
11. Aspect ratio is the ratio of the
A. Wingspan to mean chord — ✅ Correct: aspect ratio = span ÷ chord (or span² ÷ area).
B. Wing area to fuselage length — Incorrect: meaningless ratio.
C. Chord to thickness — Incorrect: that relates to airfoil thickness ratio.
,12. A stall is caused by
A. Excessive airspeed — Incorrect: stalls can occur at any speed.
B. Exceeding the critical angle of attack — ✅ Correct: airflow separates when critical AOA is exceeded.
C. Excessive load factor only — Incorrect: load raises stall speed but AOA causes the stall.
13. As weight increases, stall speed
A. Decreases — Incorrect: heavier wings must fly at higher AOA/speed.
B. Increases — ✅ Correct: more weight requires more lift, raising the speed at which critical AOA is
reached.
C. Is unchanged — Incorrect: stall speed varies with weight.
14. At what angle of attack will an airplane stall?
A. Lower AOA when heavy — Incorrect: critical AOA is constant.
B. Higher AOA when fast — Incorrect: speed does not change critical AOA.
C. The same critical AOA regardless of weight or speed — ✅ Correct: a given airfoil always stalls at its
critical AOA.
15. What is "ground effect"?
A. Increased induced drag near the ground — Incorrect: induced drag is reduced.
B. Reduced induced drag within about one wingspan of the surface — ✅ Correct: interference with
wingtip vortices and downwash reduces induced drag, causing floating.
C. Increased parasite drag on landing — Incorrect: parasite drag is unaffected by ground proximity.
16. Adverse yaw is caused by
A. Greater drag on the descending aileron (raised wing) — ✅ Correct: the down aileron produces more
lift and more drag, yawing the nose opposite the turn.
B. Propeller torque — Incorrect: torque is a separate left-turning tendency.
C. Rudder overcontrol — Incorrect: rudder corrects adverse yaw.
17. P-factor (asymmetric propeller loading) causes left yaw when
A. At low angles of attack — Incorrect: at low AOA the blades are symmetrically loaded.
B. At high angles of attack (climb) — ✅ Correct: the descending right blade has higher AOA and thrust,
yawing the nose left.
C. In a descent — Incorrect: low AOA minimizes P-factor.
18. Torque effect is greatest at
, A. High airspeed, low power — Incorrect: torque is proportional to power.
B. Low airspeed, high power, high AOA — ✅ Correct: reaction to propeller rotation is strongest in high-
power climb.
C. Cruise flight — Incorrect: cruise power and speed reduce torque effect.
19. Spiraling slipstream causes left yaw because
A. The slipstream strikes the left side of the vertical fin — ✅ Correct: the corkscrewed airflow pushes
the tail right, yawing the nose left.
B. The propeller turns counterclockwise — Incorrect: conventional props turn clockwise as seen from
the cockpit.
C. The right main gear creates more drag — Incorrect: unrelated.
20. Gyroscopic precession from a tailwheel takeoff (nose pitching up) tends to yaw the nose
A. Left — Incorrect: precession acts 90° ahead in the plane of rotation.
B. Right — ✅ Correct: force applied at the bottom of the spinning prop appears 90° later, yawing right.
C. Not at all — Incorrect: precession is a real left-turning tendency factor.
21. Load factor is the ratio of
A. Thrust to weight — Incorrect: that relates to climb performance.
B. Lift (wing load) to gross weight — ✅ Correct: load factor = total lift ÷ weight, expressed in Gs.
C. Empty weight to useful load — Incorrect: that is a weight ratio.
22. In a coordinated 60° bank, the load factor is approximately
A. 1.15 G — Incorrect: that is about 30° of bank.
B. 1.41 G — Incorrect: that is 45° of bank.
C. 2.0 G — ✅ Correct: 60° of bank doubles the load factor.
23. Compared to a wings-level stall, stall speed in a 60° bank increases by about
A. 10% — Incorrect: too small.
B. 41% — ✅ Correct: stall speed rises by the square root of load factor (√2 ≈ 1.41).
C. 100% — Incorrect: that would require 4 G.
24. If an airplane's weight is reduced, maneuvering speed (VA) will
A. Increase — Incorrect: lighter aircraft must fly slower to limit loads.
B. Decrease — ✅ Correct: VA drops at lower weight because less lift is needed to reach limit load.
