Approach Lighting System (ALS) - Answers A series of lightbars, strobe lights, or a combination of the
two that extends outward from the approach end of a runway.
Runway End Identification Lights (REIL) - Answers Pair of synchronized flashing lights installed at the
runway threshold, one on each side. They enhance identification of a runway surrounded by lighting or
lacking contrast with its terrain.
Runway end lights - Answers A pair of four lights on each side of precision instrument runways,
extending the full width of it. Green when viewed by approaching aircraft and red to departing.
Runway edge lights - Answers White elevated lights running the length of the runway on both sides.
Runway Centerline Lighting System (RCLS) - Answers white lights embeded in the surface of the runways
at 50ft intervals, changing to red and white 3000ft to the end, and then red for the last 1000ft
Fuselage - Answers Contains the cockpit, the cabin, the cargo area, and attachment points for other
major components.
Truss fuselage - Answers Uses steel or aluminum tubing in a series of triangular shapes to get strength
and rigidity.
Monocoque fuselage - Answers Uses bulkheads, stringers, and formers of various sizes and shapes to
support a stretched or stressed skin
Airfoil - Answers Aircraft part or surface that controls lift, direction, stability, thrust, or propulsion for the
aircraft
Cantilever wing - Answers Requires no external bracing, getting its support from internal wing spars,ribs,
and stringers, as well as the construction of the wing's skin or covering.
Semi-Cantilever wing - Answers Requires both internal bracing and external support from struts
attached to the fuselage.
Where are the ailerons located? - Answers They extend from about the middle of the wing out to the
wingtip.
What do ailerons do? - Answers They move in opposite directions to create aerodynamic forces that
cause the airplane to roll.
Where are the flaps located? - Answers Flaps extend outward from near where the wings join the
fuselage to about the middle of the wings trailing edge.
What do flaps do? - Answers Move downward to together to increase the lift of the wing for takeoffs
and landings
, When a surface is curved it has _________ - Answers camber
How do planes fly? - Answers Using Bernoulli's Principle to provide lift to the aircraft. Because the top
surface of the wing has more camber than the bottom, air flows faster on the top, and creates lift,
because there is less air pressure above the wing.
Distance from the leading edge of the wing to the trailing edge is called the _______ - Answers chord
The line from the middle of the leading edge to the trailing edge, which cuts the airfoil into an upper
surface and lower surface is called the ________ - Answers chord line
If we plot the points that lie halfway between the upper and lower surfaces, we obtain a curve called the
___________ - Answers mean camber line
Three basic wings types uses on modern airplanes - Answers straight, sweep, delta
Straight wings use - Answers Small, low-speed airplanes, and well as gliders and sail planes. They give
the most efficient lift at low speeds, but are not very good for high speed flight.
Swept wing use - Answers Most common design for modern high-speed airplanes. It creates less drag
than a straight wing design, but is unstable at low speeds. There are angles of sweep, which determine
how fast a plane goes, the more sweep the faster, but less stable.
Delta Wing use - Answers Used for planes meant to reach supersonic speed and high speed landings. It
looks like a large triangle viewed from above, has a high angle of sweep with a straight trailing edge.
What do landing gear do? - Answers Provide the support for the plane when it is on the ground.
Retractable landing gear - Answers Can be mechanically pulled into a cavity designed for them.
Non retractable landing gear - Answers Can't be retracted, usually has fairings over their top half to
reduce drag and improve the plane's performance.
Two main types of fixed wing aircraft propulsion system - Answers Propellers and jets
How do propeller driven planes get their thrust? - Answers By the corkscrew action of one or more
propellers with two or more blades each rotating very fast at the front of the engine. This pushes air
backwards, so the plane is pushed forward according to Newton's third law.
Fixed pitch propeller - Answers Has a blade angle that can't be changed by the pilot.
Variable pitch propeller - Answers The pilot can adjust the blade, which allows for the most efficient
operation.
How do jet engines work? - Answers They force incoming air into a tube where the air is compressed,
mixed with fuel, burned, and pushed exhausted at high sped to generate thrust.
Major variations of the jet engine - Answers Turbojet, Turbofan and Ramjet