ATC BASICS STUDY GUIDE 2026 EXAM QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS SCORED A+
✔✔What two movements are controlled by the yoke? - ✔✔Pitch and roll
✔✔What are trim tabs? - ✔✔Lessen manual pressure the pilot must apply to control
surfaces. relieves pressure controls. Manual or electric.
✔✔Flaps are located where on a plane? - ✔✔Inboard on wings trailing edge. Used to
increase lift
✔✔extending flaps increases the camber and also does what to your A/C? -
✔✔Increases lift, Increases Drag, Lowers stall speed, Allows for steeper approach.
✔✔Flaps are mostly used for what stages of flight? - ✔✔Takeoff and Landing.
✔✔Flaps are adjusted how? - ✔✔Manually, Electrically, Hydraulically
✔✔Which of the following is a primary control surface?
A. Variable-pitch propeller
B. Flap
C. Rudder - ✔✔C. Rudder
✔✔What produces lift on a helicopter? - ✔✔The rotor blades. (Bernoulli's Principle
applies)
✔✔What does the collective control? - ✔✔The PITCH. (Angle of attack)
✔✔Where is the throttle on a helicopter? - ✔✔The collective.
✔✔What does the cyclic control? - ✔✔the tilt of the rotor blades.
✔✔"Rotor system being turned by relative wind rather than engine power" describes
what term? - ✔✔Autorotation
✔✔What is the most common cause of A/C accidents? - ✔✔Stalls
✔✔When does a stall normally occur? - ✔✔15-20 degrees angle of attack
✔✔Three primary causes of stalls. - ✔✔insufficient airspeed, excessively violent
maneuvers, severe wind shear
✔✔Three primary types of icing. - ✔✔Structural, Pitot-static, Carburetor
, ✔✔Structural icing does _____ - ✔✔disrupts smooth airflow over the wing
✔✔Pitot icing does _____ - ✔✔Loss of airspeed. If static vent ices, will also lose VSI
and altimeter.
✔✔Carburetor Ice does _______ - ✔✔reduces fuel/air flow to engine.
✔✔What temp does carburetor Ice normally occur? - ✔✔20-70 degrees F
✔✔How does icing occur up to 70 degrees F in a carburetor? How do you overcome
carb ice? - ✔✔Lowered pressure lowers the temp of fuel/air mixture. Any water vapor
will freeze. Cleared by Carb heat.
✔✔Lift is created as air flows smoothly over an airfoil. A stall occurs when the ______ of
______ is exceeded. - ✔✔critical angle, attack
✔✔The rotor blade of a helicopter is an airfoil and functions the same as a wing on a
conventional aircraft. Name the three devices that control the rotor blade. - ✔✔Throttle,
collective, and cyclic
✔✔What is a phenomenon resulting from passage of an A/C through the atmosphere? -
✔✔Wake turbulence
✔✔What are the circular patterns of air when something is generating lift? - ✔✔Vortices
✔✔What combo would cause the greatest vortex? - ✔✔Heavy, clean, and slow
✔✔What is the factor that affects wake turbulence the most? - ✔✔Weight
✔✔Why does a clean formation allow for a stronger vortex? - ✔✔More square footage.
Without flaps smaller area of wing loading.
✔✔Will an A/C on approach or en route create more wake turbulence? - ✔✔Approach
✔✔Looking from behind an A/C how does the vortices move? - ✔✔Right moves
counterclockwise. Left moves clockwise
✔✔The circular patterns created by wake turbulence are often known as what? -
✔✔Vortices
✔✔When are votices created and discontinued? - ✔✔Rotation and landing
SOLUTIONS SCORED A+
✔✔What two movements are controlled by the yoke? - ✔✔Pitch and roll
✔✔What are trim tabs? - ✔✔Lessen manual pressure the pilot must apply to control
surfaces. relieves pressure controls. Manual or electric.
✔✔Flaps are located where on a plane? - ✔✔Inboard on wings trailing edge. Used to
increase lift
✔✔extending flaps increases the camber and also does what to your A/C? -
✔✔Increases lift, Increases Drag, Lowers stall speed, Allows for steeper approach.
✔✔Flaps are mostly used for what stages of flight? - ✔✔Takeoff and Landing.
✔✔Flaps are adjusted how? - ✔✔Manually, Electrically, Hydraulically
✔✔Which of the following is a primary control surface?
A. Variable-pitch propeller
B. Flap
C. Rudder - ✔✔C. Rudder
✔✔What produces lift on a helicopter? - ✔✔The rotor blades. (Bernoulli's Principle
applies)
✔✔What does the collective control? - ✔✔The PITCH. (Angle of attack)
✔✔Where is the throttle on a helicopter? - ✔✔The collective.
✔✔What does the cyclic control? - ✔✔the tilt of the rotor blades.
✔✔"Rotor system being turned by relative wind rather than engine power" describes
what term? - ✔✔Autorotation
✔✔What is the most common cause of A/C accidents? - ✔✔Stalls
✔✔When does a stall normally occur? - ✔✔15-20 degrees angle of attack
✔✔Three primary causes of stalls. - ✔✔insufficient airspeed, excessively violent
maneuvers, severe wind shear
✔✔Three primary types of icing. - ✔✔Structural, Pitot-static, Carburetor
, ✔✔Structural icing does _____ - ✔✔disrupts smooth airflow over the wing
✔✔Pitot icing does _____ - ✔✔Loss of airspeed. If static vent ices, will also lose VSI
and altimeter.
✔✔Carburetor Ice does _______ - ✔✔reduces fuel/air flow to engine.
✔✔What temp does carburetor Ice normally occur? - ✔✔20-70 degrees F
✔✔How does icing occur up to 70 degrees F in a carburetor? How do you overcome
carb ice? - ✔✔Lowered pressure lowers the temp of fuel/air mixture. Any water vapor
will freeze. Cleared by Carb heat.
✔✔Lift is created as air flows smoothly over an airfoil. A stall occurs when the ______ of
______ is exceeded. - ✔✔critical angle, attack
✔✔The rotor blade of a helicopter is an airfoil and functions the same as a wing on a
conventional aircraft. Name the three devices that control the rotor blade. - ✔✔Throttle,
collective, and cyclic
✔✔What is a phenomenon resulting from passage of an A/C through the atmosphere? -
✔✔Wake turbulence
✔✔What are the circular patterns of air when something is generating lift? - ✔✔Vortices
✔✔What combo would cause the greatest vortex? - ✔✔Heavy, clean, and slow
✔✔What is the factor that affects wake turbulence the most? - ✔✔Weight
✔✔Why does a clean formation allow for a stronger vortex? - ✔✔More square footage.
Without flaps smaller area of wing loading.
✔✔Will an A/C on approach or en route create more wake turbulence? - ✔✔Approach
✔✔Looking from behind an A/C how does the vortices move? - ✔✔Right moves
counterclockwise. Left moves clockwise
✔✔The circular patterns created by wake turbulence are often known as what? -
✔✔Vortices
✔✔When are votices created and discontinued? - ✔✔Rotation and landing
