FAA Oral Exam Practice Questions and answers

What are the eligibility requirements for a private pilot certificate? a. Be at least 17 years of age. b. Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language. c. Hold at least a current Third Class medical certificate d. Received the required ground and flight training endorsements. e. Meet the applicable aeronautical experience requirements. f. Passed the required knowledge and practical tests. What does the CFR Part 1 cover? Definitions and Abbreviations Brainpower Read More Previous Play Next Rewind 10 seconds Move forward 10 seconds Unmute 0:00 / 0:15 Full screen What does the CFR Part 43 cover? Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, Rebuilding, and Alteration What does the CFR Part 61 cover? Certification: Pilots, Flight Instructors, and Ground Instructors What does the CFR Part 91 cover? General Operating and Flight Rules What is the definition of a complex airplane, and what must you do to act as pilot-in-command of such an airplane? An airplane that has a retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable pitch propeller; a. received and logged ground and flight training from an authorized flight instructor in a complex airplane, or in a flight simulator and have been found proficient in the operation and systems of that airplane. b. received a one-time endorsement in your logbook from an authorized instructor who certifies you are proficient to operate a complex airplane. Define: Category a broad classification of aircraft; i.e., airplane, rotorcraft, glider, etc. Define: Class a classification of aircraft with in a category having similar operating characteristics; i.e., single-engine land, multi-engine land, etc. Define: Type a specific make and basic model of aircraft including modifications that do not change its handling or flight characteristics; i.e., DC-9, B-737, C-130, etc. What are the requirements to remain current as a private pilot? a. Within the preceding 24 months, accomplished a flight review given in an aircraft for which that pilot is rated by an authorized instructor and received a logbook endorsement certifying that the person has satisfactorily completed the review. b. To carry passengers, a pilot must have made, within the preceding 90 days have had 3 takeoffs and landings as the sole manipulator of flight controls of an aircraft of the same category and class (if tailwheel, landings must be to a full stop), and if operations are to be conducted during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, 3 takeoffs and 3 landings to a full stop during that period in an aircraft of the same category and class To exercise the privileges of a private pilot certificate, what medical certificate is required, and how long is it valid? Third-class medical certificate; Before 40th birthday: 36th month after the date of the examination, After 40th birthday: the 24th month after the date of the examination What documents are required on board an aircraft prior to flight? Airworthiness Certificate, Registration Certificate, Owner's manual or operating limitations, and Weight and balance data Who is responsible for ensuring that an aircraft is maintained in an airworthy condition? The owner or operator of the aircraft After aircraft inspections have been made and defects have been repaired, who is responsible for determining that the aircraft is in an airworthy condition? The pilot-in-command What records or documents should be checked to determine that the owner or operator of an aircraft has complied with all required inspections and airworthiness directives? The maintenance records (aircraft and engine logbooks) Can a pilot conduct flight operations in an aircraft with known inoperative equipment? Yes, under specific conditions. CFR Part 91 describes acceptable methods for the operation of an aircraft with certain inoperative instruments and equipment that are not essential for safe flight - they are: operation of aircraft with a minimum equipment list (MEL) and operation of aircraft without a MEL What are the required maintenance inspections for aircraft? Annual inspection- within the preceding 12 calendar months 100-hour inspection - if carrying any person (other than crew member_ for hire or giving flight instruction for hire Define "preventative maintenance" Simple or minor preservation operations and the replacement of small standard parts, not involving complex assemble operations. Typical operations include oil changes, wheel bearing lubrication, hydraulic fluid (brakes, landing gear system) refills. What are "Airworthiness Directives" (ADs)? An Ad is the medium the FAA uses to notify aircraft owners and other potentially interested persons of unsafe conditions that may exist. ADs are regulatory in nature, and compliance is mandatory. What are the standard temperature and pressure values for sea level? 15 C and 29.92" Hg What are "isobars"? An isobar is a line on a weather chart which connects areas of equal or constant barometric pressure What does that spacing of isobars mean on a surface weather chart or a constant pressure chart? The spacing of isobars on these charts defines how steep or shallow a pressure gradient is. When isobars are spaced very close together, a steep pressure gradient exists which indicates higher wind speeds. A shallow pressure gradient usually means wind speeds will be less. What causes the winds aloft to flow parallel to the isobars? The Coriolis force At what rate does atmospheric pressure decrease with an increase in altitude? 1" Hg per 1,000 feet What does "dew point" mean? Dew point is the temperature to which a sample of air must be cooled to attain the state of saturation. When temperature and dew point are close together (within 5 degrees), what type of weather is likely? Visible moisture in the form of clouds, dew, or fog. Also, these are ideal conditions for carburetor icing. What factor primarily determines the type and vertical extent of clouds? The stability of the atmosphere. What is the average lapse rate for temperature? 2 degrees Celsius per 1,000 feet What conditions are necessary for structural icing to occur? Visible moisture and below freezing temperatures at the point moisture strikes the aircraft. What are the two main types of icing? Structural and induction Name four types of structural ice. Clear ice - forms when large drops strike the aircraft surface and slowly freeze Rime ice - small drops strike the aircraft and freeze rapidly Mixed ice - combination of above; supercooled water drops varying in size Frost - ice crystal deposits formed by sublimation when temperature and dew point are below freezing. What action is recommended if you inadvertently encounter icing conditions? Change course and/or altitude; usually, climb to a higher altitude, if possible Is frost considered to be hazardous to flight? Why? Yes, because while frost does not change the basic aerodynamic shape of the wing, the roughness of its surface spoils the smooth flow of the air, resulting in a loss of lift. What factors must be present for a thunderstorm to form? a. A source of lift (heating, fast-moving front) b. Unstable air (nonstandard lapse rate) c. High moisture content (temperature/dew point close) What are the three stages of a thunderstorm? Cumulus stage - Updrafts cause raindrops to increase in size. Mature stage - Rain at earth's surface; it falls through or immediately beside the updrafts; lightning; perhaps roll clouds. Dissipating stage - Downdrafts and rain begin to dissipate. What is a "temperature inversion"? An increase in temperature with height; an inversion aloft permits warm rain to fall through cold air below, temperature in the cold air can be critical to icing; ground0based inversion favors poor visibility by trapping fog, smoke, and other restrictions into low levels of the atmosphere, the air is stable, with little or no turbulence. State two basic ways that fog may form. a. Cool air to the dew point b. Adding moisture to the air Name several types of fog. a. Radiation fog b. Advection fog c. Upslope fog d. Steam fog e. Precipitation-induced fog What causes radiation fog to form? The ground cools the adjacent air to the dew point on calm, clear nights. What is advection fog, and where is it most likely to form? Advection fog results from the transport of warm humid air over a cold surface; forms primarily along coastal areas during the winter, can occur with winds, cloudy skies, over a wide geographic area, and at any time Why is fog a major operational concern to pilots? primary concern is during takeoffs and landings, fog can reduce vertical and horizontal visibilities to zero-zero, it can occur instantly from a clear condition, making operations potentially hazardous. Define the term "wind shear," and state the areas in which it is likely to occur. The rate of change of wind velocity (direction and/or speed) per unit distance; conventionally expressed as vertical or horizontal wind shear; can occur at any level in the atmosphere but 3 areas are of special concern: wind shear with a low-level temperature inversion, wind shear in a frontal zone or thunderstorm, clear air turbulence at high levels associated with a jet stream or strong circulation Why is wind shear an operational concern to pilots? unexpected changes in wind speed and direction can be potentially very hazardous to aircraft operations at low altitudes on approach to and departing from airports. What are some examples of sources of weather information? telephone information briefing service, transcribed weather broadcasts (TWEB), telephone access to TWEB, weather and aeronautical information from numerous private industry sources, the direct user access system Where can you find a listing of FSS and weather information numbers? The Airport/Facility Directory under the "FAA and NWS Telephone Numbers" section, they are also listed in the US Government section of the local telephone directory What types of weather briefings are available from an FSS briefer? Standard Briefing - request when you are planning a flight and you have not received a previous briefing or have not received preliminary information through mass dissemination media Abbreviated Briefing - Request when you need information to supplement mass disseminated data, update a previous briefing, or when you need only one or two items. Outlook Briefing - Request whenever your proposed time of departure is six or more hours from the time of the briefing; for planning purposes only. Inflight Briefing - Request when needed to update a preflight briefing What is a METAR METAR, or Aviation Routine Weather Report: An hourly surface observation of conditions observed at an airport Define: IFR Ceilings less than 1,000 and/or visibilities less than 3 miles (Instrumental Flight Rules) Define: MVFR (Marginal VFR) Ceiling 1,000 to 3,000 feet inclusive and/or visibility 3 to 5 miles inclusive Define: VFR No ceiling, or ceiling greater than 3,000 and visibility greater than 5 miles (Visual Flight Rules) What is an airfoil? State some examples. An airfoil is a device which gets a useful reaction from air moving over its surface, namely LIFT; Wings, horizo