A&P Airframe Oral Exam Study Guide – Jeppesen Question &
Answer Prep
1. What is the function of a vortex generator? It is designed to delay of
prevent separation of the
boundary layer.
2. What are the three axes of an airplane? Longitudinal, lateral, and
vertical.
3. What are the three primary flight controls of an air- The ailerons, elevators,
craft? and rudder.
4. Name several secondary flight controls and describe Secondary flight controls
their general purpose? consist of various types of
trim tabs such as balance
tabs, anti-servo and ser-
vo tabs, and spring tabs.
Their function is to assist
the pilot in moving the
controls and to trim the
aircraft to fly hands-off.
5. Name several types of auxiliary flight controls and The auxiliary flight con-
describe their general purpose? trols consist of the vari-
ous high-lift devices used
during low-speed flight
such as leading and trail-
ing edge flaps, slats, slots,
speed brakes, etc.
6. What is a servo trim tab? It is an auxiliary control,
positioned by the move-
ment of a primary con-
trol and designed to cre-
ate aerodynamic forces to
, A&P - Airframe Oral Exam (Jeppesen)
assist in moving a control
surface.
7. What is a spring tab? It is an auxiliary control
designed to aid the move-
ment of a primary con-
trol at high speeds when
control forces become too
high.
8. What is a balance trim tab? It is an auxiliary control
designed to create aero-
dynamic forces to assist in
moving a control surface.
The tab is positioned by a
control rod connected to
the fixed surface on the
same side as the horn an
the tab.
9. What are four most common types of high lift devices? Leading and trailing edge
flaps, slats, and slots.
10. Describe some of the tools used to check control sur- A universal propeller pro-
face travel? tractor or specal control
surface protractor.
11. Name three mechanical methods by which flight con- Cables, push-pull rods,
trol systems may be actuated. and torque tubes.
12. What is a fairlead? It is a device to prevent a
cable from rubbing on the
aircraft strcture.
, A&P - Airframe Oral Exam (Jeppesen)
13. What are the most likely places for a control cable to Where the cables pass
wear or break? over pulleys or through
fairleads.
14. What information is required before a cable rigging The ambient temperature
chart can be used? and the cable size.
15. What is the function of a cable tension regulator? It automatically adjusts the
cable tension to compen-
sate for expansion and
contraction in the aircraft
structure.
16. Describe the function of rotorcraft collective pitch con- The collective control
trol. causes each rotor blade to
change its pitch angle by
the same amount, thus in-
creasing or decreasing the
lift produced by the rotor.
17. Describe the function of a rotorcraft cyclic pitch con- The cyclic control tilts the
trol. main rotor disc by by
changing the pitch angle
of each rotor blade during
its cycle of rotation, which
causes the helicopter to
move in the direction the
rotor tilts.
18. What mechanism is most commonly used to compen- The tail (or anti-torque)
sate for the torque produced by the main rotor of a rotor.
helicopter?
, A&P - Airframe Oral Exam (Jeppesen)
19. How is the amount of thrust produced by the tail rotor By moving the foot pedals.
controlled?
20. Why should a control surface be locked when an air- To prevent damage from
craft is parked? the wind.
21. What is the major type of damage to aluminum struc- Corrosion.
tures that is caused by exposure to the weather?
22. Name several method for forming sheet metal. Bending or fold-
ing, stretching, shrinking,
bumping, and crimping.
23. What are the dimensions of a properly formed rivet The head should be 1-1/2
head? times the shank diameter
in width and 1/2 the shank
diameter in height.
24. Describe the markings found on the heads of A, B, D, A rivets are plain, B rivets
AD, and DD rivets? have a cross, D rivets have
a raised dot, AD rivets have
a dimple, and DD rivets
have a double dash.
25. What happens to the stem of a self-plugging (friction The stem is pulled un-
lock) rivet when the rivet is installed? til it snaps off and the
remaining projecting part
is trimmed flush with the
head.
26. Name at least three types of self-plugging mechanical CherryMAX, CherryLOCK,
lock rivets. OLYMPIC-LOK, and Huck-
Lok.
Answer Prep
1. What is the function of a vortex generator? It is designed to delay of
prevent separation of the
boundary layer.
2. What are the three axes of an airplane? Longitudinal, lateral, and
vertical.
3. What are the three primary flight controls of an air- The ailerons, elevators,
craft? and rudder.
4. Name several secondary flight controls and describe Secondary flight controls
their general purpose? consist of various types of
trim tabs such as balance
tabs, anti-servo and ser-
vo tabs, and spring tabs.
Their function is to assist
the pilot in moving the
controls and to trim the
aircraft to fly hands-off.
5. Name several types of auxiliary flight controls and The auxiliary flight con-
describe their general purpose? trols consist of the vari-
ous high-lift devices used
during low-speed flight
such as leading and trail-
ing edge flaps, slats, slots,
speed brakes, etc.
6. What is a servo trim tab? It is an auxiliary control,
positioned by the move-
ment of a primary con-
trol and designed to cre-
ate aerodynamic forces to
, A&P - Airframe Oral Exam (Jeppesen)
assist in moving a control
surface.
7. What is a spring tab? It is an auxiliary control
designed to aid the move-
ment of a primary con-
trol at high speeds when
control forces become too
high.
8. What is a balance trim tab? It is an auxiliary control
designed to create aero-
dynamic forces to assist in
moving a control surface.
The tab is positioned by a
control rod connected to
the fixed surface on the
same side as the horn an
the tab.
9. What are four most common types of high lift devices? Leading and trailing edge
flaps, slats, and slots.
10. Describe some of the tools used to check control sur- A universal propeller pro-
face travel? tractor or specal control
surface protractor.
11. Name three mechanical methods by which flight con- Cables, push-pull rods,
trol systems may be actuated. and torque tubes.
12. What is a fairlead? It is a device to prevent a
cable from rubbing on the
aircraft strcture.
, A&P - Airframe Oral Exam (Jeppesen)
13. What are the most likely places for a control cable to Where the cables pass
wear or break? over pulleys or through
fairleads.
14. What information is required before a cable rigging The ambient temperature
chart can be used? and the cable size.
15. What is the function of a cable tension regulator? It automatically adjusts the
cable tension to compen-
sate for expansion and
contraction in the aircraft
structure.
16. Describe the function of rotorcraft collective pitch con- The collective control
trol. causes each rotor blade to
change its pitch angle by
the same amount, thus in-
creasing or decreasing the
lift produced by the rotor.
17. Describe the function of a rotorcraft cyclic pitch con- The cyclic control tilts the
trol. main rotor disc by by
changing the pitch angle
of each rotor blade during
its cycle of rotation, which
causes the helicopter to
move in the direction the
rotor tilts.
18. What mechanism is most commonly used to compen- The tail (or anti-torque)
sate for the torque produced by the main rotor of a rotor.
helicopter?
, A&P - Airframe Oral Exam (Jeppesen)
19. How is the amount of thrust produced by the tail rotor By moving the foot pedals.
controlled?
20. Why should a control surface be locked when an air- To prevent damage from
craft is parked? the wind.
21. What is the major type of damage to aluminum struc- Corrosion.
tures that is caused by exposure to the weather?
22. Name several method for forming sheet metal. Bending or fold-
ing, stretching, shrinking,
bumping, and crimping.
23. What are the dimensions of a properly formed rivet The head should be 1-1/2
head? times the shank diameter
in width and 1/2 the shank
diameter in height.
24. Describe the markings found on the heads of A, B, D, A rivets are plain, B rivets
AD, and DD rivets? have a cross, D rivets have
a raised dot, AD rivets have
a dimple, and DD rivets
have a double dash.
25. What happens to the stem of a self-plugging (friction The stem is pulled un-
lock) rivet when the rivet is installed? til it snaps off and the
remaining projecting part
is trimmed flush with the
head.
26. Name at least three types of self-plugging mechanical CherryMAX, CherryLOCK,
lock rivets. OLYMPIC-LOK, and Huck-
Lok.
