SIFT study guide Exam Questions and
Answers 100% Pass
The four forces acting on helicopter in forward flight are...? - ✔✔Thrust, drag, weight,
lift
Bernoulli's Principle or the "venturi effect" - ✔✔As air flows over upper surface of
airfoil, camber (curvature) of airfoil causes increase in speed of airflow which decreased
pressure. Pressure is increased on bottom and this gives lift.
Newtons Third Law of Motion and how it applies to helicopters - ✔✔"for every action
there is an equal and opposite reaction"
*small amount of lift is provided by the rotor blades lower surface deflecting air
downward, thus having a small force upward
Weight is overcome by ______ and this is accomplished by increasing the ____ _____ of
the main rotor blades. - ✔✔thrust;
pitch angle
The tail rotor produces thrust and is variable through use of antitorque pedals which
control the helicopters _______. - ✔✔yaw
Drag always acts parallel to the relative _______.
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Total drag is composed of three types of drag.... - ✔✔wind
profile, induced, parasite
What is Parasite drag? - ✔✔any "parasite" on the aircraft that creates a drag.
Ex: low air pressure in tires, skin friction (rough surface that creates resistance)
What is profile drag? - ✔✔drag produced by shape of the aircraft
What is induced drag? - ✔✔when at the back of the wing, air flowing fast over the top
meets air flowing slowly underneath.
Newtons First Law of Motion states that.... - ✔✔an object at rest will stay at rest, and in
motion will remain in motion at constant velocity unless acted upon by an unbalanced
force
Four Types of Friction: - ✔✔1. Sliding/Kinetic Friction
2. Fluid Friction (through air or water)
3. Rolling Friction: when object rolls instead of slides across surface
4.Static Friction
Newtons Second Law of Motion states that... - ✔✔When object is acted upon by
constant force, its resulting acceleration is inversely proportional to the mass and
directly proportional to the applied force
F=ma
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, Newtons Law of Universal Gravitation equation - ✔✔Fg=(Gm1m2)/d^2
G=gravitational constant=6.67x10^-11
Two objects a distance of "d" apart. What happens to force b/w the two objects if you
increase d by a factor of 4? - ✔✔You decrease the force by a factor of 16
Aircraft weight and balance: what does each acronym stand for and mean?
1. MEW
2.OEW
3. AUW
4. MLW
5. MZFW
6. MTOW
7. MRW - ✔✔1. Manufacturers Empty Weight: total weight of aircraft as it was built and
meant to fly, and does not include fuel or fluids, passengers or other things
2. Operating Empty Weight: the MEW + weight of crew, fluids, unusable fuel, and
equipment required for flight. Does not include baggage, passengers or usable fuel
3. All Up Weight: (aircrafts gross weight)total aircraft weight at any given moment
during a flight. Decreases as flight time proceeds (fuel is depleted)
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
Answers 100% Pass
The four forces acting on helicopter in forward flight are...? - ✔✔Thrust, drag, weight,
lift
Bernoulli's Principle or the "venturi effect" - ✔✔As air flows over upper surface of
airfoil, camber (curvature) of airfoil causes increase in speed of airflow which decreased
pressure. Pressure is increased on bottom and this gives lift.
Newtons Third Law of Motion and how it applies to helicopters - ✔✔"for every action
there is an equal and opposite reaction"
*small amount of lift is provided by the rotor blades lower surface deflecting air
downward, thus having a small force upward
Weight is overcome by ______ and this is accomplished by increasing the ____ _____ of
the main rotor blades. - ✔✔thrust;
pitch angle
The tail rotor produces thrust and is variable through use of antitorque pedals which
control the helicopters _______. - ✔✔yaw
Drag always acts parallel to the relative _______.
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Total drag is composed of three types of drag.... - ✔✔wind
profile, induced, parasite
What is Parasite drag? - ✔✔any "parasite" on the aircraft that creates a drag.
Ex: low air pressure in tires, skin friction (rough surface that creates resistance)
What is profile drag? - ✔✔drag produced by shape of the aircraft
What is induced drag? - ✔✔when at the back of the wing, air flowing fast over the top
meets air flowing slowly underneath.
Newtons First Law of Motion states that.... - ✔✔an object at rest will stay at rest, and in
motion will remain in motion at constant velocity unless acted upon by an unbalanced
force
Four Types of Friction: - ✔✔1. Sliding/Kinetic Friction
2. Fluid Friction (through air or water)
3. Rolling Friction: when object rolls instead of slides across surface
4.Static Friction
Newtons Second Law of Motion states that... - ✔✔When object is acted upon by
constant force, its resulting acceleration is inversely proportional to the mass and
directly proportional to the applied force
F=ma
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, Newtons Law of Universal Gravitation equation - ✔✔Fg=(Gm1m2)/d^2
G=gravitational constant=6.67x10^-11
Two objects a distance of "d" apart. What happens to force b/w the two objects if you
increase d by a factor of 4? - ✔✔You decrease the force by a factor of 16
Aircraft weight and balance: what does each acronym stand for and mean?
1. MEW
2.OEW
3. AUW
4. MLW
5. MZFW
6. MTOW
7. MRW - ✔✔1. Manufacturers Empty Weight: total weight of aircraft as it was built and
meant to fly, and does not include fuel or fluids, passengers or other things
2. Operating Empty Weight: the MEW + weight of crew, fluids, unusable fuel, and
equipment required for flight. Does not include baggage, passengers or usable fuel
3. All Up Weight: (aircrafts gross weight)total aircraft weight at any given moment
during a flight. Decreases as flight time proceeds (fuel is depleted)
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
