GCAA CPL Theory Exam (UAE) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

VFR cloud separation

Minimum distance from cloud and visibility required for VFR flight, set by the State and dependent on airspace class; controlled airspace also requires an ATC clearance.

Certificate of Airworthiness

Document confirming the aircraft meets the applicable airworthiness requirements and is maintained per an approved programme; it must be valid for flight.

Right of way on final

An aircraft landing or on final approach has right of way over other aircraft; converging aircraft of the same category give way to the one on the right.

Four-stroke cycle

Intake, compression, combustion and exhaust strokes complete one cycle in two crankshaft revolutions; the power stroke follows combustion.

Detonation

Uncontrolled explosive combustion of the fuel-air mixture caused by excessive pressure and temperature; it causes power loss, overheating and possible engine damage.

Constant-speed propeller

A propeller whose pitch is adjusted by a governor to maintain a selected RPM; increasing pitch increases engine load and reduces RPM.

Density altitude

Pressure altitude corrected for temperature and humidity; higher density altitude reduces air density and degrades takeoff, climb and landing performance.

Centre of gravity

The point where the aircraft's weight acts; computed as total moment divided by total mass and must remain within the certified envelope.

Final reserve fuel

Fuel required to hold for a specified period after the planned destination, typically 30 minutes at holding speed for VFR operations.

Hypoxia

Insufficient oxygen reaching body tissues; symptoms include euphoria, impaired judgement and cyanosis, and supplemental oxygen is required above specified altitudes.

Spatial disorientation

Conflicting vestibular and visual cues that mislead the pilot about aircraft attitude; the correct response is to trust the flight instruments in IMC.

Night vision

Vision in low light relies on rods, which are sensitive to dim light but poor at colour and detail; off-centre viewing improves detection.

QNH

The atmospheric pressure reduced to mean sea level; setting QNH on the altimeter gives altitude above mean sea level at the aerodrome.

Cumulonimbus

A tall convective cloud associated with thunderstorms, severe turbulence, icing and hail; it should be avoided by a wide margin.

Carburettor icing

Ice formation in the carburettor due to fuel vaporisation and pressure drop; it can occur at ambient temperatures well above freezing.

Great circle

The shortest path between two points on a sphere; its direction changes continuously along the route.

Magnetic variation

The angle between true north and magnetic north at a location; it is applied to convert true course to magnetic course.

Wind triangle

A vector diagram combining heading and true airspeed with wind velocity to determine track and ground speed.

Aviate, navigate, communicate

The priority order in an emergency: maintain aircraft control first, then navigate, then communicate with ATC or others.

Wake turbulence

Turbulence generated by wingtip vortices of preceding aircraft; avoid the flight path, stay above and upwind, and allow separation.

Radio failure code

Squawk 7600 to indicate radio failure; follow the published lost-communication procedure and land as applicable.

Angle of attack

The angle between the chord line and the relative airflow; the critical angle of attack produces the stall regardless of airspeed.

Induced drag

Drag caused by lift generation; it decreases as airspeed increases and is largest at low speed and high angle of attack.

Load factor

The ratio of lift to weight; increasing bank angle raises load factor, which increases stall speed with the square root of load factor.

MAYDAY

The distress call spoken three times to indicate grave and imminent danger; it has priority over all other communications.

PAN-PAN

The urgency call spoken three times for urgent but non-immediate danger; it has priority over routine communications.

Read-back

Repeating a clearance or instruction to ATC to confirm correct receipt; required for clearances, runway assignments and hold-short instructions.

VOR radial

A magnetic bearing from the VOR station; the CDI centres when the selected radial matches the aircraft's position.

DME slant range

The line-of-sight distance from the aircraft to the DME station; it is greater than the ground distance, especially at high altitude.

ILS localiser

The component of the ILS providing lateral guidance to the runway centreline; the glideslope provides vertical guidance.

Standard atmosphere

A reference atmosphere with sea-level pressure 1013.25 hPa, temperature 15 °C and a lapse rate of 1.98 °C per 1000 ft in the troposphere.

Altimeter high-to-low

When flying from high to low pressure or temperature, the altimeter over-reads; the phrase 'high to low, look out below' warns of this.