Aircraft Maintenance and Technical Knowledge
Scheduled versus unscheduled maintenance
Maintenance is either scheduled (inspections at defined intervals, such as the daily inspection, periodic inspections and component life limits) or unscheduled (defect rectification). Understand that the daily inspection is a pilot-performed check of the aircraft's condition before flight, while deeper inspections are performed by qualified maintenance personnel. Questions test who may certify what, so learn that a pilot may carry out and certify only the maintenance the regulations permit for that aircraft category.
Defects, MEL and deferral
When a defect is found, the aircraft must not be flown until it is rectified or appropriately deferred under an approved process. A minimum equipment list allows flight with specific items inoperative under stated conditions. The trap is believing a minor defect can simply be ignored; the examinable principle is that airworthiness is a documented state, not an opinion.
Engines, fuel and systems awareness
Know the basics of the four-stroke cycle - induction, compression, combustion, exhaust - and the role of carburettor heat. Carburettor ice can form at outside temperatures well above freezing, especially in humid air with the throttle partly closed, and applying heat enriches the mixture, which is why the engine may run roughly at first. Know that detonation and pre-ignition are distinct phenomena and that correct fuel grade and mixture management prevent both.
Worked example
During a pre-flight, a pilot finds a small crack in a wheel fairing. It does not affect control, but it is a defect. Rule of thumb: if it is not in the approved deferral list, it is not deferred - record it, seek advice, and do not fly until cleared.
Traps to expect
Confusing carburettor ice with airframe icing; assuming carburettor heat can be applied continuously without limit; and treating an undocumented defect as airworthy.