DGAC Bolivia Commercial Pilot (PCA) flashcards

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

PCA licence privilege

A commercial pilot licence permits the holder to act as pilot-in-command or co-pilot of aircraft in commercial air transport and to exercise all private pilot privileges, provided ratings and recency are current.

Class 1 medical validity

A Class 1 medical certificate is required for commercial pilots and has a limited validity period that shortens with the holder's age; flying without a valid certificate is prohibited.

Recency: three take-offs landings

A pilot may not carry passengers as pilot-in-command unless three take-offs and three landings were performed in the preceding 90 days in the same aircraft type.

Certificate of airworthiness

A document confirming that an aircraft meets its type design and is safe to operate; it must be renewed periodically and carried on board during flight.

Four-stroke engine cycle

The reciprocating engine cycle has intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust strokes; the crankshaft rotates twice per complete cycle while the camshaft rotates once.

Carburettor icing conditions

Carburettor icing may occur at ambient temperatures between about minus seven and plus twenty-one degrees Celsius with high humidity, causing RPM loss that carburettor heat can correct.

Magnetos and ignition

Two engine-driven magnetos supply independent ignition to the spark plugs; a run-up magneto check confirms each magneto produces an acceptable RPM drop.

Pitot-static blockage effects

A blocked pitot tube causes the airspeed indicator to behave like an altimeter; a blocked static port makes the altimeter, vertical speed indicator, and airspeed indicator unreliable.

Centre of gravity envelope

The allowable forward and aft CG limits that ensure controllability and stability; the loaded aircraft must remain within these limits throughout the entire flight.

Density altitude

Pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temperature; high density altitude reduces engine power and lift, increasing take-off and landing distances and reducing climb performance.

Crosswind component formula

The crosswind component equals wind speed multiplied by the sine of the angle between the wind and the runway; the headwind component uses the cosine of that angle.

Manoeuvring speed Va

The maximum speed at which full control deflection will not exceed the design load factor; above Va, abrupt control inputs in turbulence risk structural damage.

Time of useful consciousness

The period after loss of oxygen during which a pilot can still take corrective action; it decreases rapidly with altitude and is very short above 35,000 feet.

Spatial disorientation

A false perception of aircraft attitude caused by vestibular limitations, especially during sustained turns or acceleration; pilots must rely on instruments rather than sensations.

Hyperventilation

Rapid breathing lowers carbon dioxide in the blood and causes dizziness and tingling that mimic hypoxia; treatment is controlled breathing at a normal rate.

Circadian rhythm

The body's internal daily cycle that affects alertness; performance is lowest during the early morning and mid-afternoon low points of the cycle.

QNH versus QFE

QNH is pressure reduced to mean sea level and makes the altimeter indicate elevation; QFE is pressure at the aerodrome and makes the altimeter read zero on the ground.

Thunderstorm mature stage

The stage with both strong updrafts and downdrafts, heavy rain, hail, lightning, and severe turbulence; it produces the most hazardous weather for aircraft.

Clear ice

A dense, hard ice deposit formed by large supercooled droplets that spread before freezing; it is the most dangerous form because it adds significant weight and disrupts airflow.

Wind shear escape

On encountering wind shear or a microburst, apply maximum power, pitch to maintain the best angle of climb, and avoid abrupt changes that could cause a stall.

METAR report

A routine aerodrome weather report giving wind, visibility, cloud, temperature, dewpoint, and QNH; SPECI is a special report issued when conditions change significantly.

Wind triangle

A vector diagram combining true airspeed and heading with wind speed and direction to determine the resulting ground speed and drift angle.

One-in-sixty rule

A one-degree tracking error over sixty nautical miles produces one nautical mile of off-track distance; it is used to compute heading corrections.

VOR radial

The magnetic bearing from a VOR station; the course deviation indicator centres when the aircraft is on the selected radial with the correct TO or FROM indication.

ILS glide slope

The vertical guidance component of an instrument landing system, normally set near a three-degree descent path and centred by flying toward the needle.

Sterile cockpit

A rule prohibiting non-essential conversation and activity during taxi, take-off, approach, and landing to keep crew attention on flying the aircraft.

Missed approach briefing

A briefing before the approach that covers the missed-approach procedure, the decision point, and the actions to take if the runway is not in sight.

Critical angle of attack

The angle of attack at which airflow separates from the wing and lift decreases abruptly; the stall occurs at this angle regardless of airspeed, mass, or attitude.

Load factor in turns

The ratio of lift to weight; in a level turn it equals one divided by the cosine of the bank angle, so a sixty-degree bank doubles the load factor.

Induced versus parasite drag

Induced drag decreases as speed increases, while parasite drag increases with the square of speed; total drag is lowest at the speed for best glide.

MAYDAY and PAN-PAN

MAYDAY, repeated three times, signals grave and imminent danger; PAN-PAN, repeated three times, signals urgency without immediate danger to life.

Transponder emergency codes

Code 7700 indicates an emergency, 7600 indicates radio failure, and 7500 indicates unlawful interference; each alerts air traffic control to the situation.

Read-back requirement

Pilots must read back clearances, runway assignments, hold-short instructions, and altimeter settings to confirm that the message was received correctly.

NDB relative bearing

The angle measured clockwise from the aircraft's nose to the NDB station; adding it to the magnetic heading gives the magnetic bearing to the station.

RNAV approach minima

Satellite-based approaches publish minima such as LNAV, LNAV/VNAV, or LPV, depending on the available lateral and vertical guidance and the equipment installed.

Partial panel scan

Flying with failed gyroscopic instruments by cross-checking the remaining attitude, airspeed, altitude, and heading indicators, and using timed turns and standard rates.

SMS four pillars

Safety management systems rest on policy and objectives, risk management, assurance, and promotion; together they provide a structured approach to controlling risk.

Threat and error management

A framework in which crews anticipate threats, trap errors before they affect the flight, and avoid or recover from undesired aircraft states.

Just culture

A safety culture that encourages reporting of errors while distinguishing honest mistakes from negligence or deliberate violations, supporting learning without punishing reporting.

Best glide speed

The speed that gives the greatest glide distance after engine failure; it corresponds to the minimum total drag and should be flown while selecting a landing site.

Closed-loop communication

A crew communication method in which the receiver repeats the message and the sender confirms it, ensuring that instructions are correctly understood.

Emergency descent procedure

Don oxygen masks, establish the descent at the maximum safe rate to 10,000 feet or the applicable minimum, and notify air traffic control of the action.