DGAC Bolivia Commercial Pilot (PCA) study guide
DGAC Bolivia Commercial Pilot (PCA) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Piloto Comercial de Avión (PCA) is the Bolivian commercial aeroplane licence issued under the authority of the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC). It is the credential that allows a pilot to act as pilot-in-command of aeroplanes in commercial air transport operations and to be compensated for flying, so it is the natural next step for a private pilot building toward a professional career, and the entry point for most pilots aiming at airline or charter work. The DGAC Bolivia Commercial Pilot (PCA) study guide has 11 sections and about 3,592 words.
01Air Law and DGAC Regulations (Bolivia)
Bolivian civil aviation is governed by the DGAC (Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil) under the Ministry of Public Works, operating under the Ley de Aeronáutica Civil and the Reglamento de la Ley de Aeronáutica Civil, with technical standards aligned to ICAO Annexes. Candidates must know the classes of licences and ratings, the privileges and limitations of the Commercial Pilot Licence, medical certificate validity, recency requirements, and the documents that must be aboard (certificate of registration, certificate of airworthiness, crew licences, journey log, weight and balance, insurance, radio station authorisation).
344 words, about 2 min02Aircraft General Knowledge: Airframes, Systems and Powerplants
You must be able to describe the primary structure (fuselage, wings, empennage, landing gear) and how loads are carried: tension, compression, shear, bending and torsion. Know the flight control surfaces and their secondary effects - aileron drag and adverse yaw, elevator effectiveness with speed, rudder and yaw coupling.
300 words, about 2 min03Flight Performance and Planning: Mass, Balance and Performance
Every performance calculation begins with mass and centre of gravity. Know the terms: basic empty mass, dry operating mass, take-off mass, landing mass, zero-fuel mass, and maximum structural limits for each.
324 words, about 2 min04Human Performance and Limitations
Questions in this domain test how pilots perceive, decide and err. Know the senses used in flight - vision (rods and cones, night vision, empty-field myopia), hearing, and the vestibular system - and how illusions arise: somatogravic illusion during acceleration, the leans, and the false horizon.
294 words, about 1 min05Meteorology
Know the standard atmosphere, the relationship between pressure, altitude and density, and how altimeter settings work. Questions test the difference between QNH, QFE and QNE, and the errors caused by flying from high to low pressure or warm to cold air without adjusting the altimeter - the classic "high to low, look out below" trap.
288 words, about 1 min06Navigation: General, Radio and Instrument
Know the Earth's shape and the graticule, latitude and longitude, great circles and rhumb lines, and how to convert between true, magnetic and compass headings (variation and deviation). Understand the triangle of velocities: true airspeed, wind velocity and track combine to give heading and groundspeed.
287 words, about 1 min07Operational Procedures
This domain covers how flights are actually run: pre-flight preparation, aerodrome operating minima, take-off and landing performance, fuel policy, alternates, and the use of checklists. Know the difference between normal, abnormal and emergency checklists, and why memory items exist only for time-critical situations.
287 words, about 1 min08Principles of Flight
Know how lift is generated - circulation, angle of attack, and the pressure distribution - and the lift equation: lift depends on density, velocity squared, wing area and lift coefficient. Understand the drag curve: parasite drag rises with the square of speed, induced drag falls as speed rises, and total drag is minimum at the speed for best glide or maximum endurance.
311 words, about 2 min09Communications: VFR and IFR
Know the standard structure of a radio call: station addressed, aircraft identification, position, altitude, intentions. Understand the difference between VFR and IFR communications: VFR uses position reports and requests for traffic information, while IFR uses clearances, readback requirements and position reporting on airways.
282 words, about 1 min10Radio Navigation and Instrument Flight
Know how each aid works and its limitations. VOR provides radials referenced to magnetic north; the CDI shows deviation from the selected course, and TO/FROM indicates whether the selected course leads to or from the station.
322 words, about 2 min11Aviation Safety
Modern safety thinking moves from reactive accident investigation to proactive hazard identification. Know the safety management system (SMS) components: safety policy, safety risk management, safety assurance and safety promotion.
553 words, about 3 min