Aircraft General Knowledge and Principles of Flight
What you must know
Understand the four forces, the lift equation (L = ½ρV²SCL), angle of attack vs pitch attitude, and the lift curve including critical angle and stall. Study the induced-drag relationship (Di ∝ CL²/(πAe)), parasite drag, and total drag curve with L/D max at best glide. Know stability: static and dynamic, longitudinal, lateral and directional, and the role of the horizontal stabilizer, dihedral, and fin. Learn systems: piston and turbine engines, constant-speed propellers, fuel, electrical, hydraulic, pressurization, and flight controls including trim and flaps. Instrument basics: pitot-static and gyroscopic instruments and their errors.
Traps
Questions test: stall at any speed and any attitude, load factor increasing stall speed by √n, and the difference between best glide speed and minimum sink. Another trap is confusing induced drag behaviour with speed - induced drag decreases as speed increases, parasite drag increases. Also expect questions on why carburettor icing occurs at moderate temperatures and high humidity, and on altimeter errors (position error, lag, temperature error).
Worked example
Stall speed at 1 g is 50 kt. In a 60° bank, load factor is 1/cos60° = 2. New stall speed = 50 × √2 ≈ 71 kt. This is why steep turns demand higher approach speeds.
Rule of thumb
Stall depends on angle of attack, not airspeed. Load factor multiplies stall speed by the square root of n.