KCAA PPL Exam flashcards

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

VFR minimum visibility at 10 000 ft

At and above 3 050 m (10 000 ft) AMSL in controlled airspace, VFR flight requires 8 km flight visibility and distance of 1 500 m horizontally and 300 m vertically from cloud.

Alcohol limit for flight crew

A crew member may not act as flight crew with a blood alcohol concentration above 0.02 percent, or within eight hours of consuming alcohol, whichever restriction is more limiting.

Certificate of Airworthiness validity

The C of A confirms the aircraft meets its type design and is airworthy; it must be renewed or maintained per the approved maintenance programme and carried on board during flight.

Four-stroke engine cycle

Induction, compression, combustion (power) and exhaust strokes. In a four-cylinder engine the crankshaft rotates twice, 720 degrees, for each cylinder to complete one full cycle.

Carburettor icing temperature range

Most likely with ambient temperatures between about minus 7 and plus 21 degrees Celsius and relative humidity above 50 percent. Carburettor heat enriches the mixture and reduces power.

Blocked pitot tube effects

If the pitot is blocked but the static drain remains open, the airspeed indicator reads zero because dynamic pressure cannot enter the capsule while static pressure escapes.

Magnetic compass acceleration error

During acceleration in the northern hemisphere the compass indicates a turn to the north; during deceleration it indicates a turn to the south. It is unreliable in turns and during speed changes.

Centre of gravity formula

Centre of gravity position equals total moment divided by total mass, where moment is each item's mass multiplied by its arm measured from the datum point.

Density altitude calculation

Density altitude equals pressure altitude plus 120 times the difference between outside air temperature and ISA temperature for that altitude, in degrees Celsius.

Final reserve fuel VFR

For VFR flight, plan to land with at least 30 minutes of fuel remaining at the holding or cruise fuel consumption rate, in addition to trip, contingency and alternate fuel.

Crosswind component formula

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

Time of useful consciousness at 25 000 ft

At 25 000 feet, time of useful consciousness is roughly three to five minutes. At 40 000 feet it falls to about 15 to 20 seconds, so oxygen must be available.

Hyperventilation versus hypoxia

Hyperventilation causes dizziness, tingling and visual disturbance from excessive breathing. Slow the breathing rate, check oxygen, and descend if symptoms persist to rule out hypoxia.

Night vision dark adaptation

Allow about 30 minutes for the eyes to adapt to darkness. Use off-centre viewing because the fovea has poor night sensitivity, and avoid bright white light.

Load factor in a 60 degree bank

In a level 60 degree bank, load factor is 2. Stall speed increases by the square root of the load factor, so it rises about 41 percent to 1.41 times the unaccelerated stall speed.

ISA sea-level values

International Standard Atmosphere at sea level: temperature 15 degrees Celsius, pressure 1013.25 hectopascals, lapse rate 1.98 degrees Celsius per 1 000 feet up to the tropopause.

QNH versus QFE

QNH is the altimeter setting that makes the altimeter read aerodrome elevation on the ground. QFE makes it read zero at the aerodrome reference point.

Cloud base estimate rule

Cloud base in feet approximates the temperature-dewpoint spread in degrees Celsius multiplied by 400. In metres, multiply the spread by 125.

Structural icing temperature range

Most severe icing occurs between 0 and minus 15 degrees Celsius in supercooled cloud. Ice adds mass, increases drag and reduces lift, so change altitude or route.

Southern hemisphere pressure systems

In the southern hemisphere, air circulates anticlockwise around a high-pressure system and clockwise around a low-pressure system, the reverse of the northern hemisphere pattern.

Great circle versus rhumb line

A great circle is the shortest path between two points on the Earth. A rhumb line maintains a constant track and plots as a straight line on a Mercator chart.

Variation and deviation

Variation is the angle between true and magnetic north at a location; deviation is the aircraft-induced compass error. Apply variation, then deviation, to convert true to compass.

VOR radial interpretation

The VOR receiver displays the magnetic radial from the station. The course deviation indicator centres when the selected OBS matches the radial, with TO or FROM indicating direction.

ADF relative bearing

The ADF needle shows the relative bearing to the station. Adding the aircraft magnetic heading to the relative bearing gives the magnetic bearing to the station.

Engine failure after take-off

Lower the nose to maintain best glide speed, select a landing area ahead, and avoid turning back below about 300 to 500 feet unless briefed and trained.

Lost communication squawk code

On radio failure, squawk 7600, continue under VFR, remain clear of controlled airspace unless previously cleared, and land at the nearest suitable aerodrome.

Wake turbulence avoidance

Wake vortices sink and drift with the wind. Take off before the preceding aircraft's rotation point and land after its touchdown point, staying above its flight path.

Lift equation

Lift equals one half times air density times velocity squared times wing area times lift coefficient. Doubling speed quadruples lift if the lift coefficient stays constant.

Stall angle of attack

A wing stalls at the critical angle of attack, not at a fixed speed. Mass, load factor, centre of gravity and power change the stall speed but not the stall angle.

Induced and parasite drag

Induced drag decreases with increasing speed while parasite drag increases with the square of speed. Total drag is lowest at the best lift-to-drag ratio speed.

MAYDAY distress call

Transmit MAYDAY three times, then callsign, nature of emergency, position, altitude and intentions. Use PAN-PAN three times for urgency, not immediate distress.

Emergency squawk codes

Squawk 7700 for general emergency, 7600 for radio failure and 7500 for unlawful interference. Squawk 7000 is the VFR code in Europe.