NCAA PPL Aircraft General Knowledge key terms

The structural components of an aircraft, including the fuselage, wings, empennage, and landing gear, but excluding the powerplant and its accessories.

The central body of an aircraft that houses the cockpit, cabin, and baggage area and to which the wings and tail section are attached.

The tail assembly of an aircraft, comprising the horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, elevators, and rudder, providing longitudinal and directional stability.

A fixed horizontal surface at the rear of the fuselage that provides longitudinal stability and to which the elevators are hinged.

The fixed vertical fin at the rear of the aircraft that provides directional stability and to which the rudder is attached.

A hinged control surface on the trailing edge of each wing that moves in opposite directions to raise one wing and lower the other, producing roll.

A hinged control surface on the trailing edge of the horizontal stabilizer that controls the aircraft's pitch attitude about its lateral axis.

A hinged control surface on the trailing edge of the vertical stabilizer that controls yaw about the aircraft's vertical axis.

A hinged or sliding surface on the inboard trailing edge of a wing that increases camber and area, raising lift and drag for takeoff and landing.

A small hinged surface on a primary control surface that can be adjusted in flight to relieve control pressure and hold a desired attitude.

The main longitudinal structural beam of a wing, running spanwise from root to tip, that carries bending loads and supports the ribs and skin.

A spanwise structural member within a wing or stabilizer that shapes the airfoil contour and transfers loads between the skin and the spars.

The tendency of an aircraft to yaw away from the direction of a roll because the descending wing produces more induced drag than the rising wing.

The acute angle between the wing's chord line and the relative wind, which determines the amount of lift produced at a given airspeed.

The angle of attack at which airflow separates from the wing and lift begins to decrease, causing an aerodynamic stall at any airspeed or attitude.

An aural device that sounds when the wing approaches its critical angle of attack, alerting the pilot before an aerodynamic stall occurs.

A forward-facing probe that senses ram air pressure from the airstream, supplying the airspeed indicator and, on some aircraft, the airspeed-based systems.

A small flush opening on the aircraft's exterior that senses undisturbed ambient atmospheric pressure for the airspeed indicator, altimeter, and vertical speed indicator.

A cockpit instrument that displays indicated airspeed by comparing ram air pressure from the pitot tube against static pressure from the static port.

An instrument that displays altitude above a selected pressure datum by measuring changes in static atmospheric pressure, with the setting adjustable in the Kollsman window.

An instrument that shows the rate of climb or descent in feet per minute by measuring the rate of change of static pressure.

A gyroscopic instrument that displays the aircraft's heading, free of the turning errors of a magnetic compass, and must be periodically aligned with the magnetic compass.

A gyroscopic instrument that displays the aircraft's pitch and bank attitude relative to the horizon, driven by a vacuum or electrically powered gyroscope.

A non-gyroscopic instrument that indicates magnetic heading using a float-mounted magnet, subject to turning, acceleration, and northerly turning errors.

An engine-driven pump system that spins the gyroscopes in the attitude and heading indicators, with suction monitored by a gauge in the cockpit.

An internal combustion engine in which pistons move back and forth within cylinders, converting the pressure of burning fuel-air mixture into rotating power.

The chamber in a reciprocating engine in which the piston travels, containing the combustion process and fitted with cooling fins and valves.

A cylindrical engine component that moves within the cylinder, transmitting combustion pressure through the connecting rod to the crankshaft.

The rotating shaft of a reciprocating engine that converts the reciprocating motion of the pistons into rotary power delivered to the propeller.

A device that meters fuel and mixes it with incoming air before the mixture enters the engine cylinders, susceptible to icing under certain conditions.

The formation of ice in the carburetor throat from fuel vaporization and pressure drop, which can reduce power or cause engine failure if not prevented with carburetor heat.

A cockpit control that adjusts the fuel-to-air ratio entering the engine, leaned at altitude and enriched for high power settings.

The proportion by weight of fuel to air supplied to the engine, with approximately 15:1 being chemically ideal for complete combustion.

An engine-driven, self-contained ignition device that generates high-voltage current to fire the spark plugs, independent of the aircraft's electrical system.

A threaded ignition component that receives high voltage from the magneto and produces a spark to ignite the fuel-air mixture in the cylinder.

The magneto, harness, and spark plug assembly that delivers timed high-voltage sparks to the cylinders, typically duplicated for redundancy.

A rotating airfoil assembly that converts engine torque into thrust by accelerating air rearward, with fixed-pitch or constant-speed variants.

A propeller whose blade angle is automatically adjusted by a governor to maintain a selected engine RPM as power or airspeed changes.

An instrument that displays the absolute pressure in the engine's intake manifold, used with a constant-speed propeller to set and monitor engine power.

An instrument that indicates engine crankshaft speed, usually in revolutions per minute, allowing the pilot to set and monitor power.

An instrument that displays the pressure of oil circulating through the engine, indicating whether lubrication is reaching moving parts properly.

An instrument that displays the temperature of the engine oil, helping the pilot judge warm-up, cooling, and possible overheating.

An instrument that indicates the temperature of one or more cylinder heads, used to monitor cooling and avoid overheating during climb or lean operation.

An instrument that measures the temperature of exhaust gases leaving the cylinders, used to set the fuel mixture for best power or economy.

The aircraft's battery, alternator or generator, voltage regulator, and distribution wiring that supply and store electrical power for instruments, lights, and avionics.

An instrument that displays the rate of current flow into or out of the battery, showing whether the charging system is working.

The cockpit switch that connects or disconnects the aircraft's battery and alternator from the electrical system, controlling power to most electrical equipment.

A cockpit-controlled valve that allows the pilot to choose which fuel tank supplies the engine and to shut off fuel flow.

An instrument that indicates the quantity of fuel remaining in each tank, most accurate when the aircraft is level and not in a turn.