Aircraft general knowledge and airworthiness/maintenance (luftdyktighet og vedlikehold)
Aircraft general knowledge and airworthiness/maintenance (luftdyktighet og vedlikehold) tests the piston-engine aircraft you fly, its systems, pre-flight inspection, and the paperwork that makes it legal. Expect questions on carburettor icing, magnetos, fuel, oil, weight and balance, and maintenance releases rather than heavy theory.
Engine and systems
A typical PPL aircraft has an air-cooled horizontally opposed piston engine, two independent magnetos, a carburettor or fuel injection, and a fixed-pitch or constant-speed propeller. The magnetos are separate ignition circuits; the engine runs on one, but the dual system improves combustion and redundancy. The pre-take-off magneto check verifies both circuits and detects fouled plugs. Carburettor icing can occur at outside air temperatures from about -5 °C to +20 °C when humidity is high. It is common at reduced power in descent and shows as RPM drop or rough running. Apply carburettor heat; expect a further initial drop as ice melts, then recovery.
Airworthiness
Before flight, confirm valid certificate of airworthiness, airworthiness review certificate (ARC), maintenance release, insurance, mass and balance, and equipment. The ARC is normally valid one year, supported by annual inspection and airworthiness directive compliance. Defects must be recorded and released by an authorised person; a PPL holder does not certify maintenance.
Worked example
On descent at 10 °C with visible moisture, RPM falls from 2300 to 2100. You apply carburettor heat; RPM drops further briefly, then rises. Reasoning: ice in the carburettor venturi is melting. Keep carburettor heat on, avoid further power reduction, and land if recovery is incomplete.
Traps
Ignoring a magneto drop beyond the checklist limit; believing fuel injection eliminates throttle icing; using incorrect fuel; flying with an expired ARC; and treating weight and balance as paperwork rather than a performance limit.