MASTERS FLYING SCHOOL

Private Pilot – Principles of Flight

1. What is one purpose of wing flaps?

A. To enable the pilot to make steeper approaches to a landing without increasing the airspeed.
B. To relieve the pilot of maintaining continuous pressure on the controls.
C. To decrease wing area to vary the lift.

2. One of the main functions of flaps during approach and landing is to

A. decrease the angle of descent without increasing the airspeed.
B. permit a touchdown at a higher indicated airspeed.
C. increase the angle of descent without increasing the airspeed.

3. What is the purpose of the rudder on an airplane?

A. To control yaw.
B. To control overbanking tendency.
C. To control roll.

4. The four forces acting on an airplane in flight are

A. lift, weight, thrust, and drag.
B. lift, weight, gravity, and thrust.
C. lift, gravity, power, and friction.

5. When are the four forces that act on an airplane in equilibrium?

A. During unaccelerated flight.
B. When the aircraft is accelerating.
C. When the aircraft is at rest on the ground.
6. What is the relationship of lift, drag, thrust, and weight when the airplane is in straight-and-level
flight?
A. Lift equals weight and thrust equals drag.
B. Lift, drag, and weight equal thrust.
C. Lift and weight equal thrust and drag.

7. The term "angle of attack" is defined as the angle

A. between the wing chord line and the relative wind.
B. between the airplane's climb angle and the horizon.
C. formed by the longitudinal axis of the airplane and the chord line of the wing.

8. Angle of attack is defined as the angle between the chord line of an airfoil and the
A. direction of the relative wind.
B. pitch angle of an airfoil.
C. rotor plane of rotation.

9. The acute angle A is the angle of

A. incidence.
B. attack.
C. dihedral.
10. The angle of attack at which an airplane wing stalls will
A. increase if the CG is moved forward.
B. change with an increase in gross weight.
C. remain the same regardless of gross weight.

11. As altitude increases, the indicated airspeed at which a given airplane stalls in a particular
configuration will
A. decrease as the true airspeed decreases.
B. decrease as the true airspeed increases.
C. remain the same regardless of altitude.

12. In what flight condition must an aircraft be placed in order to spin?

A. Partially stalled with one wing low.
B. In a steep diving spiral.
C. Stalled.

13. During a spin to the left, which wing(s) is/are stalled?

A. Both wings are stalled.
B. Neither wing is stalled.
C. Only the left wing is stalled.

14. How will frost on the wings of an airplane affect takeoff performance?
A. Frost will disrupt the smooth flow of air over the wing, adversely affecting its lifting capability.
B. Frost will change the camber of the wing, increasing its lifting capability.
C. Frost will cause the airplane to become airborne with a higher angle of attack, decreasing the stall
speed.
15. Why is frost considered hazardous to flight?
A. Frost changes the basic aerodynamic shape of the airfoils, thereby decreasing lift.
B. Frost slows the airflow over the airfoils, thereby increasing control effectiveness.
C. Frost spoils the smooth flow of air over the wings, thereby decreasing lifting capability.

16. How does frost affect the lifting surfaces of an airplane on takeoff?
A. Frost may prevent the airplane from becoming airborne at normal takeoff speed.
B. Frost will change the camber of the wing, increasing lift during takeoff.
C. Frost may cause the airplane to become airborne with a lower angle of attack at a lower indicated
airspeed.

17. What is ground effect?

A. The result of the interference of the surface of the Earth with the airflow patterns about an
airplane.
B. The result of an alteration in airflow patterns increasing induced drag about the wings of an
airplane.
C. The result of the disruption of the airflow patterns about the wings of an airplane to the point
where the wings will no longer support the airplane in flight.
18. Floating caused by the phenomenon of ground effect will be most realized during an approach to
land when at
A. less than the length of the wingspan above the surface.
B. twice the length of the wingspan above the surface.
C. a higher-than-normal angle of attack.

19. What must a pilot be aware of as a result of ground effect?

A. Wingtip vortices increase creating wake turbulence problems for arriving and departing aircraft.
B. Induced drag decreases; therefore, any excess speed at the point of flare may cause considerable
floating.
C. A full stall landing will require less up elevator deflection than would a full stall when done free of
ground effect.

20. Ground effect is most likely to result in which problem?

A. Settling to the surface abruptly during landing.
B. Becoming airborne before reaching recommended takeoff speed.
C. Inability to get airborne even though airspeed is sufficient for normal takeoff needs.

21. What force makes an airplane turn?

A. The horizontal component of lift.
B. The vertical component of lift.
C. Centrifugal force.

22. An airplane said to be inherently stable will

A. be difficult to stall.
B. require less effort to control.
C. not spin.

23. What determines the longitudinal stability of an airplane?

A. The location of the CG with respect to the center of lift.
B. The effectiveness of the horizontal stabilizer, rudder, and rudder trim tab.
C. The relationship of thrust and lift to weight and drag.

24. An airplane has been loaded in such a manner that the CG is located aft of the aft CG limit. One
undesirable flight characteristic a pilot might experience with this airplane would be
A. a longer takeoff run.
B. difficulty in recovering from a stalled condition.
C. stalling at higher-than-normal airspeed.

25. What causes an airplane (except a T-tail) to pitch nosedown when power is reduced and controls are
not adjusted?
A. The CG shifts forward when thrust and drag are reduced.
B. The downwash on the elevators from the propeller slipstream is reduced and elevator effectiveness
is reduced.
C. When thrust is reduced to less than weight, lift is also reduced and the wings can no longer support
the weight.
26. Loading an airplane to the most aft CG will cause the airplane to be
A. less stable at all speeds.
B. less stable at slow speeds, but more stable at high speeds.
C. less stable at high speeds, but more stable at low speeds.

27. In what flight condition is torque effect the greatest in a single-engine airplane?
A. Low airspeed, high power, high angle of attack.
B. Low airspeed, low power, low angle of attack.
C. High airspeed, high power, high angle of attack.

28. The left turning tendency of an airplane caused by P-factor is the result of the
A. clockwise rotation of the engine and the propeller turning the airplane counterclockwise.
B. propeller blade descending on the right, producing more thrust than the ascending blade on the
left.
C. gyroscopic forces applied to the rotating propeller blades acting 90° in advance of the point the
force was applied.

29. When does P-factor cause the airplane to yaw to the left?
A. When at low angles of attack.
B. When at high angles of attack.
C. When at high airspeeds.

30. The amount of excess load that can be imposed on the wing of an airplane depends upon the
A. position of the CG.
B. speed of the airplane.
C. abruptness at which the load is applied.

31. Which basic flight maneuver increases the load factor on an airplane as compared to straight-and-
level flight?
A. Climbs.
B. Turns.
C. Stalls.

32. During an approach to a stall, an increased load factor will cause the airplane to
A. stall at a higher airspeed.
B. have a tendency to spin.
C. be more difficult to control.

33. (Refer to figure 2.) If an airplane weighs 2,300 pounds, what approximate weight would the airplane
structure be required to support during a 60° banked turn while maintaining altitude?
A. 2,300 pounds.
B. 3,400 pounds.
C. 4,600 pounds.
34. (Refer to figure 2.) If an airplane weighs 3,300 pounds, what approximate weight would the airplane
structure be required to support during a 30° banked turn while maintaining altitude?
A. 1,200 pounds.
B. 3,100 pounds.
C. 3,960 pounds.

35. (Refer to figure 2.) If an airplane weighs 4,500 pounds, what approximate weight would the airplane
structure be required to support during a 45° banked turn while maintaining altitude?
A. 4,500 pounds.
B. 6,750 pounds.
C. 7,200 pounds.
Private Pilot – Theory of Flight Answer Key

[1] Answer (A) is correct. Extending the flaps increases the wing camber and the angle of attack of the
wing. This increases wing lift and induced drag, which enables the pilot to make steeper approaches to a
landing without an increase in airspeed.
[2] Answer (C) is correct. Extending the flaps increases the wing camber and the angle of attack of the
wing. This increases wing lift and induced drag, which enables the pilot to increase the angle of descent
without increasing the airspeed.
[3] Answer (A) is correct. The rudder is used to control yaw, which is rotation about the airplane's
vertical axis.
[4] Answer (A) is correct. Lift is produced by the wings and opposes weight, which is the result of gravity.
Thrust is produced by the engine/propeller and opposes drag, which is the resistance of the air as the
airplane moves through it.
[5] Answer (A) is correct. The four forces (lift, weight, thrust, and drag) that act on an airplane are in
equilibrium during un-accelerated flight.
[6] Answer (A) is correct. When the airplane is in straight-and-level flight (assuming no change of
airspeed), it is not accelerating, and therefore lift equals weight and thrust equals drag.
[7] Answer (A) is correct. The angle of attack is the angle between the wing chord line and the direction
of the relative wind. The wing chord line is a straight line from the leading edge to the trailing edge of
the wing. The relative wind is the direction of airflow relative to the wing when the wing is moving
through the air.
[8] Answer (A) is correct. The angle of attack is the angle between the wing chord line and the direction
of the relative wind. The wing chord line is a straight line from the leading edge to the trailing edge of
the wing. The relative wind is the direction of airflow relative to the wing when the wing is moving
through the air.
[9] Answer (B) is correct. The angle between the relative wind and the wing chord line is the angle of
attack. The wing chord line is a straight line from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wing.
[10] Answer (C) is correct. A given airplane wing will always stall at the same angle of attack regardless
of airspeed, weight, load factor, or density altitude. Each wing has a particular angle of attack (the
critical angle of attack) at which the airflow separates from the upper surface of the wing and the stall
occurs.
[11] Answer (C) is correct. All the performance factors of an airplane are dependent upon air density. As
air density decreases, the airplane stalls at a higher true airspeed. However, you cannot detect the
effect of high density altitude on your airspeed indicator. Accordingly, an airplane will stall in a particular
configuration at the same indicated airspeed regardless of altitude.
[12] Answer (C) is correct. In order to enter a spin, an airplane must always first be stalled. Thereafter,
the spin is caused when one wing becomes less stalled than the other wing.
[13] Answer (A) is correct. In order to enter a spin, an airplane must always first be stalled. Thereafter,
the spin is caused when one wing is less stalled than the other wing. In a spin to the left, the right wing is
less stalled than the left wing.
[14] Answer (A) is correct. Frost does not change the basic aerodynamic shape of the wing, but the
roughness of its surface spoils the smooth flow of air, thus causing an increase in drag and an early
airflow separation over the wing, resulting in a loss of lift.
[15] Answer (C) is correct. Frost does not change the basic aerodynamic shape of the wing, but the
roughness of its surface spoils the smooth flow of air, thus causing an increase in drag and an early
airflow separation over the wing, resulting in a loss of lift.
[16] Answer (A) is correct. Frost that is not removed from the surface of an airplane prior to takeoff may
make it difficult to get the airplane airborne at normal takeoff speed. The frost disrupts the airflow over
the wing, which increases drag.
[17] Answer (A) is correct. Ground effect is due to the interference of the ground (or water) surface with
the airflow patterns about the airplane in flight. As the wing encounters ground effect, there is a
reduction in the upwash, downwash, and the wingtip vortices. The result is a reduction in induced drag.
Thus, for a given angle of attack, the wing will produce more lift in ground effect than it does out of
ground effect.
[18] Answer (A) is correct. Ground effect is most usually recognized when the airplane is within one-half
of the length of its wingspan above the surface. It may extend as high as a full wingspan length above
the surface. Due to an alteration of the airflow about the wings, induced drag decreases, which reduces
the thrust required at low airspeeds. Thus, any excess speed during the landing flare may result in
considerable floating.
[19] Answer (B) is correct. Ground effect reduces the upwash, downwash, and vortices caused by the
wings, resulting in a decrease in induced drag. Thus, thrust required at low airspeeds will be reduced
and any excess speed at the point of flare may cause considerable floating.
[20] Answer (B) is correct. Due to the reduction of induced drag in ground effect, the airplane may seem
capable of becoming airborne well below the recommended takeoff speed. However, as the airplane
rises out of ground effect (a height greater than the wingspan) with a deficiency of speed, the increase
in induced drag may result in very marginal initial climb performance. In extreme cases, the airplane
may become airborne initially, with a deficiency of airspeed, only to settle back on the runway when
attempting to fly out of the ground effect area.
[21] Answer (A) is correct. When the wings of an airplane are not level, the lift is not entirely vertical and
tends to pull the airplane toward the direction of the lower wing. An airplane is turned when the pilot
coordinates rudder, aileron, and elevator to bank in order to attain a horizontal component of lift.
[22] Answer (B) is correct. An inherently stable airplane will usually return to the original condition of
flight (except when in a bank) if disturbed by a force such as air turbulence. Thus, an inherently stable
airplane will require less effort to control than an inherently unstable one.
[23] Answer (A) is correct. The location of the center of gravity with respect to the center of lift
determines, to a great extent, the longitudinal stability of the airplane. Positive stability is attained by
having the center of lift behind the center of gravity. Then the tail provides negative lift, creating a
downward tail force, which counteracts the nose's tendency to pitch down.
[24] Answer (B) is correct. The recovery from a stall in any airplane becomes progressively more difficult
as its center of gravity moves backward. Generally, airplanes become less controllable, especially at slow
flight speeds, as the center of gravity is moved backward.
[25] Answer (B) is correct. The relative wind on the tail is the result of the airplane's movement through
the air and the propeller slipstream. When that slipstream is reduced, the horizontal stabilizer (except a
T-tail) will produce less negative lift and the nose will pitch down.
[26] Answer (A) is correct. Airplanes become less stable at all speeds as the center of gravity is moved
backward. The rearward center of gravity limit is determined largely by considerations of stability.
[27] Answer (A) is correct. The effect of torque increases in direct proportion to engine power and
inversely to airspeed. Thus, at low airspeeds, high angles of attack, and high power settings, torque is
the greatest.
[28] Answer (A) is incorrect because torque reaction (not P-factor) is a result of the clockwise rotation
of the engine and the propeller turning the airplane counterclockwise.
[29] Answer (B) is correct. P-factor or asymmetric propeller loading occurs when an airplane is flown at a
high angle of attack because the downward-moving blade on the right side of the propeller (as seen
from the rear) has a higher angle of attack, which creates higher thrust than the upward moving blade
on the left. Thus, the airplane yaws around the vertical axis to the left.
[30] Answer (B) is correct. The amount of excess load that can be imposed on the wing depends upon
how fast the airplane is flying. At low speeds, the maximum available lifting force of the wing is only
slightly greater than the amount necessary to support the weight of the airplane. Thus, any excess load
would simply cause the airplane to stall. At high speeds, the lifting capacity of the wing is so great (as a
result of the greater flow of air over the wings) that a sudden movement of the elevator controls (strong
gust of wind) may increase the load factor beyond safe limits. This is why maximum speeds are
established by airplane manufacturers.
[31] Answer (B) is correct. Turns increase the load factor because the lift from the wings is used to pull
the airplane around a corner as well as to offset the force of gravity. The wings must carry the airplane's
weight plus offset centrifugal force during the turn. For example, a 60° bank results in a load factor of 2;
i.e., the wings must support twice the weight they do in level flight.
[32] Answer (A) is correct. The greater the load (whether from gross weight or from centrifugal force),
the more lift is required. Therefore, an airplane will stall at higher airspeeds when the load and/or load
factor is increased.
[33] Answer (C) is correct. Note on Fig. 2 that, at a 60° bank angle, the load factor is 2. Thus, a 2,300-lb.
airplane in a 60° bank would require its wings to support 4,600 lb. (2,300 x 2).
[34] Answer (C) is correct. Look on the left side of the chart in Fig. 2 to see that, at a 30° bank angle, the
load factor is 1.154. Thus, a 3,300-lb. airplane in a 30° bank would require its wings to support 3,808.2
lb. (3,300 x 1.154). This answer is closest to this value.
[35] Answer (B) is correct. Look on the left side of the chart under 45° and note that the load factor
curve is 1.414. Thus, a 4,500-lb. airplane in a 45° bank would require its wings to support 6,363 lb. (4,500
x 1.414). This answer is closest to this value.
Figure 1.

Figure 2.