FLIGHT TEST STUDY QUESTIONS

The following questions are typical of those asked a student by the Examiner during the pre-flight test briefing.


  • Define the following classes of airspace and the rules associated with them as far as the VFR pilot is concerned: Classes A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.
  • What maintenance work on a privately registered aircraft is a pilot permitted to perform?
  • What scheduled maintenance is required on a privately registered aircraft?
  • What are the weather minima in which you may land at Abbotsford Airport?
  • What are the weather minima in which you may land at Ft. Langley?
  • If the flight visibility is 1 mile, what is the maximum altitude that you can fly over Ft. Langley?  What is the minimum altitude that you can fly over Ft. Langley with 1-mile flight visibility?
  • What is the VFR weather minima required to land at Nanaimo Airport?
  • If the flight visibility is 3 miles, what is the maximum altitude that you can fly over Ft. Langley with and without a clearance?
  • What documents must be carried on board an aircraft?
  • How do you establish that the Certificate of Airworthiness for an aircraft is valid?
  • How do you establish that the Certificate of Registration for an aircraft is valid?
  • What insurance must a privately registered aircraft have?
  • When is proof of insurance required on board an aircraft?
  • If you become lost near Vancouver, how could you use ATC (Air Traffic Control) in finding the nearest airport?
  • If you were lost near Comox, what frequency would you use to contact ATC for assistance?
  • Must a functioning ELT be carried on board your aeroplane?
  • When is a functioning ELT not required on board an aeroplane?
  • What information must be included in a passenger briefing?
  • What are the weather minima associated with night flying and Special VFR Clearances?
  • If you sell your private aeroplane, what actions must you take with respect to the Certificate of Registration?
  • What is the difference between an alternator and a generator?
  • What are the emergency procedures you would take in the case of engine fire during start?  (These must be memorized.)
  • What are the emergency procedures you would take in the case of engine fire during flight?  (These must be memorized.)1
  • What are the emergency procedures you would take in the case of cabin fire?  (These must be memorized.)
  • What are the emergency procedures you would take in the case of engine power loss in flight?  (These must be memorized.)
  • What are the emergency procedures you would take in the case of a power-off landing?  (These must be memorized.)
  • What are the emergency procedures you would take in the case of loss of oil pressure during flight?  (These must be memorized.)
  • What are the emergency procedures you would take in the case of loss of fuel pressure during flight?  (These must be memorized.)
  • What are the emergency procedures you would take in the case of high oil temperature during flight?  (These must be memorized.)
  • What are the emergency procedures you would take in the case of an alternator failure during flight?
  • What are the emergency procedures you would take in the case of an open door during flight?
  • What are the emergency procedures you would take in the case of engine roughness during flight?
  • What is carburettor ice, and what are its two causes?
  • What are the atmospheric conditions in which you can encounter carburettor ice?
  • What are the symptoms of carburettor ice?
  • What instruments in your aircraft will fail if the vacuum pump fails, and what should you do in the event of a vacuum pump failure?
  • What flight instruments are connected to the static pressure vents?
  • If during a climb a bug blocks your pitot tube, what will happen to your airspeed indicator?
  • What is the maximum gross weight permissible for your aeroplane?
  • What is the difference between the utility and normal flight categories for your aeroplane?
  • What colour is 100 LL fuel?
  • What is your aeroplane’s fuel capacity, and what is the fuel burn rate at 75% power?
  • If you want to take off on Runway 30, and the wind is 250° at 22 KNOTS, what is your crosswind component?
  • What are the following airspeeds for your aircraft (which must be memorized): stall speed, landing configuration (Vso), manoeuvring speed (Va), best angle of climb (Vx), and best rate of climb (Vy).
  • If the elevation of an airport is 2300’, and the air pressure is 28.83, what is the pressure altitude of the airport?
  • If the temperature for the above airport is 32° C., what is the airport density altitude?
  • In taking off from the above airport, what is the minimum takeoff roll your aeroplane can perform, and in what configuration?
  • What are the effects of an aft Centre of Gravity with respect to stability, speed, and stall speed?2
  • What are the effects of a forward Centre of Gravity with respect to stability, speed, and stall speed?
  • How can a pilot determine what type of oil should be added?
  • How can a pilot determine what type of brake fluid should be added to his aircraft?
  • What rules of thumb apply to the mixing of oils?
  • When is a flight plan required?
  • What are the weather minima for Special VFR?
  • What are the rules concerning Special VFR at night?
  • What is the effect of increasing altitude on indicated airspeed?
  • What is the highest you can fly your aeroplane with a Mode A transponder?  What is the highest you can fly without a transponder?
  • What is the highest altitude a pilot can fly without oxygen?
  • What is the highest altitude passengers can fly without oxygen?
  • If you are cruising at 10,500’ and the temperature is 7° C., and your indicated airspeed is 110 KNOTS, what is your true airspeed?
  • What should be done with the ELT after a crash?
  • Does your aircraft have an alternate static source?  Where is it located and how and when is it used?
  • What is the required tire pressure on your aircraft?
  • What is the proper exposure on your aircraft’s oleo, and what actions should you take if the exposure is too small?
  • If your turn co-ordinator fails, can you still fly your aircraft?
  • What additional equipment is required on board an aircraft during night flight?
  • If your landing light fails, can you still conduct a night flight?
  • If your aircraft has an indicated airspeed of 47 KNOTS, what will be its calibrated airspeed?
  • What is the difference between calibrated airspeed and indicated airspeed?
  • If you discover defective equipment on your aircraft prior to flight and the defect does not affect the airworthiness of your aircraft, what action must you take to legally fly the aircraft?
  • If you discover defective equipment on your aircraft prior to flight and the defect does affect the airworthiness of your aircraft, what action must you take to legally fly the aircraft?
  • If you discover defective equipment on your aircraft during or after a flight, what actions must you take when the flight is completed?
  • What equipment is required for an aircraft flying over water within gliding distance of land?
  • What is an “equipment list”?  Is it required on board an aircraft?
  • What equipment is required for an aircraft flying over water beyond gliding distance of land?
  • What is the maximum distance a single-engine aircraft can fly from shore with only lifejackets on board?
  • When and what survival equipment is required on board an aircraft?
  • Under what circumstances can you use automotive fuel in your aircraft?
  • What are some of the hazards of automotive fuel being used in an aircraft?
  • If you do not have a transponder, but only a radio, can you obtain assistance from ATC finding your way into the airport if you are lost?
  • What is the largest aircraft a private/recreational pilot can legally fly with passengers?
  • What are the currency and recency requirements for a private/recreational pilot?
  • Identify the following components on your aircraft: VOR antenna, ADF antenna, VHF antenna, the electric fuel pump, mechanical fuel pump, magnetos, vacuum pump, carburettor heat box, alternator belt, oil cooling radiator, oil pump, fuel primer lines, oil lines, cabin heat shroud, and muffler.

The flight test will require you to present a prepared navigation log.  In evaluating your work, Examiners typically choose one leg and examine the calculations for that leg in detail.

 

Examiners will also have you calculate a takeoff distance question for an airport you have not been to before, given temperature, pressure, and wind.

 

Finally, be sure you identify the major components under the engine cowl—mechanical fuel pump, electric fuel pump, oil pump, oil cooler, oil filter, primer lines, oil return lines, carburettor, carburettor heat box, cabin heat shroud, vacuum pump, magnetos, magneto ground wire, oil pressure indicator line.

 

1 Rightly so, Examiners are insistent that the pilot know from memory what to do in the event of a fire—every time you fly an aircraft that you are not familiar with, it is critical to examine and memorize fire procedures in advance (there won’t be time to look this up in the Pilot Operating Handbook in the event of an actual fire).  Not complying with the anti-fire sequence in the order prescribed by the manufacturer could be deadly.  In a fire, microseconds count as any delay could cause, for example, the melting of the engine mounts—an aircraft cannot fly without an engine physically attached to the front of the airframe!  The sequence is quite simple—“fire in flight . . left to right.”

 

2 The effects of various C of G positions always pop up in the pre-flight test oral examination.