Airframes

Question 1

Fuselage Types - Truss Type

Answer 1

• Frame of wood beams or metal tubes, bolted or welded
• Used on older style aircraft
• Frames covered with fabric, metal, or composite
• Frame carries load and fuselage stresses
• Two types are “Warren” and “N Girder”

Question 2

Fuselage Types - Monocoque

Answer 2

• Stressed Skin Structure, skin carries SOME of the load
• Perfect Stressed Skin means the skin carries ALL of the load
• Formers maintain shape
• Bulkheads carry load

Question 3

Fuselage Types - Semi Monocoque

Answer 3

• Combination of stressed skin and formers or frame system
• Has a firewall
• Cessna 172

Question 4

Wing Terms - Chord

Answer 4

Straight Line from leading to trailing edge

Question 5

Wing Terms - Camber

Answer 5

Upper Curvature of the wing

Question 6

Wing Terms - Span

Answer 6

Distance from wingtip to wingtip

Question 7

Wing Terms - Wing Root

Answer 7

Inboard section of wing closest to fuselage

Question 8

Wing Terms - Load Factor

Answer 8

Actual weight being imposed vs weight of aircraft

Question 9

Construction Terms - Spars

Answer 9

• Bars that run from wing root to tip (parallel to wing)
• Carry most of the load in flight
• Prevent torsion

Question 10

Construction Terms - Ribs

Answer 10

Give shape to the wing

Question 11

Construction Terms - False Ribs

Answer 11

Smaller ribs placed between leading edge and front spar

Question 12

Construction Terms - Drag/Anti-Drag Wires

Answer 12

Provide additional support to the wing

Question 13

Construction Terms - External Struts

Answer 13

External bracing from the fuselage to the wing to provide additional support (C172)

Question 14

Construction Terms - Wing Tip Bow

Answer 14

Curved metal tube giving wingtip its shape

Question 15

Construction Terms - Compression Struts

Answer 15

Steel Tubes placed between spars to prevent compression/distortion of the wing

Question 16

Semi Cantilever Wing

Answer 16

Bracing supported by external struts (C172)

Question 17

Full Cantilever Wing

Answer 17

No external bracing (Seminole)

Question 18

Nose Wheel Gear Advantages

Answer 18

• Greater Visibility over nose while taxiing
• Nose over tendencies eliminated
• Greater maneuverability on ground

Question 19

Tail Wheel Gear Advantages

Answer 19

• Less Drag
• Cheaper and Easier to build and maintain
• Will sustain less prop damage
• More suitable for ski operations

Question 20

Forms of Shock Absorbers

Answer 20

• Low Pressure Tires
• Oleo (traditional shock absorber)
• Rubber discs or doughnuts
• Steel Spring

Question 21

Brakes - What to watch for

Answer 21

• Leave parking brake off if chocked
• Hydraulic leak around main gear (red puddle)
• Cracks in pads
• Rusting over long periods due to lack of use