Medical classes and privileges
First-Class Medical: Required for Airline Transport Pilots (ATP).
Validity: 12 months (under 40), 6 months (40 or older).
Second-Class Medical: Required for Commercial Pilots (carry persons or property for compensation).
Validity: 12 months, regardless of age.
Third-Class Medical: Required for Student, Recreational, and Private Pilots.
Validity: 60 months (under 40), 24 months (40 or older).
Student pilot certificate and temporary certificate expiration
temporary expires after 120 days, regular student pilot cert does not expire
currency vs proficiency
Currency is the legal, regulatory minimum required to act as pilot in command ensuring you are legal to fly. Proficiency is the measure of your actual skill, confidence, and ability to handle various conditions and emergencies safely. While currency makes you legal, proficiency keeps you safe.
What is a private pilot flight review
required by the FAA every 24 calendar months to act as pilot in command, is a minimum 2-hour proficiency check (1 hour ground, 1 hour flight) with a CFI to ensure safety
Passenger currency requires 3 day takeoff and landings and 3 night takeoff and landings as PIC
AV1ATES
For airframe, engine, and prop -
> Annual Inspection - by IA-certified mechanic
VOR Check - test navigation equipment every 30 days (IFR only)
100 hours inspection - full inspection of aircraft used for commercial use
Airworthiness Directives - FAA issued mandatory actions to be taken
Transponder check - test to ensure accurate data transmission to ATC every 24 months
ELT inspection - check every 12 months, replace after 1 hour continuous use or 50% battery life
Static system and altimeter - every 24 months
How is lift created
> Pressure Differential (Bernoulli’s Principle): Air travels faster over the curved top surface of a wing, creating lower pressure (a partial vacuum effect) compared to the higher pressure on the bottom, which pushes the wing up.
Action and Reaction (Newton’s Third Law): The wing is designed to deflect oncoming air downwards. According to Newton’s law, this downward acceleration of air produces an equal and opposite upward force on the wing.
Angle of Attack: Tilting the wing upward increases the amount of air deflected downwards, generating more lift.
Factors Affecting Lift: Lift depends on air density, velocity (speed), surface area of the wing, and the airfoil’s shape.
Factors Affecting Air Density
> Altitude: Air becomes less dense as altitude increases because pressure drops.
Temperature: Warmer air is less dense because molecules spread out.
Pressure: Higher pressure forces air molecules closer together, increasing density.
Humidity: Humid air is less dense than dry air because water molecules are lighter than nitrogen/oxygen molecules.
How does headwind affect an aircraft
A headwind blows directly against an aircraft’s direction of travel, increasing airspeed relative to the ground. This enhances lift for shorter, safer takeoffs and landings. During cruise, it reduces ground speed, leading to longer flight times and increased fuel consumption.
What is a METAR
a standardized hourly report of current ground-level weather conditions at an airport as a live snapshot reported in AGL in relation to the airport
What is an AIRMET
routinely issued every 6 hours by the Aviation Weather Center (AWC), with valid periods of 6 hours. Unscheduled amendments are issued as necessary. these are forecasts delivered in MSL
What is a TAF
Terminal Area Forecast Issued four times daily at 0000Z, 0600Z, 1200Z, and 1800Z, covering a 24-hour or 30-hour period. They are valid from the time of issuance and updated every 6 hours, though they may be amended (TAF AMD) more frequently to reflect changing, severe, or unforecasted weather conditions reported in AGL
What types of ceilings are presented in a weather report
BKN - Broken
OVC - Overcast
VV - Vertical visibility
Few (FEW) and Scattered (SCT) are not ceilings
What factors affect stall speed
> Weight: A heavier aircraft requires a higher angle of attack to produce sufficient lift, increasing the stall speed.
Load Factor (G-force): Increased load factor (e.g., in a turn or pull-up) increases stall speed. A 60° bank turn, for example, increases stall speed by approximately 40%.
Configuration: Extending flaps or landing gear changes the lift characteristics. While flaps generally lower the stall speed, they also increase drag.
Air Density/Altitude: As air density decreases with altitude, the true airspeed (TAS) at which a plane stalls increases, though indicated airspeed (IAS) remains relatively constant.
Wing Contamination: Ice, frost, or snow disrupts airflow, reducing lift and increasing stall speed by up to 30%.
Center of Gravity: A more forward CG typically increases the required tail-down force, forcing a higher angle of attack and increasing stall speed.
Power Setting: Higher thrust can reduce stall speed by providing a vertical component of lift.
What type of engine is found in our aircraft
Textron Lycoming IO-360-L2A
180hp @ 2700 RPMs
>Normally Aspirated - draws in air using only atmospheric pressure, no turbo or supercharger
>Direct Drive - motor is coupled directly to the load without intermediate gears, belts, or chains
>Air-Cooled - dissipates heat directly from the cylinder barrels and heads, often using metal fins to increase surface area, without requiring radiators, water pumps, or coolant
>Horizontally Opposed - more compact and superior balance
>Fuel Injected - use a pump to inject pressurized fuel directly into the intake manifold or cylinder, offering improved efficiency, better fuel distribution, and increased power compared to carburetors
>Four Cylinders
What is AHRS and how does it work (solid state laser system, accelerometers, tilt and rate sensors, microprocessors)
Attitude and Heading Reference System is a modern, solid-state avionics unit that replaces traditional mechanical gyroscopic instruments to provide precise, real-time 3D orientation data (pitch, roll, yaw) and heading
Solid state Laser systems: Measure the rate of rotation (angular velocity) around the roll, pitch, and yaw axes to detect changes in orientation.
Accelerometers: Measure linear acceleration, including gravity, to establish pitch and roll angles relative to the Earth.
Magnetometers: Measure the Earth’s magnetic field to provide a stable, consistent heading (yaw) reference.
Microprocessors: Process this sensor data through complex algorithms to deliver accurate, 3D orientation data to the pilot.
Class A airspace
Vertical Limits: 18,000 ft MSL to FL 600.
IFR only
Not depicted on charts
Class B airspace
Surface to 10,000’ MSL surrounding nations busiest airports with 30 NM mode C veil
3 SM clear of clouds
Solid dark blue lines
Class C airspace
5 NM radius from surface to 1,200’ MSL, then 10 NM radius up to 4,000’ MSL
3 NM, 1,5,2
Solid magenta circles
Class D airspace
Surface to 2,500’ AGL
3 NM, 1,5,2
Dashed blue circles
Class E Airspace
Controlled airspace not classified as A, B, C, or D
Depicted on charts when below 14,500’ MSL but extends up to 18,000’ MSL and all airspace above FL 600
Within shaded magenta lines, begins at 700 AGL
Dashed magenta line indicates starts at surface
Fuzzy blue or no color indicates starts at 1,200’ AGL
Above 10,000’ MSL - 5 SM 1,1,1SM
Below 10,000’MSL - 3 SM 1,5,2
Class G airspace
UNCONTROLLED AIRSPACE Surface to the base of overlying Class E airspace
Day Below 1,200’ AGL - 1 SM clear of clouds
Night Below 1,200’ AGL - 3 SM 1,5,2
Day above 1,200’ AGL but below 10,000’ MSL - 1 SM 1,5,2
Night above 1,200’ AGL but below 10,000’ MSL - 3 SM 1,5,2
Above 1,200’ AGL AND at or above 10,000’ MSL - 5 SM 1,1,1 SM
What is Special Use Airspace
Designation for airspace in which certain activities
must be confined, or where limitations may be imposed
on aircraft operations that are not part of those activities.
* Prohibited areas
* Restricted areas
* Warning areas
* Military operation areas (MOAs)
* Alert areas
* Controlled firing areas (CFAs)
Prohibited areas
depicted on sectional charts as blue-hatched outlined areas labeled with the letter “P” followed by a number (e.g., P-49). These areas, which indicate where flight is permanently forbidden for national security or welfare reasons
Restricted Areas
depicted on sectional charts as blue, hatched-bordered, enclosed areas labeled with the letter “R” followed by a unique number (e.g., R-4401). These areas indicate hazards like artillery firing or guided missiles, requiring pilot authorization from the controlling agency to enter when active.
