Flying Notes - John Arrizza

Summary

Use this to prepare for a Private Pilot's license exam.

Notes from Rod Machado's Private Pilot Handbook

Exam I: chapters 1,2,3,4,5,15,16

Chapter 1: Airplane Components

Propeller has an airfoil, causes the airplane to move forward, called thrust
Tricycle gear means three wheels: nose gear and main gear
fuselage is the airplane's body
empenage is the horizontal and vertical stabilizers; if horizontal and vertical stabilizers are in one set of surfaces, they are called stabilators
rudder pedals cause the rudder to move; rudder is on the vertical stabilizer
rudder causes the airplane to yaw, i.e. turn left or right:
- rotates the airplane around the yaw axis
ailerons causes airplane to bank, i.e. roll left or right:
- rotates around the lateral axis
elevator causes airplane to pitch, i.e. point the nose up and down:
- rotates around the pitch axis
- elevator is on the horizontal stabilizer
- elevator trim is on the elevator. used to fine tune the pitch attitude
flaps causes:
- airplane to descend more rapidly for same forward speed
- more drag
- lower speed
- a change in camber
Fuel tank sump drain used to examine fuel for impurities or sediment; found under each wing
Quick Drain Valve located underneath engine compartment, used to examine fuel for impurities or sediment
AIS (Air Speed Indicator) uses pitot and static source
pitot tube by AIS to measure air speed
- air rams into pito tube causing high pressure; this is compared against pressure in static source
- requires the static source to be working;
- pitot heat is applied to remove ice
Stall Warning device is in leading edge of wing
Navigation Lights left is red, right is green, tail is white. Strobe lights are on wing tips
Engine Cowling designed to keep engine cool
Communication:
- VOR -> Very High frequency Omnidirectional Range receives signals from ground stations

Chapter 2: Aerodynamics

Four Forces are: Lift, Drag, Thrust, Weight (or Gravity)
In Straight and Level flight Four Forces are in equilibrium
In S&L Lift == Weight and Drag == Thrust
Lift:
- If the wing is level, then lift is 90 degrees upward from the wing (focused at the Center of Gravity or CG)
- if the airplane is pitched up or down, then the lift from the wing is still 90 degrees from the wing
Weight:
- If the wing is level, then the weight is 90 degrees upward from the wing (focused at the CG)
- if the airplane is pitched up or down:
  - the weight is angled away from 90 degrees
  - There is still a component Weight opposite Lift that acts 90 degrees from the wing, and another component that acts straight down (to the center of the earth).
  - Lift == Weight opposite lift, and so the airplane is still in equilibrium.
To slow down, pitch the nose up (without changing the thrust):
- increases the angle of attack
- which increases induced drag
- Total Drag now is greater than thrust, so...
- the airplane slows down
To speed up, pitch the nose down (without changing thrust):
- decreases the angle of attack
- which decreases induced drag
- Total Drag now is less than thrust, so...
- the airplane speeds up
To climb, increase power (without changing airspeed):
- increases thrust
- causes a slight speed increase
- excess thrust allows pilot to pitch the nose up (i.e. changes the attitude)
- causes a slight speed decrease
- but now the airplane is pointing at a slight upwards angle at the same airspeed, so...
- the airplane climbs
To descend, decrease power (without changing airspeed):
- reduces thrust
- causes a slight speed decrease
- to regain the speed, the pilot pitches the nose down
- causes a slight increase in speed
- but now the airplane is pointing at a slight downwards angle at the same airspeed, so...
- the airplane descends
Stall Speed:
- minimum forward speed of the airplane
- affected by:
  - weight
  - flap setting
  - power setting
  - angle of bank
Climbing
- Excess lift is not responsible for an airplane climbing. The airplane is pitched nose upward. Excess Thrust is needed to "pull" the airplane in that direction causing the airplane to climb.
- Maximum climb rate is affected by anything that affects thrust output:
  - Air pressure
  - temperature
- Best Rate of Climb is the climb speed that maximizes climb per unit of time
  - used to achieve a specific altitude quickly
- Best Angle of Climb is the climb speed that maximizes climb per distance travelled forward
  - used to overcome obstacles
Airfoil shape of a surface that promotes differential air pressure causing it to move. heh! It has Lift.
Camber is the curved shape of the wing surface
Chord Line is a line that goes from the Leading Edge to the Trailing Edge and is the datum used to measure Angle of Attack
Relative Wind:
- is the speed of the air in relation to the wing movement (i.e. it is not Ground Speed).
- It is opposite and equal to the motion of the airplane.
- is independent of the direction the airplane's nose is pointing.

Exam II: chapters 6,7,9,10

Chapter 6: Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR)

Chapter 7: Airport Operations

Chapter 9: Airspace

Class A

from 18,000MSL to FL600
coast to coast *** 12nm over ocean
uncontrolled
IFR only

Class E

from 1,200AGL to 17,999ft
can extend from SFC around an airport
- controlled but no ATC
- dashed magenta line
can extend from 700AGL around an airport
- magenta faded line
coast to coast + 12nm over ocean
VFR minimums: 3V-152 (Takeoff, landing, pattern: 3V-1C)
250KIAS max speed

Class G

from SFC to 1,200AGL or class E whichever is lower
can extend to 14,500MSL if no other airspace above it
VFR minimums:
- day SFC - 1,200AGL : 1V-COC
- night SFC - 1,200AGL : 3V-152
- day 1,200AGL - 9,999MSL : 1V-152
- night 1,200AGL - 9,999MSL : 3V-152
- 10,000MSL - 14,000MSL : 5V-111
250KIAS max speed

Class B

SFC to 3 concentric circles, chart indication blue NN/MM
solid blue line
VFR minimum
- 3V-COC
- Take off, landing, pattern: 3V-1C
- Special: clearance, 1V-COC
200KIAS max speed
ATC clearance to enter

Class C

SFC to 2 concentric circles, chart indication magenta NN/MM
solid magenta line
VFR minimum:
- 3V-152
- Take off, landing, pattern: 3V-1C
- Special: clearance, 1V-COC
250KIAS or 200KIAS if within 4nm and < 2,500AGL
ATC radio contact prior to entering; contact within 20nm

Class D

SFC to 1 circle, chart indication blue square brackets, e.g. [27] means 2700AGL
dashed blue line
VFR minimum:
- 3V-152
- Take off, landing, pattern: 3V-1C
- Special: clearance, 1V-COC
250KIAS or 200KIAS if within 4nm and < 2,500AGL
ATC radio contact prior to entering

Chapter 10: Charts ###

Spot Elevation symbols: small black dot with elevation; large black dot with elevation is the highest elevation in the quadrangle
Maximum Elevation Figures (MEF): per quadrangle; dark blue numbers large first number, smaller and raised second number; 100s ft
obstacles
- "UC" : under construction
- teepee with a dot: < 1,000ft; blue MSL over (AGL)
- double lined-teepee with a dot: >= 1,000; blue MSL over (AGL)
- lines from the top of the teepee: strobes on the obstacles
Roads: magenta lines
Railway : black lines w/ hatches
Transmission lines: little towers with black lines
Populated areas : yellow
Airports:
- no ATC : magenta colored
- w/ ATC : blue colored
- grass/non-hard surface runway: open circle
- hard surface: filled circle
- Restricted or private airport: circle with "R" in it
- military : magenta doughnut
- runway outlines in blue: hard-surface longer than >8,000 ft
wildlife : thin black line with dots on the inside edge
Prohibited Areas: blue-hatched one side, P-nnn; no entry whatsoever
Restricted Areas: blue-hatched, both sides, R-nnn; can enter with special permission
Warning Areas : blue-hatched, one side, W-nnn; can enter but should ask for special permission
Alert Areas : blue-hatched, one side, A-nnn; can enter, use caution
Military Operations Area (MOA) : magenta-hatched both sides, XXX MOA; can enter, use caution
Military Training Routes (MTR) : dark gray lines, VR-nnnn or IR-nnnn; not an area, a route, no prohibition, use caution
Temporary Flight Restrictions : not on charts, listed in NOTAMs; no entry