AET Aircraft Power Systems Flashcards
7 cards from real AET practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 AET Aircraft Power Systems flashcards as text
What condition causes a thermal runaway in an aircraft nickel-cadmium battery?
Answer: A self-sustaining cycle where heat increases charge acceptance, further increasing heat
Thermal runaway occurs when rising battery temperature increases its ability to accept charge current, generating more heat in a self-reinforcing cycle that can lead to fire.
Which component in an aircraft AC power system is responsible for detecting a generator fault and removing it from the bus?
Answer: Generator Control Unit (GCU)
The Generator Control Unit monitors generator output parameters and trips the Generator Control Breaker (GCB) to disconnect a faulty generator from the bus.
An aircraft Transformer Rectifier Unit (TRU) converts:
Answer: 115V AC three-phase to 28V DC
A TRU uses a transformer to step down voltage and a rectifier bridge to convert three-phase 115V AC aircraft power into 28V DC for DC-powered systems.
What is the purpose of a Constant Speed Drive (CSD) on a conventional aircraft AC generator?
Answer: Drive the generator at a constant rotational speed regardless of engine RPM
The CSD is a hydromechanical device that converts varying engine shaft speed into a constant output speed, ensuring the generator produces 400 Hz AC power.
During an aircraft battery capacity check, what indicates a serviceable NiCd battery?
Answer: Battery delivers rated ampere-hour capacity to a specified end-cell voltage
A NiCd battery passes a capacity check when it can deliver its rated ampere-hour capacity while maintaining voltage above the minimum end-cell cutoff voltage.
In aircraft wiring, what is the primary reason for twisting wire pairs used for sensitive avionics circuits?
Answer: Cancel electromagnetic interference through opposing field cancellation
Twisting wire pairs causes their magnetic fields to cancel each other, greatly reducing susceptibility to electromagnetic interference (EMI) pickup.
What does a 'split bus' configuration provide in an aircraft electrical power system?
Answer: Electrical isolation between buses so a single fault cannot affect all systems simultaneously
A split bus configuration isolates major electrical buses from each other so that a failure or fault on one bus does not propagate to and disable other buses.