AFCAT Aviation & Aeronautics 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Bernoulli's principle, what creates lift on an aircraft wing?
- Higher air pressure above the wing than below
- Lower air pressure above the wing and higher pressure below (Correct answer)
- Equal pressure on both surfaces of the wing
- Engine thrust pushing the aircraft upward
Correct answer: Lower air pressure above the wing and higher pressure below
Bernoulli's principle states that the curved upper surface of a wing speeds up airflow, lowering pressure above while slower air below creates higher pressure, generating lift.
Question 2: What does the term 'angle of attack' refer to in aviation?
- The angle between the aircraft's nose and the horizon
- The angle between the wing chord line and the relative airflow (Correct answer)
- The angle at which a pilot approaches a target
- The pitch angle during takeoff rotation
Correct answer: The angle between the wing chord line and the relative airflow
Angle of attack is the angle between the wing's chord line and the oncoming relative airflow, directly controlling how much lift the wing generates.
Question 3: In aviation, what is a 'stall'?
- When an aircraft's engine stops working mid-flight
- When the aircraft exceeds its critical angle of attack and loses lift (Correct answer)
- When the landing gear fails to deploy on approach
- When the aircraft runs out of fuel at altitude
Correct answer: When the aircraft exceeds its critical angle of attack and loses lift
A stall occurs when the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack, causing airflow to separate from the upper surface and causing a sudden loss of lift.
Question 4: What does Mach 1 represent?
- An airspeed of exactly 1,000 km/h
- Twice the aircraft's normal cruising speed
- The speed of sound (Correct answer)
- One-tenth the speed of light
Correct answer: The speed of sound
Mach 1 represents the speed of sound, approximately 1,235 km/h (343 m/s) at sea level under standard atmospheric conditions.
Question 5: What are ailerons primarily used for on an aircraft?
- Controlling pitch (nose up and down movement)
- Controlling yaw (nose left and right rotation)
- Controlling roll (banking left and right) (Correct answer)
- Increasing engine thrust during takeoff
Correct answer: Controlling roll (banking left and right)
Ailerons are control surfaces on the trailing edge of each wing that work differentially to control roll, causing the aircraft to bank left or right.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of flaps during takeoff and landing?
- To increase the aircraft's maximum airspeed
- To increase lift at lower airspeeds by increasing wing camber and area (Correct answer)
- To control the aircraft's directional stability
- To reduce the wingspan and improve aerodynamics
Correct answer: To increase lift at lower airspeeds by increasing wing camber and area
Flaps increase the wing's camber and surface area, generating more lift at the lower airspeeds used during takeoff and landing.
Question 7: What does IFR stand for in aviation?
- Instrument Flight Rules (Correct answer)
- Internal Flight Regulations
- Integrated Flight Response
- International Flying Requirements
Correct answer: Instrument Flight Rules
IFR stands for Instrument Flight Rules, which govern flight when visibility is poor and pilots must navigate using cockpit instruments rather than visual reference to the ground.
AFCAT Aviation & Aeronautics 1
According to Bernoulli's principle, what creates lift on an aircraft wing?