Mixed Deck — All Airframe Mechanic Certification Topics Flashcards
100 cards from real Airframe Mechanic Certification practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 20 Mixed Deck — All Airframe Mechanic Certification Topics flashcards as text
Which rivet installation defect is called a 'clinched' rivet?
Answer: A rivet whose shank has bent over instead of forming a proper shop head
A clinched rivet occurs when the shank bends sideways rather than mushrooming outward, resulting in a bent shank and poor joint quality.
To verify the integrity of an electrical bond between an equipment rack and the aircraft structure, a technician should use a multimeter to measure for:
Answer: a very low resistance.
Electrical bonding ensures that all conductive parts of the aircraft are at the same electrical potential. A proper bond provides a path of least resistance for fault currents, lightning strikes, and static discharge. A test of a good bond is a measurement of very low resistance (typically in the milliohm range) between the two points.
Which material property describes a metal's ability to be drawn into wire without breaking?
Answer: Ductility
Ductility is the ability of a material to deform plastically under tensile stress, allowing it to be drawn into wire.
When performing a repair on aircraft skin using a flush patch, the patch material must be:
Answer: The same material type and temper as the original skin
Repair patches must match the original material specification (alloy and temper) to maintain the structural and corrosion properties of the original design.
An aircraft used for commercial flight instruction requires a 100-hour inspection. According to 14 CFR 91.409, by how much time may this inspection interval be exceeded if the aircraft is being flown to a location where the inspection can be performed?
Answer: By no more than 10 hours.
14 CFR 91.409(b) explicitly states that the 100-hour limitation may be exceeded by not more than 10 hours while en route to a place where the inspection can be performed. The excess time used must be included when calculating the next 100-hour interval.
What is 'misfueling' and what is a common serious consequence?
Answer: Putting the wrong type of fuel in an aircraft, which can cause engine failure or serious damage
Misfueling means adding the wrong fuel type (e.g., Jet-A into an avgas piston engine), which can cause immediate engine failure, detonation, or serious internal engine damage.
An ice detector that uses a vibrating probe operates on which principle?
Answer: Changes in the resonant frequency of the probe as ice accretes
Vibrating-probe ice detectors sense ice accumulation by detecting the change in resonant frequency caused by added mass on the probe.
During horizontal tail assembly, the stabilizer incidence angle is found to be 0.5° more than specified. What is the most appropriate corrective action?
Answer: Adjust the stabilizer attach bolts to shim the leading edge up or down as needed
Small incidence errors are corrected by adding or removing shims at the stabilizer attachment points to achieve the manufacturer's specified angle.
When servicing an air/oil oleo shock strut, a mechanic notices that the strut bottoms out on landing but functions normally during taxi. What is the most likely cause of this issue?
Answer: Low hydraulic fluid level.
If an oleo strut bottoms on landing, it indicates a lack of hydraulic fluid to cushion the initial impact. During taxi, the loads are less severe, so the remaining fluid and air pressure may appear to function correctly. Excessive air pressure would make the strut too stiff, and worn seals would likely cause fluid leaks.
During a pre-purchase inspection, a mechanic is reviewing the aircraft's maintenance records. Which of the following is true regarding Airworthiness Directives (ADs)?
Answer: Compliance with an applicable AD is mandatory and must be documented in the maintenance records.
Airworthiness Directives (ADs) are legally enforceable regulations issued by the FAA under 14 CFR Part 39 to correct an unsafe condition. Compliance with all applicable ADs is mandatory for an aircraft to be considered airworthy, and this compliance must be properly recorded in the maintenance logs.
Which regulation requires aircraft operators to comply with Airworthiness Directives?
Answer: 14 CFR 39.7
14 CFR 39.7 states that no person may operate a product to which an Airworthiness Directive applies except in accordance with the requirements of that AD.
Which component prevents reverse flow in a hydraulic or pneumatic line?
Answer: Check valve
A check valve allows flow in only one direction and blocks reverse flow, protecting upstream components from back-pressure.
Which type of corrosion appears as white or gray powdery deposits on aluminum sheet metal?
Answer: Surface (uniform) corrosion
Surface or uniform corrosion on aluminum produces a white or gray powdery aluminum oxide deposit on the surface.
A technician is performing a flush patch repair on a pressurized fuselage skin. How should the thickness of the doubler and the filler (patch) relate to the original skin thickness?
Answer: The doubler should be one gauge thicker, and the filler should be the same thickness as the original skin.
For a flush patch repair, the filler plug must be of the same gauge and material as the original skin to maintain a smooth surface. The doubler, which provides the structural reinforcement from the inside, should be made of material one gauge heavier (thicker) than the original skin.
What is the primary purpose of a wing spar in an aircraft structure?
Answer: To carry the bending loads along the wing span
Wing spars are the primary structural members that carry bending and shear loads along the span of the wing.
During a pressurized aircraft's service life, the fuselage skin experiences repeated pressurization cycles. What fatigue mechanism is primarily responsible for eventual skin cracking?
Answer: Low-cycle fatigue from pressurization/depressurization
Each flight cycle applies one pressurization/depressurization event, constituting low-cycle fatigue that drives crack initiation and propagation in fuselage skin.
When inspecting a cable swaged terminal, which defect would require immediate replacement?
Answer: Any visible crack in the swaged portion of the terminal
Any crack in a swaged terminal indicates structural failure of the fitting and requires immediate replacement before further flight.
What does the 'T' designation (such as T3, T4, T6) indicate in aluminum alloy nomenclature?
Answer: The temper (heat treatment condition) of the alloy
The T designation indicates the temper, which describes the specific heat treatment or work-hardening process applied to achieve desired mechanical properties.
When performing a scab patch repair on aircraft skin, the patch material should be:
Answer: The same material and temper as the original skin
Patch material must match the original skin in alloy, temper, and thickness to ensure compatible strength and fatigue characteristics.
When fabricating a 90-degree bend in a piece of aluminum sheet metal with a radius of 0.125 inches and a thickness of 0.063 inches, what is the setback?
Answer: 0.188 inches
For a 90-degree bend, the setback is calculated by adding the bend radius to the thickness of the material. In this case, Setback = Radius + Thickness = 0.125" + 0.063" = 0.188". Setback is a critical calculation for determining the starting point of the bend.