Flight Performance and Planning Flashcards
7 cards from real CPL practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Flight Performance and Planning flashcards as text
What is the 'best range' airspeed for a piston aircraft?
Answer: The speed that provides the most distance traveled per unit of fuel consumed
Best range airspeed maximizes the distance flown per gallon of fuel burned, generally corresponding to the airspeed at the tangent from the origin to the power-required curve.
When must an alternate airport be listed on an IFR flight plan under FAR Part 91 (the '1-2-3 rule')?
Answer: When, from 1 hour before to 1 hour after ETA, the forecast ceiling is below 2,000 ft or visibility below 3 SM
FAR 91.169 requires an alternate if the destination forecast does not show at least 2,000 ft ceiling and 3 SM visibility from 1 hour before to 1 hour after the estimated time of arrival.
How does increasing aircraft weight affect stall speed?
Answer: Stall speed increases with increased weight
A heavier aircraft requires more lift to maintain level flight, which requires a higher angle of attack at any given airspeed, so the critical angle of attack is reached at a higher airspeed.
What does the 'specific range' of an aircraft describe?
Answer: The nautical miles traveled per pound (or gallon) of fuel burned
Specific range is the distance (in nautical miles) traveled per unit of fuel consumed, used to compare efficiency at different cruise conditions.
A flight plan shows a fuel burn of 200 lbs/hr and a planned flight time of 3.5 hours. Required IFR reserve is 45 minutes. What is the minimum fuel required at departure?
Answer: 850 lbs
Trip fuel = 200 × 3.5 = 700 lbs; reserve = 200 × 0.75 = 150 lbs; total minimum = 850 lbs.
What effect does high humidity have on aircraft performance?
Answer: Reduces air density slightly, lowering both engine power and aerodynamic efficiency
Water vapor is less dense than dry air, so high humidity reduces overall air density, slightly degrading both engine power output and aerodynamic performance.
What is the 'driftdown' procedure for a multi-engine aircraft?
Answer: A planned single-engine descent from cruise altitude to the one-engine inoperative service ceiling
The driftdown procedure defines how an aircraft descends on one engine from cruise altitude until it stabilizes at the one-engine inoperative ceiling where thrust equals drag.