Aircraft Maintenance & Pre-flight Inspection Flashcards
7 cards from real FAA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Aircraft Maintenance & Pre-flight Inspection flashcards as text
What is the primary reason to inspect the sUAS airframe for loose screws and fasteners before each flight?
Answer: Vibration from motors can loosen fasteners over time, risking structural failure mid-flight
Motor vibration gradually loosens screws, and if critical fasteners fail in flight, components can separate causing a crash or endangering people below.
A remote pilot is conducting a pre-flight check and finds the GPS module reports fewer than the minimum recommended satellites. What is the correct action?
Answer: Wait for adequate satellite acquisition before beginning flight operations
Insufficient GPS satellite lock compromises position hold accuracy and may disable GPS-dependent safety features like RTH and geofencing.
During a pre-flight check, how should a remote pilot verify that the failsafe behavior is correctly configured?
Answer: Simulate a signal loss in a safe area and confirm the drone behaves as expected
Actively simulating signal loss in a controlled environment is the only reliable way to confirm that the failsafe triggers the intended behavior such as RTH or land.
Which of the following is an acceptable storage condition for LiPo batteries between flights?
Answer: At storage voltage (approximately 3.8V per cell) in a fire-resistant LiPo bag
LiPo batteries stored at approximately 3.8V per cell (storage voltage) in a LiPo-safe bag experience minimal degradation and present the lowest fire risk.
A sUAS remote pilot observes that one motor sounds rougher than the others during a ground spin test. What does this most likely indicate?
Answer: Possible bearing wear or debris inside the motor that requires inspection
A rough or grinding sound from a motor during a spin test suggests worn bearings, contamination, or internal damage that could lead to motor failure in flight.
What is the purpose of the pre-flight 'control surface' check on a fixed-wing sUAS?
Answer: To verify that control surfaces move in the correct direction in response to controller inputs
Verifying correct control surface deflection direction ensures that the aircraft will respond as expected to pilot inputs, preventing a crash due to reversed controls.
Before a flight over a populated area, a remote pilot discovers the collision avoidance sensors are covered with dust. What is the appropriate action?
Answer: Clean the sensors and verify proper function before proceeding with the flight
Obstructed sensors provide inaccurate obstacle detection data, which could cause false avoidance maneuvers or fail to detect real obstacles, especially critical over populated areas.