Test Pilot

GENERAL

1. The missing-man formation is used to pay homage to a person (or persons) who has passed away. What is the origin of this formation?
2. The wings of two otherwise identical airplanes have the same area, aspect ratio, and span, but the wings of one are tapered while the wings of the other are rectangular. What is the advantage of the aircraft with tapered wings?
3. Why should automotive oil not be used in an aircraft engine?
4. A pilot has been intercepted by military aircraft that are incapable of VHF communications. How should he indicate to the intercepting pilots that he is in distress?
5. Aircraft owners often have their engine oil analyzed for contamination. Excessive iron, copper, aluminum, nickel, and so forth indicate excessive wear of certain engine components. What does silicon contamination indicate?
6. What was the first and perhaps only airliner to fly around the world with only one fuel stop and standard fuel tanks?
7. Grumman Aircraft manufactured eight fighters that were named after cats. How many of them can you name?
8. Why did early pilots refer to their autopilots as Elmer?

MULTIPLE CHOICE

9. Dangerous altimeter errors occur when flying in air that is substantially colder than standard. The magnitude of such an in-flight error depends most on the
   1. density altitude.
   2. indicated altitude.
   3. true altitude.
   4. altitude above the station providing the local altimeter setting.
10. ASOS stations transmit _______ wind direction, and AWOS stations transmit _______ wind direction.
    1. true, true
    2. true, magnetic
    3. magnetic, true
    4. magnetic, magnetic
11. The transponder encoder and conventional altimeter in an aircraft must agree within _______ feet, and ATC probably will ask a pilot to stop squawking altitude when his encoder appears to be in error by _______ feet or more.
    1. 125, 300
    2. 125, 500
    3. 250, 300
    4. 250, 500

TRUE OR FALSE

12. Prior to being certified, a new lightplane must be flown substantially faster than V _NE, the never-exceed (redline) airspeed.
13. During World War II, Focke-Wulf Fw.190s were mounted on top of unmanned, twin-engine Junkers Ju.88s. The fighter pilot took off with the larger, powered aircraft suspended beneath him, dove toward a target, and dropped the explosive-filled host aircraft when a half-mile from the target.
14. GPS receivers typically provide aircraft position in three dimensions (longitude, latitude, and altitude). When climbing vertically at 100 knots in an aerobatic airplane with such a receiver, indicated groundspeed is 100 knots.

ANSWERS

1. According to Customs and Traditions of the Royal Air Force, this "fly past" was first used by pilots returning from operational missions during World War I to signal ground personnel that a loss or losses had been sustained.
2. The airplane with tapered wings has less roll damping, a greater roll rate, and better lateral control.
3. Aircraft engines operate at much higher cylinder-head temperatures than do automobile engines. As a result, the additives in automotive oil may form ash deposits in cylinders that can lead to hot spots, sticking valves, piston holes, and other problems.
4. He should flash all available aircraft lights in an irregular manner. This and other intercepting signals are described in the Aeronautical Information Manual.
5. Silicon indicates the presence of airborne dust and dirt (probably because of an ineffective air filter) that can accelerate engine wear and increase maintenance costs.
6. In June 1993, an Airbus A340 took off from Paris, flew nonstop to Auckland, New Zealand, refueled, and continued nonstop to Paris.
7. Wildcat (F4F), Bearcat (F8F), Cougar (F9F), Hellcat (F6F), Panther (F9F), Tiger (F11F), Tigercat (F7F), and Tomcat (F–14). There also was the experimental Jaguar (XF–10).
8. The autopilot was invented by Elmer A. Sperry, who also invented the artificial horizon and directional gyro. His son, Lawrence, invented the first retractable landing gear (1915).
9. (d) That portion of the error that might otherwise exist because of the height of the station above sea level is accounted for in the altimeter setting for that station. This is why the altimeter indicates field elevation upon landing (irrespective of airport elevation and nonstandard lapse rates).
10. (c) Would it be too much to ask for a little consistency?
11. (a) An erroneous altitude squawk can cause TCAS (traffic alert and collision avoidance systems) to generate erroneous resolution advisories (incorrect evasive action) to the pilots of nearby aircraft equipped with such systems.
12. True. A test pilot must determine that no adverse effects (such as flutter) occur at what is called the dive speed (V _D). V _NE may not be greater than 90 percent of V _D.
13. True. This hybrid, called the Junkers Mistel, carried almost four tons of explosives and achieved limited success toward the end of the war.
14. False. Indicated groundspeed would be zero and is strictly a function of the rate of change of horizontal position. If the airplane were climbing vertically with respect to the air mass, however, wind speed and direction would be shown as groundspeed and track.

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