Part 107 Flashcard 01 Loading and Performance

Front

If an unmanned airplane weighs 33 pounds, what approximate weight would the airplane structure be required to support during a 30° banked turn while maintaining altitude?

Back

38 pounds

Answer explanation

The information needed for this answer is found in the left column of the figure. At 30° of bank, the load factor is 1.154. If the object weighs 33 pounds, then at 30°, the load factor will be 33x1.154=38 pounds. 

Front

What effect does humidity have on flight performance?

Back

It decreases performance.

Answer explanation

Performance is negatively affected by the presence of humidity.

Front

In a fixed-wing aircraft, yaw is controlled by

Back

the rudder.

Answer explanation

Yawing is controlled by the rudder in an airplane.

Front

A stall occurs when the smooth airflow over the unmanned airplane's wing is disrupted and the lift degenerates rapidly. This is caused when the wing

Back

exceeds its critical angle of attack.

Answer explanation

As explained in the aerodynamics video about stalls, the airflow starts to disrupt at a particular moment: when the critical angle of attack is reached. While the traditional wisdom dictates that this happens at slow airspeed, when the nose of the aircraft is high, this can happen at any speed. If you apply abrupt pitch-up controls, the angle of attack can reach the critical number where the airflow separates and the aircraft stalls. Remember also that the angle of attack is the difference between the chord line and the relative wind (or direction of motion of the aircraft).When the aircraft reaches maximum speed, the wing will still produce lift, but structural failure can occur (the aircraft wouldn't be strong enough to go that fast). If the aircraft exceeds its maximum allowable operating weight, structural damage or failure is also a possibility. 

Front

According to 14 CFR part 107, who is responsible for determining the performance of a small unmanned aircraft?

Back

Remote pilot-in-command.

Answer explanation

The Remote pilot-in-command has many responsibilities before, during, and after a flight, including determining the performance of the aircraft prior to take off. The owner or operator also has responsibilities but not this one.

Front

An airplane has been loaded in such a manner that the CG is located aft of the aft CG limit. One undesirable flight characteristic a pilot might experience with this airplane would be

Back

difficulty in recovering from a stalled condition.

Answer explanation

An aft CG means that the CG will be closer to the center of lift (or center of pressure), which in turns means that the aircraft will be less controllable, so more difficult to recover from a stall

Front

During an approach to a stall, an increased load factor will cause the aircraft to

Back

stall at a higher airspeed.

Answer explanation

Stall speed increases as the load factor (and bank angle) increases.

Front

Which of the following increases load factor the most on fixed wing aircraft? Steady climb. Unpowered stall. Level turn.

Back

Level turn.

Answer explanation

A level turn (meaning the altitude is maintained) increases the load factor. This is due to the amount of centrifugal force being created (due to the total lift required). 

A steady climb does not create additional load factor, and neither does an unpowered stall. 

Front

The angle of attack at which an airplane wing stalls will

Back

remain the same regardless of gross weight.

Answer explanation

The angle of attack at which an airplane stalls is defined as the critical angle of attack. Since the angle of attack is defined as the difference between the chord line and the relative wind, it is not affected by weight at all.

Front

The term "angle of attack" is defined as the angle between the

Back

chord line of the wing and the relative wind.

Answer explanation

This is rote memory material. The angle of attack is always defined as the difference between the chord line and the relative wind. The chord line is the line between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the wing. The relative wind is the vector that represents where the airflow that "hits" the wing is coming from. The relative wind is always parallel to the direction of motion of the aircraft, but opposite in direction.