FAA Helicopter Flying Handbook Practice Test

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• Which rotor turns in a plane perpendicular to the main rotor and is parallel to the fuselage's longitudinal axis, and is used to control torque and yaw?
• Which term refers to compass correction for disturbances from electrical and metal components in the aircraft?
• The load imposed on rotor blades is defined as the helicopter's total weight divided by the combined area of all rotor blades. Which term describes this?
• Which phenomenon describes stall near the tip due to dissymmetry of lift?
• Which control changes the pitch of each rotor blade individually as it passes through one rotation to tilt the rotor disc and control horizontal movement?
• Which force acts perpendicular to the relative wind?
• The angle between the airfoil's chord line and the relative wind is called what?
• Which term describes the alignment of blade tips so they pass through the same plane of rotation?
• What device is used to limit blade flap at low rpm or when the rotor is stopped?
• Which rotor configuration uses two main rotors?
• In hover, a tail rotor failure will typically cause:
• Which instrument most directly indicates the rate of yaw?
• Which value is obtained by correcting indicated airspeed for instrument and installation errors?
• Which engine configuration has the compressor and power section mounted on a common driveshaft?
• What term describes the area swept by the blades of the rotor, forming a circle with its center at the hub and a radius equal to one blade length?
• Hovering out of ground effect requires more power due to increased which drag component?
• What type of flight is described as straight and level, unaccelerated flight with all forces in balance?
• The power control on the end of the collective control is called what?
• What describes any visual or electronic device that provides point-to-point guidance information or positional data to aircraft in flight?
• What term denotes the rotation of a rotor blade around the spanwise axis, i.e., the pitch change axis?
• What is the ratio of the total rotor blade area to the total rotor disk area called?
• Isogonic lines are used in navigation to indicate which variable?
• In helicopters with a single main rotor, what is the tendency to turn opposite the main rotor rotation called?
• Which phenomenon is a self-excited vibration related to rotor dynamics and fuselage frequency?
• Which main helicopter force acts perpendicular to the relative wind?
• What is the area swept by the rotor blades, a circle centered at the hub with a radius of one blade length?
• Which term describes an upward sweep of rotor blades caused by lift and centrifugal force?
• Which hinge permits the rotor blades of a semi-rigid rotor system to flap as a unit?
• Center of Gravity is the theoretical point where the entire weight of the helicopter is considered to be concentrated.
• What term refers to the distance from the hub to the tip along the blade?
• Which instrument indicates flight altitude by sensing pressure changes and displaying altitude in feet or meters?
• What rotor dimension is measured from root to tip?
• The turn coordinator in a helicopter is used to indicate:
• What is the rotation of the blade around the spanwise (pitch change) axis called?
• What instrument displays altitude in feet or meters by sensing atmospheric pressure?
• Which term describes the angular difference between true north and magnetic north on navigation charts?
• Which device uses a magnetic plug to attract metal particles within the transmission and often indicates wear with a warning light?
• What is the length of a blade from tip to root called?
• Which term describes the mechanical change of rotor blade pitch at different azimuths to alter lift and drag during rotation?
• Which device is used to provide navigational guidance information to aircraft in flight?
• Hovering a distance greater than one disk diameter above the surface describes which hover state?
• What term describes a vibration in which the movement is in the lateral direction due to main rotor imbalance?
• What term defines the sum of the basic empty weight and the useful load?
• Which component supports the main rotor?
• Which term describes the transmittal of rotor blade aerodynamics to the cockpit controls?
• Which property decreases with altitude and increasing temperature, affecting lift characteristics?
• Which term refers to the imaginary plane traced by the rotor blade tips during rotation?
• Which term refers to the lateral or longitudinal oscillation of the fuselage due to being suspended from the rotor system?
• Which control primarily changes yaw in a conventional helicopter?
• A rotor hub that rotates below the top of the mast, as on semi-rigid rotor systems is called what?
• Which term refers to the unequal lift across the rotor disc caused by differing air speeds on the advancing and retreating halves?
• What is the imaginary plane outlined by the rotor blade tips as they rotate?
• Which term describes the rotor condition when rotor force has been removed or when the rotor is operating under low or negative G?
• A warning device that alerts abnormal wear in a transmission or engine by a magnetic plug is called?
• What term describes an upward sweep of rotor blades as a result of lift and centrifugal force?
• What term refers to the vertical component of air flow through the rotor system resulting from lift?
• What fundamental property keeps an object at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force?
• Which term describes the position of the two needles on the engine/rotor tachometer when they are not superimposed?
• What term describes tilting the rotor disc to produce horizontal movement by adjusting cyclic pitch?
• Which term describes the engine arrangement where the compressor and power section share a single driveshaft?
• Calibrated Airspeed (CAS) is the indicated airspeed corrected for installation and instrument errors.
• The ratio of a specified load weight to the total weight of the aircraft is called what?
• A compass error caused by mechanical disturbances from electrical and metal components, with corrections shown on a compass correction card, is called what?
• What is the aerodynamic force on a body acting parallel and opposite to relative wind?
• What term describes when two hands on an engine/rotor tachometer are superimposed over each other?
• Which term denotes the axis about which rotor blade pitch is varied, often called the spanwise axis?
• In a fully articulated rotor system, each blade can freely change pitch and move in which directions?
• Which term refers to the tachometer needles that are not aligned?
• Which flight condition describes a rate of turn that is too great for the angle of bank?
• What is the component of relative wind produced by rotation of the rotor blades?
• Which term describes the tendency of the helicopter to drift laterally during hover?
• What condition on the tachometer involves two pointers overlapping?
• The part of the hub assembly to which the rotor blades are attached is commonly known as what?
• A yaw rate is best described as:
• Which term defines the ratio of blade area to rotor disk area in rotorcraft terminology?
• What term denotes the action that changes the pitch angle of the rotor blades by rotating them around the feathering axis?
• What is the imaginary line about which the rotor rotates, perpendicular to the tip-path plane?
• In a rotor system, the term for the vertical air flow through the rotor disk produced by lift is what?
• Which component provides the anti-torque force to counter main rotor torque?
• In forward flight, yaw is most significantly affected by:
• What is the phenomenon where the rotor disk tilts aft during transition due to unequal airflow?
• Which term is described as the inherent tendency of a system to resist changes in motion?
• What term describes the blade located in the semicircular part of the rotor disk where the blade direction is opposite to the direction of flight?
• The transmittal of forces, which are initiated by aerodynamic action on the rotor blades, to the cockpit controls is known as what?
• Which device limits rotor blade flap at low rotor speed or when the rotor is stopped?
• The farthest part of the blade from the hub is known as what?
• What term represents the combined weight of passengers, baggage, and cargo?
• The angle between the airfoil's chord line and the relative wind is also called what?
• Which term is used for the height read when the altimeter is set to the standard pressure of 29.92 inHg?
• The state of a rotor when rotor force has been removed, or when the rotor is operating under a low or negative G condition is called what?
• What term describes self-excited vibration that occurs when the blade lead-lag frequency equals the fuselage's natural frequency?
• Which maneuver is performed before landing to slow the helicopter?
• Which term describes a vertical vibration in rotor systems?
• A low frequency vibration having one beat per revolution of the rotor can be described as which of the following?
• Which term describes an airfoil having the same shape on the top and the bottom?
• Which term denotes altitude adjustments caused by non-standard temperature variations affecting air density?
• Which term describes the variation in blade incidence from root to tip?
• The actual height of an object above mean sea level is called what?
• Which rotor feature causes an upward bending of blades due to lift and centrifugal force?
• Drag caused by frictional or parasitic resistance of the blades passing through the air, increasing with airspeed and changing little with angle of attack, is best described as which of the following?
• During forward flight, the rotor blade advancing in a counterclockwise-rotating rotor as seen from above is located in which half of the rotor disk?
• The apparent force that acts outward on a body moving in a circle is called?
• What is the tendency of a single-rotor helicopter to move laterally during hovering flight, also known as tail rotor drift?
• Which component connects rotor blades to the hub, sometimes referred to as blade forks?
• Describe a turboshaft engine with no physical connection between the compressor and the power output shaft.
• Which term is defined as any surface designed to obtain a useful reaction of lift, or negative lift, as it moves through the air?
• Which component allows rotor blades to flap as a unit in a semi-rigid rotor system?
• Which rotor system feature describes a blade that can move up and down and fore and aft in its plane of rotation while connected to the hub?
• Which condition involves a rotor-driven descent with high angle of attack causing power settling?
• The fore and aft movement of the blade in the plane of rotation is referred to as which term?
• What aerodynamic effect occurs near the ground that reduces induced drag due to lower upwash and blade tip vortices?
• What is the hypothetical atmosphere based on averages with surface temperature 59 °F and surface pressure 29.92 inches of mercury at sea level?
• What is the dimension of a rotor blade or airfoil from root to tip?
• What is the control used to change the pitch of all main rotor blades equally and simultaneously, thereby changing lift?
• What is the term for the rotor head striking the mast on underslung rotors?
• Which component automatically disconnects the main rotor from the engine when the engine slows below rotor RPM?
• Which surface is designed to obtain lift, or negative lift, as it moves through the air?
• Which weight term describes the weight including the standard helicopter, equipment, unusable fuel, and full operating fluids?
• Which rotor system has blades fixed to the hub but free to flap and feather?
• What is the name of the angle between the chord line of the rotor blade and the reference plane of the main rotor hub or rotor plane of rotation?
• Which force is the inward force required to keep an object moving in a circle?
• A transient condition of downward flight described as descending through air after just previously being accelerated downward by the rotor, during which an appreciable portion of the main rotor system is being forced to operate at angles of attack above maximum. Blade stall starts near the hub and progresses outward as the rate of descent increases is called what?
• What rotor system eliminates the need for a tail rotor by using two contra-rotating rotors on the same axis?
• What is the rearward edge of an airfoil called?
• The movement about the lateral axis caused by cyclic input forward or aft causes the nose to pitch up or down.
• The difference between the gross weight and the basic empty weight, It includes the flight crew, usable fuel, drainiable oil if applicable, and payload is called what?
• Which component is responsible for supporting the main rotor assembly?
• A helicopter with a malfunctioning tail rotor will most likely exhibit:
• What is the term for the ability of the rotor blade to move in a vertical direction, with blades flapping independently or in unison?
• The point where the resultant of all aerodynamic forces acting on an airfoil intersects the chord line is known as?
• For semirigid rotors, a term used to describe the flapping or teetering axis of the rotor is called?
• What is the pedal used to control the pitch of the tail rotor or air diffuser in a NOTAR system called?
• Which term describes the condition of the rotor blade when operating at an angle of attack greater than the maximum angle of lift?
• What term describes the maximum lift-to-drag ratio, corresponding to the best glide speed?
• Hovering close to the surface under the influence of ground effect is known as what?
• What term describes the movement of a rotor blade relative to other blades in the plane of rotation, including leading and lagging?
• Which rotor component turns in a plane perpendicular to the main rotor and provides yaw control and anti-torque?
• Which hinge allows a rotor blade to flap to balance lift between advancing and retreating blades?
• The force that attracts a body toward its axis of rotation is called?
• Which blade location is defined as the blade located in a semicircular part of the rotor disk where the blade direction is opposite to the direction of flight?
• What is the term for a flapping hinge with a skewed axis that introduces a feathering component and a restoring force in the flapwise direction?
• What is the force produced by the rotor, comprising rotor lift and rotor drag?
• Density altitude is defined as pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temperature variations. Which term matches this definition?
• Which phenomenon describes rotor disk tilt during transition caused by uneven airflow?
• One of four main forces acting on a helicopter. Equivalent to the actual weight of the helicopter. It acts downward toward the center of the earth.
• Which phenomenon occurs in the aft portion of the rotor disk due to increased induced velocity, causing more drag?
• What is the vertical movement of a rotor blade about a flapping hinge called?
• What is the fore (lead) and aft (lag) movement of the rotor blade in the plane of rotation called?
• An isogonic line along which there is no magnetic variation is called what?
• Which rotor type has blades fixed to the hub but free to flap and feather?
• Which term explains the lift imbalance across the rotor disk due to different air velocities on the advancing and retreating halves?
• The relationship of the blade tips in the plane of rotation; blades that are in track move through the same plane of rotation is called?
• Which of the following is one of the four main forces acting on a helicopter and acts downward toward the Earth's center?
• What altitude is described as the height above the standard pressure level of 29.92 inHg, read from the altimeter set to 29.92?
• Which rotor system permits blades to feather but not flap or hunt?
• Which device restrains fore and aft motion of a rotor blade at the drag hinge?
• Lines on charts that connect points of equal magnetic variation are called what?
• Which term is defined as the total helicopter weight divided by the rotor disk area?
• Yaw describes the rate of change of which flight parameter?
• Which term denotes the engine type that transmits power through a shaft in turbine helicopters?
• Which term describes the area swept by the rotor blades?
• Which term refers to the basic empty weight not including full engine oil, with only undrainable oil?
• The term for rotation about the vertical axis is:
• To maintain a constant heading, a pilot must manage yaw primarily with:
• The movement about the longitudinal axis caused by cyclic input right or left causes the helicopter to tilt in that direction.
• Induced Drag is most directly related to which aerodynamic phenomenon?
• What FAA directive is issued to notify concerned parties of an unsafe condition and describe the corrective action?
• What gyroscopic effect causes an applied force to be manifested 90 degrees in the direction of rotation from the point of application?
• Which weight term excludes engine oil and other drainable fluids and represents the helicopter's basic weight?
• What term describes an engine that does not compensate for decreases in atmospheric pressure through turbocharging or other means?
• What term describes a complete system of rotating airfoils creating lift for a helicopter?
• What is the mechanical change of the angle of incidence, or pitch, of individual rotor blades independently of the others called?
• What device is used to stop the rotor blades during shutdown?
• The angular difference between true north and magnetic north; indicated on charts by isogonic lines is called what?
• What turbine engine is used to drive an output shaft, commonly used in helicopters?
• What rotor system has blades connected to the hub so they can freely change pitch and move up and down and fore and aft in their plane of rotation?
• Which term describes the additional lift gained when moving into forward flight due to rotor efficiency?
• What unit of speed is defined as one nautical mile per hour?
• What flight condition occurs when the rate of turn is too slow for the angle of bank?
• What term refers to the system that furnishes automatic means of controlling the aircraft?
• Which term refers to the action that changes blade pitch around the feathering axis?
• Which stall occurs at or near the rotor tip due to high angles of attack required to compensate for dissymmetry of lift?
• Which force developed by rotor blades acts parallel to the relative wind and opposes drag and weight?
• The mechanical procedure used to bring the blades of the rotor into a satisfactory relationship with each other under dynamic conditions so that all blades rotate on a common plane is called?
• Which model of atmosphere uses a sea-level pressure of 29.92 inches of mercury and a lapse rate of about 3.5 °F per 1,000 feet?
• Airflow from rotor rotation that is modified by induced flow is called which of the following?
• What are the plates attached to the bottom of skid landing gear that protect the skid called?
• A turbine engine transmitting power through a shaft as would be found in a turbine helicopter
• Which component provides automatic flight control and stability augmentation?
• What phenomenon describes the helicopter’s tendency to roll uncontrollably when the critical angle is exceeded and a wheel is on the ground?
• Which field studies how pilot performance is influenced by cockpit design, human physiology, emotions, and interactions with other aviation participants?
• Which component is responsible for disconnecting the rotor from the engine when the engine stops?
• Deviation from the best glide speed will lead to what effect on drag and glide distance?
• Which term describes the process of aligning rotor blades so they rotate on a common plane?
• Which part of the blade attaches to the blade grip?
• A vibration in which the movement is up and down, or vertical, as in an out-of-track condition is called what?
• Which term describes the flow of air produced by rotor rotation that is affected by induced flow?
• What term describes the distance an object is above the ground?
• Which term defines the blade pitch angle with respect to the rotor plane, not the angle of attack?
• Which component of drag is associated with lift production?
• The ability to maneuver a helicopter by tilting the rotor disk and changing the rotor blade pitch is referred to as what?
• Which term is used for the adjustment process that brings the rotor blades into a satisfactory relationship so they rotate on a common plane?
• Which flight condition occurs when the main rotor is driven only by aerodynamic forces with no engine power?
• The density of air described as mass per unit volume is called what?
• Which statement about yaw control is true?
• The axis around which the pitch angle of a rotor blade is varied, sometimes referred to as the spanwise axis, is called what?
• The time between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight is known as what?
• What term describes the additional lift obtained when entering forward flight due to rotor efficiency?
• An imaginary straight line between the leading and trailing edges of an airfoil is called?
• Which term refers to the force reduction in rotor-induced drag when operating close to the ground?
• Increasing anti-torque pedal input will primarily increase which of the following?
• Which condition describes increased drag and decreased lift in the aft portion of the rotor disk due to higher induced velocity?
• Which term is the difference between gross weight and basic empty weight including crew and payload?
• Which directive is issued by the FAA to notify concerned parties of an unsafe condition?
• Which engine configuration is described as having no mechanical link between the compressor and the power output shaft?
• What is the transient condition of downward flight where the rotor operates at angles of attack above maximum, with blade stall starting near the hub and progressing outward?
• The movement of the helicopter about its vertical axis is called?
• In certain rotor configurations, what term describes the axis about which flap motion occurs?
• Yaw is a rotation about which axis?
• The drag component arising from the form or shape of helicopter parts is called which of the following?
• What is the term for the effect where a rotor blade's velocity changes in its plane of rotation as the center of mass moves relative to the rotation axis?
• Which altitude type is indicated when the altimeter is adjusted to 29.92 inHg and read off the instrument?