Henderson State University Department of Aviation Commercial Pilot Lab I Commercial Pilot Lab I Page 1 of 13 REV 0
Notes: This is not an inclusive list of questions that can be expected on a stage check. The check airman may ask similar applicable questions not listed in this guide. Comm. 1 Stage Check: Lesson 16 1. Certificates and Documents i. 14 CFR parts 61.3(a)(c); 61.19; 61.23(a)(d); 91.3; 91.203(a); 91.9(a)(b); 91.103 ii. Airplane Flying Handbook, pages 2-1 to 2-2. iii. Pilot s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, pages 8-1 to 8-8 iv. SOPA/AFM v. Commercial Pilot PTS i. What certificates and documents do you need on your person to act as PIC? ii. What certificates and documents must be on board the aircraft before you can takeoff? iii. If an airworthiness certificate is in your airplane, does that mean that iv. the airplane is always airworthy? Who is directly responsible for and is the final authority to the operation of the aircraft? Explain what this means in your own words. v. What class of medical certificate must you have to act as PIC? i. If you obtain a first class medical on August 14, 2009, what would be the last day you could act as PIC as a private pilot? What about commercial privileges? 2. Airworthiness Requirements Note: The student will be required to show airworthiness of the aircraft by finding the appropriate inspections in the aircraft logbooks. i. 14 CFR parts 91.7; 91.205(a-c); 91.207; 91.213; 91.215; 91.409(a-c); 91.413. ii. PHAK pages 8-8 to 8-14. iii. Commercial Pilot PTS i. What are the required instruments and equipment for VFR? ii. What are the required inspections that must be done to the airplane for it to remain airworthy? iii. How long is each inspection current? iv. Explain Airworthiness Directives to include definition, types, and compliance. Commercial Pilot Lab I Page 2 of 13 REV 0
v. Can you go flying without an ELT? vi. Who is responsible for determining the airworthiness of an airplane? i. During your preflight inspection, you discover that the right side anticollision light is out, would you be allowed to fly the airplane? What if it was the landing light? ii. If you use the ELT, when will you have to replace the battery? iii. If the transponder in your airplane was inoperative, could you go fly? iv. If your airplane has 599 hours and the next 100-hour inspection is scheduled for 600 hours, under what conditions may you overfly 600 hours? 3. Weather Information a. Referenced to i. 14 CFR part 91.103 ii. AC 00-6: Aviation Weather iii. AC 00-45: Aviation Weather Services iv. AC 61-84: Role of Preflight Preparation v. PHAK: Ch. 11 and Ch. 12 vi. AIM: Ch. 7 vii. Commercial Pilot PTS viii. Recommendation: Complete the weather-related courses on AOPA s Air Safety Foundation online. i. Explain METAR s to include duration, how often they re issued, and interpretation. ii. Explain TAF s to include duration of forecast, how often they re issued, and interpretation. iii. What type or types of cloud bases are reported as ceilings? iv. Are cloud bases reported in AGL or MSL? v. Who is responsible for making the go/no-go decision? i. If a cold front passes over the airport, what can you expect to happen with the winds? ii. Should you ever fly through or under a thunderstorm even if you can see through the other side? iii. If the dew point and temperature drop below freezing overnight, what is likely to form on the airplane? Should you takeoff without removing it from the wings and other control surfaces? 4. Performance/Limitations i. PHAK, pages 4-1 to 4-39; 9-1 to 9-11; 10-1 to 10-26 ii. Airplane Flying Handbook Commercial Pilot Lab I Page 3 of 13 REV 0
iii. AC 61-84: Role of Preflight Preparation iv. POH/AFM v. Commercial Pilot PTS i. What are the two basic types of drag and how does each type vary with airspeed? ii. What is ground effect and how does it affect lift and drag on an airplane? iii. What are the two types of aircraft stability? How do aircraft manufacturers design stability into an aircraft iv. What aerodynamic force makes an airplane turn? v. How does load factor affect the stall speed of an airplane? vi. What causes a wing to stall? vii. What are the four main left turning tendencies? viii. What are the g-load limits for the Maule? ix. Is the Maule approved for spins? x. If you are in a steep bank turn (60 o ), what will be the load factor on the airplane? xi. What is maneuvering airspeed? Is it depicted on the airspeed indicator? xii. How does weight affect aircraft performance? xiii. How does CG location affect performance and stability? xiv. What is density altitude, and how do pressure, temperature, and moisture affect it? xv. What overall effect does density altitude have on an airplane? xvi. What are the different types of V-speeds and their corresponding instrument markings? xvii. What is the maximum demonstrated crosswind component for the Maule? i. If you are flying below maneuvering speed and you put excess loads on the airplane, what will happen? What if you were flying above it? ii. If you have the airplane loaded with a forward CG position, how will this affect cruise performance and stall speed? What about takeoff and landing? iii. If you are flying solo and you have a lot of cargo in the rear seats and baggage compartments causing a rearward CG position, how will this affect stability and cruise performance? How could this affect stall iv. recovery? On a standard day, approximately how much runway would you use before you rotate on a normal takeoff? What about in the middle of winter? Summer? Would your estimate change if the runway was unimproved, such as grass or dirt? v. On a day when the temperature is 100 o F and the humidity is around 75% at M89, would you expect the density altitude to be higher or lower than normal? How would this affect your climb and cruise performance? Commercial Pilot Lab I Page 4 of 13 REV 0
5. Spin Awareness i. Airplane Flying Handbook: pp. 4-12 to 4-16 ii. AC 61-67: Stall and Spin Awareness Training iii. POH/AFM i. What is a spin? ii. How do you get into a spin? iii. How do you prevent the airplane from entering a spin? iv. What are the different phases of a spin? v. If no spin recovery procedure is published for a particular airplane, what recovery technique should be used to get out of a spin? Where could you find the recovery technique if one is published for your airplane? vi. Is the Maule approved for spins? vii. What are some situations where unintentional spins may be likely to occur? i. While practicing a power-on stall the right wing begins to drop, what control input should be made to help bring the wing back up? ii. While practicing stalls, if the wings are level and the ball is centered, what will the airplane do after the wings stall? iii. While on a turn from base to final, you put the airplane in a crosscontrolled configuration by putting in left aileron and right rudder, why are you at risk? iv. While practicing a stall one wing drops and the airplane begins to develop into a spin, what should you do to recover? Commercial Pilot Lab I Page 5 of 13 REV 0
Comm. I Stage Check: Lesson 33 1. Certificates and Documents i. 14 CFR parts 61.3(a)(c); 61.19; 61.23(a)(d); 61.56; 61.57 61.133(b); 91.3; 91.203(a); 91.9(a)(b); 91.103 ii. Airplane Flying Handbook, pages 2-1 to 2-2. iii. Pilot s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, pages 8-1 to 8-8 iv. SOPA/AFM v. Commercial Pilot PTS i. What certificates and documents do you need on your person to act as PIC? ii. What certificates and documents must be on board the aircraft before you can takeoff? iii. If an airworthiness certificate is in your airplane, does that mean that the airplane is always airworthy? iv. Who is directly responsible for and is the final authority to the operation of the aircraft? Explain what this means in your own words. v. What class of medical certificate must you have to act as PIC? vi. To act as PIC while carrying passengers, what must you do within the preceding 90 days? At night? vii. How do you stay current as a commercial pilot? i. If you obtain a first class medical on August 14, 2009, what would be the last day you could act as PIC as a private pilot? What about commercial privileges? ii. 2. Airworthiness Requirements What limitation will you have if you get your commercial certificate, but you do not have an instrument rating? Note: The student will be required to show airworthiness of the aircraft by finding the appropriate inspections in the aircraft logbooks. i. 14 CFR parts 91.7; 91.205(a-c); 91.207; 91.213; 91.215; 91.409(a-c); 91.413. ii. PHAK pages 8-8 to 8-14. iii. Commercial Pilot PTS i. What are the required instruments and equipment for VFR? ii. What are the required inspections that must be done to the airplane for it to remain airworthy? iii. How long is each inspection current? Commercial Pilot Lab I Page 6 of 13 REV 0
iv. Explain Airworthiness Directives to include definition, types, and compliance. v. Can you go flying without an ELT? vi. Who is responsible for determining the airworthiness of an airplane? i. During your preflight inspection, you discover that the right side anticollision light is out, would you be allowed to fly the airplane? What if it was the landing light? ii. If you use the ELT, when will you have to replace the battery? iii. If the transponder in your airplane was inoperative, could you go fly? iv. If your airplane has 599 hours and the next 100-hour inspection is scheduled for 600 hours, under what conditions may you overfly 600 hours? 3. Weather Information a. Referenced to i. 14 CFR part 91.103 ii. AC 00-6: Aviation Weather iii. AC 00-45: Aviation Weather Services iv. AC 61-84: Role of Preflight Preparation v. PHAK: Ch. 11 and Ch. 12 vi. AIM: Ch. 7 vii. Commercial Pilot PTS viii. Recommendation: Complete the weather-related courses on AOPA s Air Safety Foundation online. i. Explain METAR s to include duration, how often they re issued, and interpretation. ii. Explain TAF s to include duration of forecast, how often they re issued, and interpretation. iii. Explain FA s to include duration of forecast, sections, how often they re issued and interpretation. iv. Explain Winds and Temps aloft charts. v. Be familiar with Surface Analysis charts, Radar Summary charts, Prognostic charts, and Convective outlook charts. vi. What type or types of cloud bases are reported as ceilings? vii. Are cloud bases reported in AGL or MSL? viii. What is standard temperature and pressure? ix. What is the standard lapse rate? x. What are some of the elements you can expect to receive during a standard weather briefing? xi. What are the different types of weather briefings? xii. Who is responsible for making the go/no-go decision? xiii. What is EFAS? How do you use it? xiv. What is an AIRMET? What are the three types? Commercial Pilot Lab I Page 7 of 13 REV 0
xv. What is a SIGMET? What is the difference between a SIGMET and a Convective SIGMET? xvi. What is a PIREP? What makes them different from any other source of weather? xvii. What is HIWAS? How do you use it? i. During the weather briefing for a night cross-country, the briefer advises you that the temperature is 21 o C and the dewpoint is 20 o C at your destination. What weather phenomenon could you expect to encounter when you arrive? ii. If a cold front passes over the airport, what can you expect to happen with the winds? iii. Should you ever fly through or under a thunderstorm even if you can see through the other side? iv. During a cross country flight, you observe some lightning and towering clouds along your intended route of flight. What could you do to find out about the position and direction of the bad weather? v. Can ATC help you avoid clouds? vi. 4. National Airspace System During a night cross country flight, everything is going as planned, and you can see the ground lighting and horizon just fine. If everything started to disappear and the strobe lights began to blind you, what would you do? vii. If you got into a position where thunderstorm penetration was unavoidable, what would you do to help ensure the best outcome? viii. If you determine that you will be flying toward a low-pressure system, what kind of weather can you expect? ix. What is likely to form around an airport on calm, clear nights? x. If the dew point and temperature drop below freezing overnight, what is likely to form on the airplane? xi. During a weather briefing for a night cross-country flight, the briefer advises that fog is forecast along your route of flight. What would this look like when it forms around ground lighting? What would you do in this situation? xii. During a night flight back to M89, you tune up the AWSS and hear the visibility is ½ SM and sky s overcast 200. What is the likely cause? Your GPS says you re over M89, but you can t see the airport, what would you do? i. 14 CFR parts 71; 91.117; 91.119; 91.126; 91.127; 91.129; 91.130; 91.131; 91.133; 91.135; 91.137; 91.141; 91.145; 91.155; 91.157; 91.215 ii. AIM: Ch. 3 iii. PHAK: Ch. 14 Commercial Pilot Lab I Page 8 of 13 REV 0
iv. Commercial Pilot PTS v. Aeronautical Charts vi. Recommendation: Complete the Airspace courses on AOPA s Air Safety Foundation online. i. Explain Class A, B, C, D, E, and G airspace to include pilot and equipment requirements for entry, dimensions, and clouds/visibility requirements. ii. What type of airspace is Class G airspace? Where is it depicted on a sectional? iii. What are the clouds/visibility requirements for Class G? Class E, D, etc. iv. Can you fly through an MOA? v. Are you allowed to traverse a Restricted Area? vi. What is a TFR? How can you find out information about them? vii. What is a TRSA? Can you fly through one without a transponder? viii. How would you get a special VFR clearance? Can you get one at night? Can you get special VFR into or out of M89? ix. What equipment do you have to have to enter class D airspace? Class C, B, A? x. Where does class E start over M89? Over KHOT? Over areas other than airports? How high does it go? xi. What are the typical dimensions for class D and C airspace? xii. To act as PIC in class B airspace, what type of pilot certificate must you have? xiii. Can you overfly class D airspace without a transponder? Class C? xiv. If you are flying above 10,000 MSL, what equipment will you need? xv. Where can you find information about active times for MOAs on a sectional chart? xvi. What is the speed limit for airplanes below 10,000 MSL? xvii. How low can you fly over a congested area? i. If the weather is 900 overcast and 2 SM visibility, can you takeoff out of Arkadelphia? What about KHOT? ii. What do the clouds and visibility need to be to takeoff out of Texarkana? What about KLIT? iii. Would it be legal for you to fly from Sheridan, AR to KHOT with 900 ceilings and 10 SM visibility? Could you takeoff out of KHOT with weather like this? If not, what would you need to do? iv. If there is a low ceiling of 800 over Pine Bluff airport, but the weather is clear across your route all the way to your destination, what could you do to legally takeoff out of PBF? What if it was at night? v. If the transponder in your airplane is inoperative, could you fly from vi. M89 to Searcy, AR at 5,500? En route to Fort Smith, AR, your alternator fails and you lose all electrical, what will you have to do before you land there? Commercial Pilot Lab I Page 9 of 13 REV 0
vii. While trying to establish radio communication with Little Rock Approach, they say aircraft calling standby. Can you continue into class C airspace? viii. On a cross country flight while under flight following, you notice a cloud layer approaching at your altitude, what are you going to do? ix. 5. Cross-country Planning Are you legal if you are overflying KLIT at 5,500 and the cloud tops are at 5,000? x. Would you be legal if you wanted to practice takeoffs and landings at Gurdon during night hours with the visibility restricted to 2 SM because of haze? xi. Can you go into KFSM without a transponder? xii. Would you be legal if you flew from Pine Bluff to West Memphis, AR without a transponder even if you remain clear of Class B airspace? xiii. When you takeoff out of North Little Rock airport on a cross country to M89, what do you need to do as soon as practicable after departing? xiv. If you are flying through class D airspace with the negative flaps in, how fast are you allowed to go? xv. If you need to fly to Little Rock Adams Field and your airplane is not equipped with a transponder, is there any way you could make the flight? Note: Due to the nature of this subject area, the examiner will mostly be evaluating the student s cross-country planning as a whole to include: proper use of navigation logs, charts, etc. For a full list of expectations, refer to the Commercial PTS, Area of Operation I, Task D. Also, the student s flight planning should be completely finished prior to the start of the Stage Check. a. Referenced to i. 14 CFR part 91.103; 91.151; 91.153; 91.159 ii. PHAK: Ch.15 iii. AC 61-84: Role of Preflight Preparation iv. Navigation Charts v. A/FD vi. AIM: Ch.9 vii. Commercial Pilot PTS i. According to 91.103, what is the bare minimum information should you obtain before going on a cross-country? ii. What are the fuel requirements for VFR? iii. What are the appropriate cruising altitudes above 3,000 for VFR? iv. What are some different types of navigation charts you might use for VFR? v. Explain sectional charts in detail to include: symbols, airspace, revision cycles, and miscellaneous information. Commercial Pilot Lab I Page 10 of 13 REV 0
vi. Explain the A/FD to include: airport information and symbols, content, and revision cycles. vii. How can you use the A/FD to update the sectional in between its revision cycle? 6. Performance/Limitations i. PHAK, pages 4-1 to 4-39; 9-1 to 9-11; 10-1 to 10-26 ii. Airplane Flying Handbook iii. AC 61-84: Role of Preflight Preparation iv. POH/AFM v. Commercial Pilot PTS i. What are the two basic types of drag and how does each type vary with airspeed? ii. What is ground effect and how does it affect lift and drag on an airplane? iii. What are the two types of aircraft stability? How do aircraft manufacturers design stability into an aircraft iv. What aerodynamic force makes an airplane turn? v. How does load factor affect the stall speed of an airplane? vi. What causes a wing to stall? vii. What are the four main left turning tendencies? viii. What are the g-load limits for the Maule? ix. Is the Maule approved for spins? x. If you are in a steep bank turn (60 o ), what will be the load factor on the airplane? xi. What is maneuvering airspeed? Is it depicted on the airspeed indicator? xii. How does weight affect aircraft performance? xiii. How does CG location affect performance and stability? xiv. What is density altitude, and how do pressure, temperature, and moisture affect it? xv. What overall effect does density altitude have on an airplane? xvi. What are the different types of V-speeds and their corresponding instrument markings? xvii. What is the maximum demonstrated crosswind component for the Maule? i. If you are flying below maneuvering speed and you put excess loads on the airplane, what will happen? What if you were flying above it? ii. If you have the airplane loaded with a forward CG position, how will this affect cruise performance and stall speed? What about takeoff and landing? Commercial Pilot Lab I Page 11 of 13 REV 0
iii. If you are flying solo and you have a lot of cargo in the rear seats and baggage compartments causing a rearward CG position, how will this affect stability and cruise performance? How could this affect stall recovery? iv. On a standard day, approximately how much runway would you use before you rotate on a normal takeoff? What about in the middle of winter? Summer? Would your estimate change if the runway was unimproved, such as grass or dirt? v. On a day when the temperature is 100 o F and the humidity is around 75% at M89, would you expect the density altitude to be higher or lower than normal? How would this affect your climb and cruise performance? 7. Aeromedical Factors i. AIM, Ch. 8 ii. PHAK, Ch. 16 iii. Private Pilot PTS i. What are some symptoms and causes for hypoxia? ii. What are some things that can make you physiologically more susceptible to hypoxia? iii. If you are experiencing hypoxia, what can you do to fix it? iv. What is the IMSAFE checklist? v. What is hyperventilation? How is it different than hypoxia? vi. If you are hyperventilating, what can you do to keep your breathing under control? vii. What are some symptoms and causes of carbon monoxide poisoning? viii. What can you do to cure CO poisoning? ix. What are some of the vestibular illusions? x. If you are experiencing spatial disorientation and have little or no outside visual references, what should you focus on to help stay under control? xi. What are some of the optical illusions associated with terrain features and atmospheric conditions? xii. Explain the runway visual illusions and how to recognize when they might occur. xiii. After scuba diving, how long should you or your passengers wait before flying? xiv. What is the danger of flying after scuba diving? xv. If you consume alcohol, how long must you wait before flying according to the FARs? What about the HSU FOM? i. If you are flying and you smell exhaust fumes in the cockpit, why would you be at risk? What should you do if this happens? Commercial Pilot Lab I Page 12 of 13 REV 0
8. Supplemental Oxygen ii. On a night cross country, you decide to fly at a more favorable higher altitude, and you begin to notice distant lights start to slowly fade out. You determine that your vision is slowly getting worse. What could you be experiencing? iii. If you have a scheduled flight, and you wake up with a cold, what would you do? i. 14 CFR Part 91.211 ii. PHAK: pp. 6-34 to 6-37 iii. Commercial Pilot PTS i. What are the oxygen requirements for flight above 12,500? What about 14,000 and 15,000? ii. What is unique about aviation oxygen? 9. Pressurization i. PHAK: pp. 6-32 to 6-34 ii. 14 CFR part 61.31(g) iii. Commercial Pilot PTS i. Explain the basic operation of a pressurization system. ii. Is there any endorsement required to act as PIC in a pressurized aircraft? Commercial Pilot Lab I Page 13 of 13 REV 0