2) You and an instructor are going up to practice stalls. You start setting up for a power-off stall with full flaps, knowing that your published Vso is 40 knots. However, when you actually stall, your airspeed indicator shows 36 knots. Why?
Aircraft manufacturers determine V speeds at maximum gross weight. If you're lighter than maximum gross weight, you aircraft will actually stall at a slower airspeed than Vso.
Aircraft manufacturers determine V speeds at maximum gross weight. If you're lighter than maximum gross weight, you aircraft will actually stall at a slower airspeed than Vso.
3) You're going to climb from 3,000' MSL to 5,000' MSL. What airspeed will you pitch for to get to your new altitude as quickly as possible?
Because you want to get to your new altitude as quickly as possible, you would pitch for Vy. Vy is your best rate of climb airspeed and it allows you to gain altitude as fast as possible.
Because you want to get to your new altitude as quickly as possible, you would pitch for Vy. Vy is your best rate of climb airspeed and it allows you to gain altitude as fast as possible.
4) Your aircraft's maneuvering speed at maximum gross weight (2550 lbs.) is 105 knots. Today, you are going on a flight with your friend and the current weight is 2400 lbs. What's the new maneuvering speed?
An easy rule-of-thumb is to reduce your airspeed by 2 knots for every 100 pounds you are under maximum gross weight. A mathematical formula to determine maneuvering speed is to divide your actual weight by max gross weight, take the square root of that value, and then multiply the value by published Va at max gross weight.
An easy rule-of-thumb is to reduce your airspeed by 2 knots for every 100 pounds you are under maximum gross weight. A mathematical formula to determine maneuvering speed is to divide your actual weight by max gross weight, take the square root of that value, and then multiply the value by published Va at max gross weight.
5) You are departing a short runway with tall trees at the departure end of the runway. After your rotate, you climb out at...
Vx, or the best angle of climb airspeed, helps you achieve the greatest altitude gain in the shortest horizontal distance. Because your runway is short and you have trees near the departure end, Vx would be the best airspeed to pitch for.
Vx, or the best angle of climb airspeed, helps you achieve the greatest altitude gain in the shortest horizontal distance. Because your runway is short and you have trees near the departure end, Vx would be the best airspeed to pitch for.