Ground Operations and Servicing practice questions

Answer: A) Head it into the wind, tie it down at the wing and tail points, and install control locks

For high winds, a light airplane should face into the wind, be tied down at the wing and tail points with the wheels chocked, and have its control locks installed.

• ACorrect. Facing into the wind, tying down at the wing and tail points, chocking the wheels and installing control locks keeps the airplane from moving and stops the control surfaces from banging against their stops.
• BIncorrect. Chocks and brakes alone won't keep the wings from lifting in high winds. Unlocked control surfaces can also bang against their stops and be damaged, so tie-downs and control locks are needed.
• CIncorrect. The airplane should face into the wind. Wind from behind strikes the control surfaces from the rear, and leaving them unlocked lets them bang against their stops.
• DIncorrect. The wings produce the lift that raises the airplane in high winds, so the wing tie-down points must be secured as well as the tail.

Answer: D) Class A

• AIncorrect. Class D is for combustible metals.
• BIncorrect. Class B is for flammable liquids such as fuel and oil.
• CIncorrect. Class C is for energized electrical equipment.
• DCorrect. Class A fires involve ordinary combustible materials.

Answer: A) An oil of the grade and specification approved for that engine by its manufacturer

Aircraft engines may be serviced only with the oil grade and specification the manufacturer approves. The approved oil is an engine operating limitation.

• ACorrect. No one oil suits every engine, so only the approved grade or specification may be used. The approved oil is part of the engine's operating limitations.
• BIncorrect. Automotive oils are not approved for certificated aircraft piston engines. A matching viscosity number does not make an oil approved.
• CIncorrect. Turbine oils meet different specifications and are not approved for reciprocating engines. A higher temperature rating does not make an oil approved.
• DIncorrect. Using an unapproved grade breaks the engine's operating limitations. Any seasonal grade change must come from the manufacturer's approved list.

Answer: A) To remove water

• ACorrect. Water is heavier than fuel and collects at the low point.
• BIncorrect. Only a small sample is drained.
• CIncorrect. Draining does not warm fuel.
• DIncorrect. Sumping checks contamination.

Answer: D) To watch wingtip clearance and signal

• AIncorrect. The wing walker monitors clearance, not pushing.
• BIncorrect. That is the job of the person in the cockpit.
• CIncorrect. The tug operator steers.
• DCorrect. Wing walkers prevent wingtip collisions in tight spaces.

Answer: B) Cold, thick oil lubricates poorly at start

• AIncorrect. Avgas does not freeze at normal winter temperatures.
• BCorrect. Preheating thins the oil and reduces start wear.
• CIncorrect. Preheat is for engine oil and parts.
• DIncorrect. Manufacturers often require it below set temperatures.

Answer: D) Red

• AIncorrect. Blue is not this fluid's color.
• BIncorrect. Purple is typical of phosphate ester fluids such as Skydrol.
• CIncorrect. It is dyed red.
• DCorrect. Mineral-based hydraulic fluid is dyed red.

Answer: A) Bacteria and fungi living at the fuel–water interface

Microbes such as bacteria and fungi multiply at the fuel–water interface in jet fuel tanks. They form sludge that clogs filters and can seriously corrode the tank structure, so draining water regularly is important.

• ACorrect. Microorganisms multiply where free water meets jet fuel. They form sludge that clogs filters and screens, and their by-products can cause serious corrosion in fuel tanks.
• BIncorrect. Ice crystals form at low temperatures and can block filters, but they melt away. They do not leave a slimy sludge or cause tank corrosion.
• CIncorrect. Rust and scale are solid particles that settle in sumps. They do not form a slimy layer at the fuel–water interface.
• DIncorrect. Gum and varnish come from fuel breaking down over time and appear as sticky deposits, mainly in stored gasoline. They are not linked to water collecting under jet fuel.

Answer: A) It displaces oxygen and can suffocate

• ACorrect. CO2 reduces breathable oxygen in confined spaces.
• BIncorrect. CO2 is non-conductive.
• CIncorrect. CO2 does not burn.
• DIncorrect. The main hazard is oxygen displacement.

Answer: A) Fore and aft of wheels

• ACorrect. Chocks on both sides keep the aircraft from rolling either way.
• BIncorrect. The aircraft could roll backward.
• CIncorrect. This does nothing.
• DIncorrect. Brakes can bleed off.