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FIA · 12% of the exam

Performance and Limitations practice questions

10 free Performance and Limitations questions for the Flight Instructor Airplane (FIA) Knowledge Test exam, each with the correct answer and an explanation for every option.

Start the questionsFree 10-question FIA quiz

What this domain covers

Working out what the aeroplane can do on a given day: weight and balance, density altitude and takeoff, climb and landing performance.

Exam weight
12%
On a real exam
≈ 12 questions
In our bank
72 questions

Topics that come up most

  • Weight and balance calculations and CG shifts
  • Density altitude and its effect on performance
  • Takeoff and landing distance factors
  • Climb, cruise and range performance
  • Operating limitations and V-speeds

How to study it

Practise weight and balance problems by hand, including moving or removing weight to fix an out-of-limits CG; the arithmetic is tested directly.

Sample Performance and Limitations questions

Try each one before opening the answer. Original questions written to the official exam objectives.

  1. Question 1

    Weight is 2,000 lb. Moving 40 lb 25 inches aft shifts the CG aft by:

    • A0.25 in
    • B1.0 in
    • C2.5 in
    • D0.5 in
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: D) 0.5 in

    • AIncorrect. Recheck the formula.
    • BIncorrect. Recheck the formula.
    • CIncorrect. Recheck the formula.
    • DCorrect. 40 × 25 ÷ 2,000.

  2. Question 2

    How do extended flaps affect glide distance?

    • AThey stop the airplane from gliding
    • BThey increase it
    • CThey have no effect
    • DThey reduce it
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: D) They reduce it

    • AIncorrect. It still glides, but steeper.
    • BIncorrect. Flaps add drag and steepen the glide.
    • CIncorrect. Flaps affect drag.
    • DCorrect. Flaps add drag.

  3. Question 3

    A student wants to take off with a thin, smooth-looking layer of frost on the upper wing surfaces. Which statement best describes the hazard?

    • AThin frost has little effect because it is too smooth to disturb the airflow over the wing
    • BFrost mainly reduces propeller efficiency, so the wing's lift is largely unaffected
    • CFrost reduces lift and adds drag, raising stall speed so the airplane may not lift off at normal speed
    • DFrost roughness acts like vortex generators, lowering stall speed but slightly increasing drag
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: C) Frost reduces lift and adds drag, raising stall speed so the airplane may not lift off at normal speed

    Frost roughens the wing surface and disrupts airflow. This reduces lift, increases drag and raises stall speed, and it can prevent liftoff at normal takeoff speed, so all frost must be removed before flight.

    • AIncorrect. Even thin frost roughens the surface enough to disrupt airflow. This reduces lift and increases drag.
    • BIncorrect. The main hazard is the wing. Frost on the upper surface, especially near the leading edge, degrades lift directly.
    • CCorrect. Frost disrupts the smooth airflow over the wing, which reduces lift, increases drag and raises stall speed. The airplane may not become airborne at its normal takeoff speed.
    • DIncorrect. Random frost roughness does not act like designed vortex generators. It causes early airflow separation and raises stall speed.

  4. Question 4

    Wind is 18 knots at 50° to the runway. About what is the crosswind component?

    • AAbout 9 knots
    • BAbout 14 knots
    • CAbout 18 knots
    • DAbout 6 knots
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: B) About 14 knots

    • AIncorrect. That underestimates.
    • BCorrect. 18 × sin 50° ≈ 13.8 knots.
    • CIncorrect. Only part is crosswind.
    • DIncorrect. That underestimates.

  5. Question 5

    A 30-knot wind 60° off the runway gives a crosswind component of about:

    • A26 knots
    • B15 knots
    • C30 knots
    • D10 knots
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A) 26 knots

    • ACorrect. 30 × sin 60° ≈ 26.
    • BIncorrect. That's the headwind component.
    • CIncorrect. That's a direct crosswind.
    • DIncorrect. Recheck the angle.

  6. Question 6

    High humidity tends to:

    • AHave no effect
    • BLower density altitude
    • CImprove climb
    • DRaise density altitude
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: D) Raise density altitude

    • AIncorrect. It reduces performance.
    • BIncorrect. It raises it.
    • CIncorrect. It reduces performance.
    • DCorrect. Moist air is less dense.

  7. Question 7

    An airplane weighs 2,300 lb with CG at 90 in. A 30-lb item at 120 in is removed. What is the new CG?

    • AAbout 89.6 inches
    • BAbout 90.4 inches
    • CAbout 90.0 inches
    • DAbout 87.5 inches
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A) About 89.6 inches

    • ACorrect. Moment 203,400 ÷ 2,270 lb ≈ 89.6 inches.
    • BIncorrect. Removing aft weight moves the CG forward.
    • CIncorrect. Removing weight off the CG changes it.
    • DIncorrect. Recheck the moment.

  8. Question 8

    The POH lists best glide speed at maximum gross weight. If an engine fails while the airplane is well below gross weight, how do the best glide airspeed and maximum glide distance compare with the gross-weight values?

    • ABest glide airspeed is higher, and the maximum glide distance increases
    • BBest glide airspeed is unchanged, because it is a fixed published value
    • CBest glide airspeed is lower, and the maximum glide distance increases noticeably
    • DBest glide airspeed is lower, and the maximum glide distance stays about the same
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: D) Best glide airspeed is lower, and the maximum glide distance stays about the same

    Best glide airspeed goes up and down with weight, so a lighter airplane should glide slower than the gross-weight figure. The maximum L/D ratio, and so the still-air glide distance, stays about the same.

    • AIncorrect. Less weight lowers the airspeed for best L/D. It does not raise it, and the glide distance does not grow.
    • BIncorrect. The published value applies to the stated (usually gross) weight. Best glide speed changes with weight.
    • CIncorrect. The speed does drop, but the maximum L/D ratio, and therefore the still-air glide distance, stays about the same.
    • DCorrect. Best glide speed rises and falls with weight. A lighter airplane reaches maximum L/D at a lower airspeed but glides about the same distance.

  9. Question 9

    Is it legal to fly an airplane within CG limits but over maximum weight?

    • AYes, if the CG is in range
    • BNo
    • CYes, for short flights
    • DYes, with an instructor aboard
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: B) No

    • AIncorrect. Weight limits also apply.
    • BCorrect. Both weight and CG must be within limits.
    • CIncorrect. Limits apply to all flights.
    • DIncorrect. Limits still apply.

  10. Question 10

    A no-flap landing compared with a full-flap landing usually needs:

    • AMore runway
    • BLess runway
    • CThe same runway
    • DNo flare
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A) More runway

    • ACorrect. Higher approach speeds.
    • BIncorrect. It needs more.
    • CIncorrect. It needs more.
    • DIncorrect. A flare is still used.

Performance and Limitations: FAQs

How much of the FIA exam is Performance and Limitations?

Performance and Limitations is 12% of the FIA exam by the official exam guide's weighting, which on a 100-question form works out to roughly 12 questions. The real exam's exact split varies by form.

What does the Performance and Limitations domain cover?

Working out what the aeroplane can do on a given day: weight and balance, density altitude and takeoff, climb and landing performance.

How should I study Performance and Limitations for FIA?

Practise weight and balance problems by hand, including moving or removing weight to fix an out-of-limits CG; the arithmetic is tested directly.

Where can I practise more Performance and Limitations questions?

This page has 10 free Performance and Limitations questions with answers. The ExamWize FIA question bank has 72 questions in this domain. Every practice exam result breaks your score down by domain, and Review Mode re-drills the questions you missed.

Other FIA topics

Also: 15 free questions across all topics, the FIA cheat sheet and the study guide.

Get Performance and Limitations exam-ready

The full FIA bank has 72 Performance and Limitations questions. Timed practice exams match the real exam's length and domain weights, every result shows your score per domain, and Review Mode re-drills the questions you missed.

See the full FIA practice examsTake the free diagnostic

Not affiliated with FAA; questions are original, written from the official exam outline, and never copied from the real exam.