Lesson Summary

Airframes & Engines

General Knowledge is consistently the subject PPL students fail the most.
www.myflighttraining.ca
Learning Tips
Operating an aircraft
engine is something you
may not have a lot of
practice doing during in-
flight training.
Often these questions consist of oil, fuel, engine, and emergency situations. Our goal is to
provide enough material for our students to excel in all subjects. With general knowledge
being the most difficult, the topics we cover in this lesson need to be closely studied.
Connect your learning to outside the classroom.
There is no better review than finding a scenario in the real world and attempting to apply
your knowledge to it. This type of critical thinking stands you in incredibly good stead for
review, and allows you to make material available to you that promote these connections.
However, if you want to go above and beyond finding these scenarios on your own will
make you a better learner. These don't necessarily have to be complex or high stake
situations, everyday occurrences that you encounter can provide the same benefit.

Try to pick up on small best

practices from each flight
instructor you may fly with Case Study
regards to engine
operation. This video is a great example of calm operations in an emergency. In it, an engine experiences
a significant failure and the pilot is left with no power, needing to make an emergency landing.
The pilot of the Cessna did a fantastic job of communicating clearly, his spatial awareness was
At the Commercial Pilot
spot on, and he flew the plane well.
level, engine operation
should be smooth and well One thing to emphasize is how the pilot used ATC as a tool while he focused on flying. Asking
thought-out ahead of time. for airport dimensions, field altitude, and frequencies in emergencies allow the pilot to focus
on controlling the aircraft. ATC is there to help, and when there is an emergency offloading as
When operating an aircraft much work as a pilot can will ensure they can focus completely on navigating the emergency.
engine, think of it as your
own. Be kind to it and it As with anything, there can be things that were done better, such as having more altitude on
will last a lifetime. base/final, and using the emergency checklist when he had the time. That being said, it is
incredibly easy to critique situations in which we are not involved. The bottom line is he kept
calm under pressure, communicated well, and landed perfectly.
Every airframe is different.
On your next walk around,
Watch the video and come back to answer the following questions.
analyze the characteristics
of the aircraft you fly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEMlny_ExuU&t=6s
Notice if it has wash-out,
stall strips, or maybe the Using our critical thinking skills, what could possibly be the reason behind this catastrophic
rudder is offset? Ask engine failure? Note that in the photos after the landing there was almost NO oil in or around
yourself why the designers the engine. The cause has not been published, so there are no wrong answers but try to use
did that. what you’ve learned to come up with a theory.

© Canadian Flight Trainers

 For Review
Airframes:
What is the difference between truss
construction and semi-monocoque
construction?
Landing Gear & Brakes:
Name one safety mechanism built into
retractable landing gear. What colour is
brake fluid?
Piston Engines:
What is the difference between a 2 stroke
and 4 stroke engine? What are the 4
strokes of a typical aircraft engine? Do you
know what piston lead and lag are?
Propellers:
On takeoff, is it better to have a propeller
that has fine pitch, or coarse pitch? What
about cruise?
Carburetor:
Why does the mixture need to be leaned
as altitude is gained? What are the signs
of carburetor icing? What will happen
when carb heat is applied?
Electrical Systems:
A Skidding turn is caused by____.
For You
Airframes:
It’s cool to see how the things we fly are
constructed, and the detail behind them.
Nurture your curiosity, it will serve you well.
Landing Gear & Brakes:
Proper brake management can be critical
to safe operations. On your walkaround
they should be a critical area of inspection.
In addition, to extend their life
significantly, do not ride them during taxi.
Piston Engines:
Good mixture control is part of being a
good pilot. Not only is it more economical,
better for the environment, and better for
the engine, it is also safer. As shown in
previous case studies, there is no such
thing as too much fuel in dubious
circumstances.
Propellers:
Understanding constant speed props can
be counter intuitive for students. The
best way to describe them are similar to
gears on a car, or a bike. Coarse pitch is
the same as low gear, and is used in
similar situations. Fine pitch is high gear,
and used in the same situations as a car.
Carburetor:
Understanding the mechanics of a
Carburetor is incredibly important for PPL
students, especially if they fly a Cessna.
Carb icing can happen anywhere between
+15 to -5 degrees Celsisus. It is crucial to
understand the risks and factors
associated with it.
Electrical Systems:
Using this tool is instrumental in good
piloting. Ensuring coordinated flight
always improves safety, increases speed,
and improves manoeuverability. Get in
the habit of always having the ball in the
centre.
© Canadian Flight Trainers
Critical Thinking
Airframes:
What type of airframe does the airplane you
fly use? What benefits does it provide?
Landing Gear & Brakes:
What are the benefits and drawbacks of
flying a tricycle gear aircraft compared to a
taildragger? When would a taildragger be
preferred? When would tricycle be
preferred? Why?
Piston Engines:
You are flying a naturally aspirated 4
stroke engine on the ground. You are
concerned the engine is getting too hot.
What can you do whilst holding short to
aid in the cooling of the aircraft?
Propellers
Why does the slipstream most strongly
affect taildraggers on takeoff?
Carburetor:
Why would carb heat richen the mixture
with no change elsewhere? (Hint: think
about air density). Why is an aircraft more
susceptible to carburetor icing at 15
degrees as opposed to 2 degrees? Explain
the mechanisms behind it. (Hint: think
about moisture content in warm air).
Electrical Systems:
What additional redundancy does a turn
and bank coordinator provide? (Hint:
Think timed turns)
 For Review For You
Oil: Oil:
Understanding oil and it's mechanisms will
In the winter you would want to use a ___
help with troubleshooting in the plane. It is
viscosity oil.
often the first symptom when engine
trouble begins. A crucial thing to understand
is: if oil temp rises, and pressure drops, you
are about to experience an engine failure.
Plan accordingly and be ready for a forced
approach.
Fuel: Fuel:
What octane rating is most used in general Knowing the fuel colour like the back of
aviation? your hand is crucial. Just in case someone
were to make a mistake and put the wrong
fuel in the aircraft, being able to identify
that immediately will save your engine.
Examine the photo and name as many parts of
the engine as you can.
© Canadian Flight Trainers
Critical Thinking
Oil:
Why would an increase in oil temp and a
decrease in pressure result in an engine
failure? Think about what engine oil's
purpose is, and what it would mean to lose
that. What is the issue with putting too much
oil in the engine? Why do airplane checklists
require the engine to be a certain
temperature before takeoff?
Fuel:
Why would using lower octane fuel than
usual be catastrophic? Explain the
mechanisms behind it. (Hint: Think about
the difference between octane and
heptane.) What issues will occur if one
consistently uses too high an octane fuel
for the aircraft?