Hi All,

OK here is my contribution to a Aerodynamics pre brief and I can see how CASA play with words as much as test your subject knowledge, (so read and break apart the terms in each question) so here goes, I will let you know how I go in the Exam on Monday (havent done the Cyber exam tests yet, will login Monday morning before the exam, but have done all the written prep exams from both Bob Tait and WA Aviation College (both quite different).

Important to understand the difference between terminology that relates to up to stalling angle and post stalling angle. Drag continues to increase even after stalling, and some questions will relate to the top of the curve (stalling angle) whereas some will relate to the phase AFTER stalling.

Know your Stabilities (Directional - Yaw (the strongest), Longitudinal - Pitch(normally the next strongest) Lateral - Roll (the weakest) so you know how to answer a question that relates and the Center of gravity moving forward - results in Strongest increase in Directional stability, also an increase in longitudinal stability, with no increase in lateral stability.

Know your trim and rudder tabs (page 12.2) both aileron and rudder and effects of bending them - ie trim tab on rudder should be bent in the direction you WANT the ball or the aircraft to move (T&B indicator) and tab down wing down (in the case of Aileron).

Understand the difference between Ice and frost in terms of their effect on stall angle AND speed.

Understand that Propeller Torque (not Engine Torque) wants to ROLL the aircraft in the opposite direction of rotation (not YAW which is what happens on a tailwheel based on one of two other forces "Gyroscopic Precession" (occuring only when lifting / lowering the tail) AND Asymmetric blade effect or P factor (thrust shift towards descending blade side ie left side on standard US engines) which occurs whilst the aircrafts prop is "on an angle" in respect to the relative airflow (ie as Bob says on 4.5 "in a nosewheel aircraft there is LITTLE OR NO asymmetric blade effect or gyroscopic affect during the takeoff run as the aeroplane is sitting in a level attitude to begin with".

Understand the C of G on a tailwheel ACFT is BEHIND the main wheels! (ie see Inertia)

Understand the one page of drag lift curves found in the CASA "vfr day booklet" and make sure you can label the axis of each. I only found this out at the flight school.

Understand that during a pull out from a dive the stall compared to level flight will occur at a HIGHER indicated air speed but the SAME angle of attack.

Understand that during a glide to ground at best glide L/D although the angle of glide will be reduced, the actual glide endurance will not be affected as long as best glide is maintained (remember endurance is about time not distance.

Understand that the word Power is about a RATE (rates always involve time)and understand the difference between surplus thrust on climb angle vs suplus power on climb RATE.

Memorise your best way of seeing (although its a square root of the load factor a calculator is not allowed to be taken into the exam) how much on ANY stalling speed the new stall speed will be for any common given angle of bank - see page 9.5 its great!)

Be really careful you understand the difference between IAS, CAS and TAS in that IAS has position error and instrument error, whereas CAS (more accurate) has mainly only temperature and altitude errors, whereas TAS (the most accurate) considers temperature and altitude (pressures) and know what things ie turns use TAS.

IAS and CAS do not take densitive errors into account relative to the air mass.

Understand that the Frise Ailerons(wegde shaped) EVEN UP drag produced by ailerons.
Understand that in the case of Frise Ailerons the top alieron (only) protrudes higher into the airflow but it is PARASITE drag on the BOTTOM of the wedge (of the upwards aileron only) that reduces the need for rudder input.

Understand the reasons for mass and aerodynamic balancing and the diffences between them.

Understand that lift on an aircraft always acts PERPENDICULAR (90 deg) to the RELATIVE AIRFLOW and not anything else. Drag and thrust on the other hand act in PARALLEL with the RELATIVE AIRFLOW (Thanks Richard!).

Understand that CASA will have right answers that are wrong on the test, simply because on the same answer as a correct (not right) answer they throw in something that is not as SPECIFIC or INCORRECT as another answer, making the latter the right answer...

Understand that extra power is required in a steep turn NOT because of the loss of the vertical component of lift caused by bank but RATHER the increased INDUCED DRAG caused by the HIGHER ANGLE OF ATTACK.

Hope this helps, it was great to be able to share with you where I had look more than once!

Thanks for that, Brook. Maybe there are some who can benefit from this too.

Be careful, the wording of some of the suggestions may be a bit confusing. For example:Drag and Thrust act parallel (not perpendicular) to the relative airflow. I'm sure this is what you meant but I wanted to clarify that for other students scanning the post.

In any case, this is an example of a handy study technique: create a personal crib-sheet of trigger statements to get you thinking about and remembering areas that are causing you trouble. I'm sure it will serve you well on Monday!

Good luck!

Rich

Right you are Rich,

That's what I meant, I should have spend some more time on editing! I will edit now...

Was there anything else you would like me to edit as well. I am fairly sure the rest is stated reasonably accurately, but please pick me up where I am incorrect as I would sure hate to disinform someone else sitting their exam!

Thanks

Brook

No worries Brook. The main thing here is that students get an insight into how others study the material too and maybe even pick up some good study tips along the way.

Cheers,

Rich

OK - passed the CPL Aero Exam Yesterday - yay! Thanks all for your support.

On the second BT Cyber exam I got 97% so I thought I was ready to do the real one.

Only got 85% but there was a couple I knew I screwed up on, two I didnt study for as they didnt appear in the materials that I studied including BT or WA Aero college.

OK the A/C had died and we were given the option of bailing out and rescheduling for free but this was my first CPL exam and that wasnt going to happen!

Here are a couple I remember closer to original: (no answers just questions along the same theme)

1) What definitely indicates you are in a spin:
Airspeed Indicator
Rapid Spin Rate
Nose high
Nose low

2) Which transport Aircraft would benefit most from Dihedral
low wing
high wing
etc

3) Effect of VG's on low performance aircraft
STOL
Better cruise performance

4) wing loading is weight divided by
surface
G's
lift
etc

5) in climbing turn do you:
roll into
roll out of
yaw into
yaw out of

direction of turn

6) Frise Ailerons on the subject of the up aileron
angle higher on up aileron
angle lower on down aileron
bottom of leading edge of up aileron below wing

7) trim tab - direction of trim tab if aircraft is trimmed to a nose down attitude

8) does the moment move forwards, backwards or stay the same on a cambered wing (I didnt know this one)

9 and 10) below

Two on wake turbulence

Two rwys 27 and 36 intersect in middle (both questions)
Q9) B747 takes off on 27 1000ft before intersection of 36, does light ACFT on 36 wait 3, 6 or no minutes
Q10) B747 takes off on 27 1000ft after intersection of 36, does light ACFT on 36 wait 3, 6 or no minutes

Hope that helps, started on Met now, see you in another forum

Way to go Brook! Well done! 85% is nothing to be ashamed of either. Great result.

Thanks for posting a debrief but also thanks for being sensible and only posting rough outlines of the questions and no answers. CASA takes a very dim view of detailed question debriefs and the last thing we want is get them annoyed

Well done mate. Good luck with Met.

Thanks Richard,

I am finding the study easier now I have one behind me, as I know (kind of) what to expect. Lets see how long it takes me to study Met



Brook.

Well done Brook. I appreciate the effort you have gone to with this feedback and as I am now just starting my Aerodynamics it is a great help. Have just finished the Air Law study and got 98% in the AL test exam - let's see how I go next week when I sit the real one.

What I am noticing is the amount of information (detail) that is now required for a CPL. When I was a lad (when dinosours roamed) a lot of the details that are now needed did not seem to be required learning - or is it simply that I have forgotten just how detailed it was even then?

Anyway it is good to see so many dedicated pilots making good use of this site.

Thanks for your efforts.
Brenton

Thanks Brenton,

Appreciate that feedback! Good luck with your air law!!! Sorry its taken me so long to reply, I have been at a conference on the Gold Coast and only just got back, didnt have hardly any time online whilst over there!

Brook

Hi Brook - if only I had seen your post before my exam yesterday. I smashed the BT prac exams and got a rather measly 60% on the CASA test
Im sure if I had read your post in advance and picked up on your tips I would have pasted. Oh well, 2nd time round hopefully I will be better prepared with a happy result.
Thanks!
kc.