Scanner Course #2
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Aircraft Familiarization
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Aircraft Controls
Aircraft Instruments
Weight and Balance
Minnesota Wing Aircrew Training:
Tasks P-2016, P-2017, P-2018
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Aircraft Structure and
Controls
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Aircraft Familiarization
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Why do I need to know this stuff anyway?
Terminology
Structure
Control surfaces
Instrumentation
Limitations
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The Airplane
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CAP typically uses C172 and
C182.
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Aircraft Terminology
Right
Aileron
Vertical
Stabilizer
Empennage
Right
Flap
Rudder
Trim Tabs
Right
Wing
Elevator
Left Flap
Left
Aileron
Propeller
Nose
Gear
Main
Gear
Landing
Light
Left Wing
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Ailerons provide roll control
Right wing goes down
Right Aileron UP
Left Aileron DOWN
Left wing goes up
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Elevators provide pitch control
Center of Gravity
Center of Gravity
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The rudder controls yaw
CENTER of
GRAVITY
RIGHT
RUDDER
PEDAL
LEFT
RUDDER
PEDAL
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Trim tabs neutralize control
pressures
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Aircraft Instruments
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Instrument Panel
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Flight Instruments
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Magnetic Compass
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Primarily a backup
Doesn’t require any
power
Installation problems
Bank angles and
speed changes can
cause a compass to
show the wrong
heading
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Flight Instruments
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Heading Indicator
(Directional Gyro)
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Gyro-driven
heading indicator
Quick response to
turns
Stable indications
Electrical or
vacuum-driven
Will drift, requires
periodic realignment
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Flight Instruments
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Altimeter
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Usually set to
show pressure
altitude above
Mean Sea Level
(MSL)
Accurate altitude
is dependent on
the altimeter
setting.
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Flight Instruments
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Turn Coordinator
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Really two
instruments
Miniature aircraft
shows turn rate only does not show bank
angle
Inclinometer shows
quality of turn Coordinated, slip,
skid
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Flight Instruments
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Attitude Indicator
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Provides a horizon
reference
Hash marks
indicate bank angle
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Flight Instruments
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Airspeed
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Knots or MPH
Colored markings
Shows aircraft
performance
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Flight Instruments
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Vertical Speed
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Climb or descent
rate
Has a lag due to
design
Use with altimeter
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Engine Instruments
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Tachometer
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Markings — green
arc
Indicates power
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Other Engine Instruments
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Gauges
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Fuel (accurate at
empty)
Oil Temperature
and Pressure
Vacuum and
Generator
Exhaust Gas
Temperature
Instruments vary
from aircraft to
aircraft
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Comm, VOR and DME radios
 Navigation/Communication Radio
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Primary and Standby Frequencies
DME
Comm 1
Communications
Comm 2
Nav 1
Navigation
Nav 2
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Comm Antennas
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Normally mounted on top
One for each radio
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Nav Antennas
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“Cat whisker” style
One for each nav
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Navigation Instruments
VOR
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VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR-DME,
VORTAC)
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ADF
Indicates direction to/from ground transmitter relative
to magnetic North
Automatic Direction Finder (NDB)
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Direction toward ground transmitter relative to
airplane nose
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Other Antennas
Loop
(directional)
ADF
Marker
Beacon
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UHF Antenna
Blade type (may be spike)
Transponder & DME
[If mounted up front, may
interfere with DF]
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Global Positioning System
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Satellite based navigation
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Apollo GX55
Can provide search pattern course guidance and lat
and long of target
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GPS Antenna
GPS
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Line of sight, so mounted at the very top
Comm antennas can interfere with the weak
signals, so they are tested for interference
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Direction Finding Receiver
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Used for electronic ELT searches
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CAP FM Transceiver
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Audio Panel
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Transponder
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Static “wicks”
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Mitigate buildup of static electricity
(interferes with comm)
Wings, elevators, vertical stabilizer
Take care when walking around
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Weight and Balance
and Operations
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Weight and Balance
Lift
W eigh t
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Force from h orizon tal
tail su rface
The wings generate a limited amount of lift
Maximum weight for an aircraft is set by the manufacturer
Pitch stability is affected by the location of the center of gravity
The pilot computes weight and balance and controls it by
loading the aircraft correctly
-If incorrectly loaded:
– the pilot may not be able to raise the nose during take off or
– the aircraft may be unstable and difficult or impossible to
control in the air
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Weight and Balance
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Excessive weight adversely impacts
performance:
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Out of Forward C.G. limits can cause:
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Longer take off and landing distance
Reduced climb performance
Reduced ability to withstand turbulence and wind
shear forces
Reduced up-elevator authority (ability to raise the
nose)
Can eliminate the ability to flare for landing
Out of Rear C.G. limits can cause:
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Reduced down-elevator authority (ability to lower the
nose)
Can make stall recovery difficult or impossible
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Mission Aircraft Operations
A CAPF84 or CAPF104 must be
completed
 Altimeter settings will be from a
source within 50 NM or the closest
source available and updated hourly.
 Airspeed will be no lower than 1.3
times aircraft stall at zero flaps and 30
degrees of bank.
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Mission Aircraft Operations
Search altitudes are limited to no
lower than 500 feet above the surface
(except for counter drug vessel
identification).
 Search aircraft on missions over
water must plan to be over a suitable
airfield with at least 90 minutes of fuel
on board at normal cruise speed.
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