DACP Study Group Technical Questions List

Last Updated: 24JUN2014 2329L

Kent
1. Explain how LIFT is generated from an aerofoil by:
(a) Bernoullis Principle (DP+SP=TP) 80%
Bernoullis principle : Dynamic pressure + static pressure = constant total pressure
The upper part of the wing is of higher camberness,so the airflow is faster; dynamic pressure
higher; static pressure lower. 2/3
The lower part of the wing, airfow is slower, dynamic pressure decreases, static pressure higher.

(b) Newtons Third Law (Action & Reaction) 20%

The airflow is deflected downwards, giving a reaction upwards force to the aircraft
(Try to use Newtons SECOND law to start the explanation.)
2 (a) What is the only direct and immediate cause of stall?
- exceed critical AOA
2 (b) Why is there a stall speed (Vs)?
Because there is no way to measure the AoA in flight
2 (c ) Explain the process from smooth flight to a stall flight, using
(i) Centre of Pressure
As the Angle of Attack increases, the Centre of Pressure moves forward until the critical
Angle of Attack is reached. Beyond the critical Angle of Attack, the Centre of Pressure moves
elsewhere
(ii) Lift
Keep increasing and decreases after exceeding the critical AoA
(iii) Airflow Separation
Airflow changes from laminar flow to turbulent flow. After critical AoA, CP moves
elsewhere. Turbulent airflow moves forward Sudden loss of lift
* Boundary layer
2 (d) Explain what is impact lift and suction lift and their proportion in total lift of an
aircraft.
Impact lift (Lift generated from Action and Reaction) = Newtons third law
Suction lift (Lift generated from differential pressure) = Bernoullis law
2 (e) Which lift will be lost during stall and the leading consequence if stall recovery is
not performed/wrongly executed?

Suction lift. Impact lift is left but is not enough to generate lift. Stall if the backward pressure is
kept and the wing continues to exceed its critical Angle of Attack. Spin may occur if there is a
misuse of ailerons when the aircraft approaches the stall, causing a wingdrop
3 (a) Explain the effects of CG location on flying performance
If CG is at front, nose heavy and more longitudinally stable but less maneuverable
If CG is aft, tail heavy and less longitudinally stable but more maneuverable
3 (b) Why airlines would prefer CG at the aft of aircraft?
When the Centre of Gravity is aft of the aircraft, it would create a nose-up tendency coupled with
the Forward Centre of Pressure. Thus, the elevators and horizontal stabilizer need to exert a
upload on the tail of the aircraft to create a nose-down moment to cancel the couple. Since the
upload on the tailplane is an upwards force, the lift required to be generated by the wing is
reduced, leading to a reduced effective weight of the aircraft. Coupled with the effect of a
reduced trim drag, the fuel consumption of the aircraft is reduced, which can enable the aircraft
to fly a longer range, carry more payload, or save fuel in a particular flight.
4. What is the Start up procedures of a flight?
Thanks Kent:)
5. Explain the difference of altitude, elevation and height.
Altitude: Difference between an aircraft and Mean Sea Level
Elevation: Difference between an aerodrome and Mean Sea Level
Height: Difference between an obstacle and the ground (AGL)
Charlotte
6. a) What are high drag devices?
Flaps, Spoilers, Reverse thrust and Landing gear
b) Why Spoilers & Reverse thrust are more important on ground?
They are important to assist wheel brakes in effective ground braking (by dumping lift
and transfer the load onto the wheels)
7. a) What causes wingtip vortices?
The pressure differential between the upper and lower surface of the wing. It causes
spanwise flow on the wing it is strongest nearer the wingtips due to the increased wing loading
and the intermixing of the upper flow and the lower flow
b) What are winglets and how do they work?
Winglets are a type of wingtip device used to reduced the induced drag of an aircraft.
They work by reducing the spanwise flow on the wings, hence reducing the strength of the
wingtip vortices and trailing edge vortices. Examples of winglets on new aircrafts are
sharkets, blended winglets and split scimitar winglets.
c)Why does B777 has no winglet?
B777s wings are aerodynamically well-designed such that the induced drag created by
its wing is less significant than previous generations of aircrafts. Installing winglets incur an

installation or retrofit cost. They may also increase fuel burn due to their increased weight,
and the increased strength of the wing due to the stress winglets put on the airframe. Newer
variants of B777 like 777-200LR and 777-300ER are equipped with raked wingtips with the
aim to further reduce the induced drag without significantly increasing the aircrafts weight.
8. a) What is ETOPS?
ETOPS stands for Extended-Range Twin Engine Operational Performance Standards,
which is a standard that enables twin-engine aircrafts to operate outside of 60-minutes range of
the closest alternate airport using a single engine inoperative speed.
b)What are the various ETOPS categories?
120 mins, 180 mins, CX 270 mins (Conservatively use 207 mins as company procedures)
c) What is Suitable Airfield with regard to ETOPS diversion alternate airport?
AIrcraft performance suitable, adequate lighting facilities, approach assistance (ILS)
(Additional requirements for ETOPS alternates)
9. a) What is fly by wire system and how it operates?
A fly-by-wire system is one that there is no direct mechanical linkage between the flight
controls and the control surfaces. Instead of making use of mechanical cables and pulleys like
the conventional fly-by-cable system, the pilots control inputs are fed to a flight computer via
wires sending electrical signals. The signals are then interpreted and sent to the hydraulic
actuators to move the control surfaces. Advantages of a fly-by-wire system include reduced
weight and hence fuel consumption, lower maintenance cost, more precise control of flight
paths, and the availability of flight envelope protection.
b) How to start up a jet engine? (*hot start & hung start, wet start)
First, the compressed air from the APU is extracted and blown to the HP turbines and
make them rotate. The shaft in turn drives the rotation of the HP compressors. The LP and IP
compressors are back driven by the suction of air and are made to rotate. At 25% N3, the
spark plugs start their ignitions, followed by the flow of fuel. At 50% N3, the engine becomes
self- sustaining and starter motor is no longer required. The engine then increases its rpm by
itself until it reaches the idling speed.
Hot Start:
Hot start is indicated by an excessive Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT), which is most likely
caused by a faulty starter motor, Excess fuel flow or a strong tail wind.
Hung Start:
Hung start is indicated by an inability of the engine to attain its idle rpm after a prolonged
period. This is most likely caused by an insufficient fuel flow to the engine.
Hot start: Exhuast Gas T too high ( excess fuel ) , tail wind blows the exhausted gas back to
engine, starter defect, fuel flow increases

Hung start: Engine is running, N1 ( fan blade and low pressure compressor )
N2 ( intermediate pressure ) N3 ( high pressure ) RPM not fast enough due to insufficient
fuel flow
Wet start: Engine fails to ignite may due to Excess fuel, defective spark plug. positive RPM
due to pneumatic air (So lower than Hng start)
10. a) Tell me about Tropical Cyclone / Typhoon.
Low pressure system. Wind speed > 100 knots.
b) What are the requirements to form a TC?
Heat, moisture, coriolis force >5 degrees of latitude
c) Describe the Life Cycle of a TC.
Ric
11. a) What is a critical engine?
b) how is p-factor related to a critical engine
12. a) Explain dutch roll
b) How yaw damper works to prevent dutch roll
c) whats the difference between series and parallel yaw dampers
13. How do you tell the difference between 777 and a330

777

330

Yoke

Sidesticks

No winglets

winglets

APU blade like exhaust

APU round in shape

triple main gear

double main gear

Trent 800

Trent 700

Vertical stabilizer has angular shape

Smoother Vertical stabiliser

wider fuselage

narrower fuselage

single strobe light

double strobe light

0 .84M

0.86M

14. a) Whats the difference between Maximum range cruise and Long range cruise
MRC is at max lift drag ratio. LRC

b) What is cost index?

Determine the speed of the aircrafts. Compromise between speed and fuel consumption
Cost index increases, speed increases, range decrease, fuel consumption increases
c) How are MRC and LCR related to cost index?

15. Briefly describe departure profile segments

Push back and start up Taxi Takeoff Departure
Samson
16. a) What is the difference between Boeing and Airbus?
Design philosophy: Final decision, dark cockpit philosophy, ARTIFICAL FEEDBACK
SIDESTICK, TABLE...ETC
b) What routes are the respective aircraft types in CX flying to?
17. a) Why Cathay uses a variety of B777 including B777-200, B777-300 and B777-300ER?
b) What are their differences?
18. a) What is a jet stream? How is it formed?
pressure difference betwe en two airmass, greatest at the boundry. corriolis force
b) Why does it travel from the west to the east
CORRILOIS FORCE
c) What kind of turbulence is associated with jet streams? How to avoid it?
Clear air turbalunce, (Tuburlance that are not caused by water)
d) How do pilots identify jet stream?
- Weather chart ( Pre-flight)
- headwind and tailwind (inflight)
e) strength
> 50 knots
19. a) How does an aircraft navigate?
small aircraft (VFR) or jet (IFR)
b) How does a VOR work?
ground beacon instrument
emit omnidirectional signal (with the same frequency)
and directional signal (with varying phase difference) according to the angular distance
c) What is the difference between INS & IRS?

d) ADSB
20. a) Can you give me the thrust ratings of B777 engines?
b) What are the differences between Rolls-Royce and General Electric engines?
Key benefits of three shaft engines
Shorter, stiffer shafts allowing improved performance retention
Optimised blade speeds improving engine efficiency
Lighter weight engines resulting in higher revenue earning potential
Modular design allowing easier maintainability

Martin
21. a) What is basic T?
b) What are the other instruments on the panel?
c) Which instrument would fail if the engine fails in flight?
22. a) Explain how the ASI works?
b) If the static port is blocked, will the ASI overread or underread?
23 a) Explain how a jet engine works?
Take one kind as an example (eg turbofan)
By newton third law (action and reaction)
air intake -> compress -> combust -> exhaust
jet engine produces power continously
piston engine produces power in one stroke

b) If there is an increase in humidity, what is the effect to the engine?

air density is lower when humidity is higher,(MOLECULAR WT) thus engine will have
less efficiency
(less air for the engine to combust + less air intake for the fan)
c) Explain the difference in propulsion efficiency of using propeller and jet
engine?
24 a) How is cloud formed?
b) What types of cloud is associated with unstable atmosphere?
25. a) Draw the drag to speed curve
b) Why dont we fly at the backend of the curve?

Dennis (some very basic hr questions, just make sure you have the answers in your heart is
fine.)
26. Self intro (or do they have this?)
27. Why do you want to be a pilot
28. Why did you apply for dragonair
29. CX vs KA
30. Why are you a suitable candidate for us
31. What would you do if you are rejected by Ka/CX/kacx
32. Why did you study xxx?
33. Engineering may have more exposure on aviation,why not engineering?
34. What do you know about dragonair
35. How your flying experience demonstrate your passion ?
36. What would you do in your leisure time?
Herman
37. Briefly describe the use of each light on the aircraft. (Beacon, Nav light ...etc)
38. What is service ceiling and absolute ceiling? Under what circumstances will the aircraft
reach service ceiling?
39. What is critical speed?