Ex. 7 - Climbing - Quiz & Trivia

1. When would it be wise to climb at Vx (the speed for the best angle of climb)?

Whenever changing cruise altitudes on a long cross-country flight

When air traffic control asks you to "expedite" your climb

Right after take-off from a short runway with an obstacle near the end.

Whenever overheating the engine is a concern

A. There is usually no reason to do steep climbs at altitude. Unless there are additional circumstances present, climbs at altitude are typically done in the normal or enroute speed range.

B. "Expediting" the climb means the ATC wants you at a higher altitude as soon as possible. To gain maximum altitude in the least amount of time, use climbing at best RATE.

C. This is a situation when maximizing the angle between the plane's flight path and the ground, so best angle of climb is indeed appropriate.

D. If your engine is close to overheating, climbing at best angle is a terrible thing to do to it! Due to the high angle of attack and low airspeed, engine cooling is poor when climbing at Vx.

Explanation

A. There is usually no reason to do steep climbs at altitude. Unless there are additional circumstances present, climbs at altitude are typically done in the normal or enroute speed range.

B. "Expediting" the climb means the ATC wants you at a higher altitude as soon as possible. To gain maximum altitude in the least amount of time, use climbing at best RATE.

C. This is a situation when maximizing the angle between the plane's flight path and the ground, so best angle of climb is indeed appropriate.

D. If your engine is close to overheating, climbing at best angle is a terrible thing to do to it! Due to the high angle of attack and low airspeed, engine cooling is poor when climbing at Vx.

2. Two identical planes started a climb from two identical parallel runways at exactly the same time, under exactly the same conditions. Plane 1 was climbing at Vx. Plane 2 was climbing at Vy. At 3,000', which plane was closer to the runway it took off from?

Plane 1

Plane 2

They were the same distance away from their respective runways

Not enough information

Plane 1 would be closer, since it was climbing at Vx -- a type of climb that allows to cover the least amount of ground distance in a given amount of altitude gain.

Explanation

Plane 1 would be closer, since it was climbing at Vx -- a type of climb that allows to cover the least amount of ground distance in a given amount of altitude gain.

3. What is the procedure for leveling off from a climb?

1.

2.

3.

The ATTITUDE - POWER - TRIM sequence is THE SAME for entering and levelling off from a climb.

As you set the attitude back to cruise, the plane starts accelerating toward normal cruise speed. Since climb power is still on, that happens quickly and efficiently. Now you can reduce the power back to cruies and retrim the plane.

Explanation

The ATTITUDE - POWER - TRIM sequence is THE SAME for entering and levelling off from a climb.

As you set the attitude back to cruise, the plane starts accelerating toward normal cruise speed. Since climb power is still on, that happens quickly and efficiently. Now you can reduce the power back to cruies and retrim the plane.

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4. How do you keep the plane coordinated in a climb?

Apply pressure to the left rudder pedal to bring and keep the turn coordinator ball in the far right corner

Apply pressure to the left rudder pedal to bring and keep the turn coordinator ball in the centre

Apply pressure to the right rudder pedal to bring and keep the turn coordinator ball in the far left corner

Apply pressure to the right rudder pedal to bring and keep the turn coordinator ball in the centre

The plane will want to yaw to the left in a climb due to what's called aircraft left-turning tendencies: http://avstop.com/ac/1-9.html. To counteract it, you need to apply steady pressure on the right rudder pedal, to bring the turn coordinator ball back to the centre.

Explanation

The plane will want to yaw to the left in a climb due to what's called aircraft left-turning tendencies: http://avstop.com/ac/1-9.html. To counteract it, you need to apply steady pressure on the right rudder pedal, to bring the turn coordinator ball back to the centre.

5. What does climbing at Vy (best rate of climb) mean?

You're gaining the maximum amount of altitude in a given time.

You're gaining the maximum amount of altitude in a given distance over the ground.

You're covering the least amount of ground distance per given altitude gain.

You're gaining altitude at a leisurely rate, but are maximizing airspeed and forward visibility.

A is correct. B and C are two different ways to say the same thing, and they refer to Vx (best angle of climb). D is enroute climb.

Explanation

A is correct. B and C are two different ways to say the same thing, and they refer to Vx (best angle of climb). D is enroute climb.

6. On a beautiful, zero-wind day, you take off from a short runway with some power lines close to the far end. You climb out at Vx because of that obstacle. You did the take-off performance calculations (will be covered in later lessons), and are assured that you can make it. As you're climbing, you notice that the power lines look awfully close, and you are tempted to raise the nose just a touch higher. What would happen if you did that?

You will immediately stall the plane.

You might not stall right away if you don't raise the nose too much, but since you'll decrease your airspeed below Vx, your climb angle will actually be shallower and you'll be more likely to hit the power lines.

Your airspeed will decrease, but you will get a better climb angle, so you're more likely to go over the power lines.

Your airspeed will increase, but your rate of climb will decrease, so you're more likely to hit the power lines.

You will probably not stall right away -- Vx is typically quite a few knots above the plane's stall speed. However, you will decrease both your airspeed and your rate of climb and your angle of climb, so you'll be more likely to hit the power lines.

Explanation

You will probably not stall right away -- Vx is typically quite a few knots above the plane's stall speed. However, you will decrease both your airspeed and your rate of climb and your angle of climb, so you'll be more likely to hit the power lines.

7. Two identical aircraft, Plane 1 and Plane 2, are climbing under identical atmospheric conditions. We know that one of them is climbing at Vx and the other at Vy. We are also told, that Plane 1's Vertical Speed Indicator shows a climb at 700 feet per minute, while Plane 2's VSI is indicating a climb at 500 fpm. Which plane is climbing at Vy?

Plane 1

Plane 2

There is not enough information to say with certainty

Vy means you're gaining altitude as fast as you can. Since gaining it at 700 feet per minute is faster than gaining it at 500 feet per minute, Plane 1 must be climbing at Vy.

Explanation

Vy means you're gaining altitude as fast as you can. Since gaining it at 700 feet per minute is faster than gaining it at 500 feet per minute, Plane 1 must be climbing at Vy.

8. Two identical planes started a climb from two identical parallel runways at exactly the same time, under exactly the same conditions. Plane 1 was climbing at Vx. Plane 2 was climbing at Vy. 30 seconds later, which one will be at a higher altitude?

Plane 1

Plane 2

They will be at the same altitude

Not enough information

Plane 2 was climbing at Vy, which means it's gaining altitude at the fastest rate. So after 30 (or however many) seconds it'll be higher than Plane 1.

Explanation

Plane 2 was climbing at Vy, which means it's gaining altitude at the fastest rate. So after 30 (or however many) seconds it'll be higher than Plane 1.

9. Which of the following factors will decrease a plane's climb performance after take-off?

High-altitude airport

Low temperature

Taking off with fuel tanks less than full

Extra passengers

Dry day

A. Air is thinner at a high-altitude airport, which reduces climb performance.
B. At low temperature the air is denser than at higher temperature, so low temperature will enhance plane's performance
C. As long as you have enough fuel to actually complete the flight, carrying less fuel will improve the plane's climb performance, since it will reduce its weight.
D. Extra passengers, on the other hand, increase the weight, making it harder to climb
E. Humid air slightly decreases peformance since it's less dense (and because water molecules cannot be burnt with fuel). Dry air, on the other hand, is beneficial to climbing.

Explanation

A. Air is thinner at a high-altitude airport, which reduces climb performance.
B. At low temperature the air is denser than at higher temperature, so low temperature will enhance plane's performance
C. As long as you have enough fuel to actually complete the flight, carrying less fuel will improve the plane's climb performance, since it will reduce its weight.
D. Extra passengers, on the other hand, increase the weight, making it harder to climb
E. Humid air slightly decreases peformance since it's less dense (and because water molecules cannot be burnt with fuel). Dry air, on the other hand, is beneficial to climbing.

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10. What is the procedure for initiating a climb?

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2

3

4

5

1. COCKPIT CHECK
Before initiating a climb, you want to make sure that the plane's engine is operating normally, because if it's not, you don't want to overload it further by increasing the rpm! Hence the engine temperature and pressure check. If that is ok, you want to make sure the engine is in proper climb configuration: mixture rich and carb heat cold will increase climbing efficiency and help with engine cooling.

2. LOOKOUT
Raising the nose in a climb will make it difficult to see outside, so make sure to do a proper lookout just before initiating a climb.

3. ATITTUDE
Raising the nose will start a climb and will slower the plane down, which is useful, since climbs are usually conducted at lower airspeeds than cruise (because you want the work done by the engine to go into gaining altitude, rather than increasing airspeed).

4. POWER
Set climb power (in most small planes that means full power). Since the nose is aleady up, the prop rpm will slow down, and you won't overspeed the propeller by adding full power.

5. TRIM
If climbing for more than a few seconds, it'll help to set the trim for the desired climb speed/attitude, so you don't have to constantly pull or push on the yoke in climb.

Explanation

1. COCKPIT CHECK
Before initiating a climb, you want to make sure that the plane's engine is operating normally, because if it's not, you don't want to overload it further by increasing the rpm! Hence the engine temperature and pressure check. If that is ok, you want to make sure the engine is in proper climb configuration: mixture rich and carb heat cold will increase climbing efficiency and help with engine cooling.

2. LOOKOUT
Raising the nose in a climb will make it difficult to see outside, so make sure to do a proper lookout just before initiating a climb.

3. ATITTUDE
Raising the nose will start a climb and will slower the plane down, which is useful, since climbs are usually conducted at lower airspeeds than cruise (because you want the work done by the engine to go into gaining altitude, rather than increasing airspeed).

4. POWER
Set climb power (in most small planes that means full power). Since the nose is aleady up, the prop rpm will slow down, and you won't overspeed the propeller by adding full power.

5. TRIM
If climbing for more than a few seconds, it'll help to set the trim for the desired climb speed/attitude, so you don't have to constantly pull or push on the yoke in climb.

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