Jan. 24, 2008

Interactive Quiz #129:
Winter Sport Flying

"Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but ski-flying is so delightful. So long as you fly in Minnesota, let it snow, let it snow ..." Who're we kiddin'? Winter sucks. So hasten spring's arrival by smoking this quiz.

INSTRUCTIONS: Answer the questions as best you can, then click on the "Score my quiz answers" button to see your score and read the explanations. If you don't like your score the first time around, you can change some of your answers and resubmit. To get the most out of this quiz, we suggest you keep trying until you get a perfect score.

NOTE: When more than one answer is true, only the most complete, correct answer will be scored as correct. The answers are assumed to apply within the United States unless otherwise noted.

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1. Baby, it's cold outside. White, too, as evidenced by the photo below taken on final at Ailerona Muni during a mid-winter flight review. The airplane, a 1947 Aeronca 11AC Chief, shown taxiing below, has a tailwheel (conventional)-type landing gear on skis, but isn't on steroids, and therefore qualifies as a light sport aircraft (LSA). Assuming no prior skiplane experience, in order to act as pilot in command of this aircraft on skis, the pilot must hold at least a $50 bill before the CFI and receive "additional training" and a one-time ski-plane logbook endorsement as per FAR 61.31.

a. True
b. False

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2. The pilot shown below has successfully completed his winter flight review. The headset is not connected to anything, but it does keep the ears warm. As you ponder the ingenuity of that, complete this sentence: A Sport pilot, flying an LSA, who is authorized (has the proper instruction and endorsements) to operate daytime VFR inside Class C airspace must also ...

a. Establish and maintain two-way communication with ATC
b. Have and use a transponder with altitude encoding
c. Either answer a or b
d. Both answers a and b

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3. While technique can be argued, and no doubt will be with this issue, when landing a skiplane on packed snow covering 100 percent of the landing surface, the recommended braking technique is to ...
a. Pump the brakes.
b. Gently apply brakes.
c. Apply no brakes on landing roll but pump one brake only for differential control when turning.
d. Brake aggressively in order to heat the skis for better friction.
e. None of the above

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4. OK, you Floridians smugly flying in Jimmy Buffet shirtsleeves and sandals all winter, answer this northerly exposed question: Ski designs fall into two main categories. What are they, eh?
a. Fixed and retract
b. Soft snow, hard snow
c. Paper or plastic
d. Plain and combination

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5. Flying with skis invites Sergeant Preston-style adventures* into the bush. Tying down in a snowy environment with little or no FBO help requires some preplanning. The pilot needs to be aware that skis may stick to the frozen surface, like tongues to a pump handle, when left overnight. The FAA notes that putting something between the skis and the frozen surface may save you from becoming ice-welded to the surface. Which of the following are commonly employed to prevent skis from sticking? (Pick the most complete answer.)

*Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, radio drama 1938-1955; TV 1955 to 1958. What other aviation magazine teaches you this stuff, eh?

a. Burlap sacks
b. Plastic bags
c. Wooden slats
d. Non-stick cooking spray
e. Any or all of the above

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6. "Cleared for takeoff." It's your first skiplane flight and the runway is 100-percent covered in fresh powder over a hard pack of old snow. The surface is relatively smooth and the wind calm. Generally speaking, compared to a dry, hard-surfaced runway, you should expect ...
a. A shorter takeoff roll
b. A longer takeoff roll
c. A shorter takeoff roll if the snow is loose
d. A shorter takeoff roll if the snow is wet

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7. Remember how you simulated soft-field procedures on hard-surface runways during your most recent flight review? Now, it's payoff time. You're in Frigidknickers, Iowa, departing from a snow-covered, grass runway. The OAT is –10 degrees C. After start and warm-up, you taxi down the snowy runway to the end. You need to turn around and depart into the wind. Which technique is recommended when turning into the wind?
a. Keep moving and turn in a wide arc.
b. Keep moving and turn in a tight arc.
c. Turn in a wide arc and stop momentarily to align the longitudinal axis with the centerline.
d. After turning into the wind, stop, run up the engine, release brakes, and rotate at V_X.

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8. When landing a skiplane with conventional landing gear and a ski in lieu of a steerable tailwheel, the threat of a ground loop is compounded by crosswinds and the fact that, in this configuration, the center of gravity (CG) is usually aft of the main skis.
a. True
b. False

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9. Stare at this white space until your vision goes buggy:

Now, land an airplane. Without visual cues, your once-keen pilot depth perception may be compromised. Nighttime skiplane flying into unlighted airstrips is not recommended. (Ya think?) But daytime, backcountry, skiplaning can be fun and safe, provided the pilot knows the terrain and has good lighting. The following type of lighting, however, is not so good: " (______) is due to an overcast or broken sky condition with intermittent sunlight. Hills, valleys and snow mounds take on varying shades of white, and may appear taller, shorter, or wider than they really are. This indirect lighting alters depth perception." Please fill in the blank.

a. White out
b. Flat lighting
c. Civil twilight
d. Glare lighting

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10. OK, enough skis. Bolt the tires back on, 'cause it's time to head home to Boca Foreclosuro, Fla. Your airplane has been inside a heated hangar overnight in Oyubetchya, Minn., while you slept in an unheated motel three miles away. During preflight inside the warm hangar, you notice a tire is low and add air to the proper inflation. Once outside, as temperature decreases you can expect the tire pressure to ...
a. Remain unchanged
b. Increase
c. Decrease
d. Sublimate

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