AVIA 305: Advanced Aerodynamics
Examination; QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES/
GRADED A+/2026 UPDATE
/100%CORRECT
Section I: Airspeed Measurement & The Pitot-Static System (Questions 1-20)
1. Which of the following airspeeds is defined as the actual speed of the
aircraft relative to the undisturbed airmass?
a) Indicated Airspeed (IAS)
b) Calibrated Airspeed (CAS)
c) True Airspeed (TAS)
d) Equivalent Airspeed (EAS)
Rationale: True Airspeed (TAS) is the physical speed of the aircraft through the air
mass. Indicated Airspeed (IAS) is the raw reading from the pitot-static system,
corrected for instrument and position errors to become CAS, and then corrected for
density altitude to become TAS.
2. At high altitudes with a constant Indicated Airspeed (IAS), True Airspeed
(TAS) will be:
a) Higher than IAS
b) Lower than IAS
c) Equal to IAS
d) Unrelated to IAS
Rationale: As altitude increases, air density decreases. To maintain a constant
dynamic pressure (IAS), the aircraft must move faster through the thinner air,
resulting in a TAS that is greater than IAS.
3. Which airspeed is primarily used for structural limit calculations (e.g.,
never-exceed speed VNEVNE)?
a) True Airspeed (TAS)
,b) Equivalent Airspeed (EAS)
c) Mach Number
d) Ground Speed
Rationale: Equivalent Airspeed (EAS) is IAS corrected for compressibility effects.
It is directly proportional to dynamic pressure (q), which determines the
aerodynamic loads on the structure. VNEVNE is typically expressed as an EAS or
CAS.
4. A blocked Pitot tube (ram air inlet) while the static port remains open will
cause the Airspeed Indicator (ASI) to act as a(n):
a) Altimeter (at constant altitude)
b) Gyroscope
c) Variometer
d) Machmeter only
Rationale: If the Pitot tube is blocked but the static port is open, the pressure
inside the Pitot line becomes trapped. As altitude changes, static pressure changes,
but the trapped pressure does not. The ASI measures the difference; thus, it will
indicate changes in altitude rather than speed.
5. What is the primary cause of "position error" in the pitot-static system?
a) Temperature inversion layers
b) Disruption of airflow around the fuselage near the sensors
c) Mechanical friction within the instruments
d) Compressibility effects above Mach 0.3
Rationale: Position error occurs because the static port may not be located in a
region of true ambient static pressure. Local airflow disturbances (due to angle of
attack, fuselage shape) cause the sensed static pressure to be different from the
free-stream static pressure.
6. The difference between Calibrated Airspeed (CAS) and Indicated Airspeed
(IAS) is the correction for:
a) Density altitude
b) Compressibility
c) Instrument and position errors
d) Wind velocity
, Rationale: CAS is IAS corrected for installation (position) errors and instrument
errors. The conversion from CAS to EAS accounts for compressibility, and CAS to
TAS accounts for density.
7. As an aircraft climbs at a constant Mach number, the indicated airspeed
(IAS) will:
a) Remain constant
b) Decrease
c) Increase
d) Increase, then decrease
Rationale: Mach number is the ratio of TAS to the speed of sound. Since the speed
of sound decreases with temperature in the troposphere, maintaining a constant
Mach number requires a decreasing TAS. This decreasing TAS, combined with
decreasing density, results in a significant decrease in IAS.
8. Which statement best describes the "coffin corner"?
a) The point where VSVS equals VMOVMO
b) The region where the low-speed buffet (stall) and high-speed buffet (Mach
buffet) occur at the same airspeed
c) The maximum range cruise point
d) The intersection of the lift and drag curves
Rationale: Coffin corner is a critical flight regime at high altitudes where the stall
speed (VSVS) and the Mach buffet speed (VMMOVMMO) converge. There is a
very narrow margin between stalling and exceeding the critical Mach number.
9. The "Q" in QNH and QFE refers to:
a) Dynamic pressure
b) Static pressure
c) Total pressure
d) Vapor pressure
Rationale: In aviation meteorology, "Q" codes derive from the French word
"quotient." QNH and QFE are pressure settings. QFE sets the altimeter to read zero
at field elevation. QNH sets the altimeter to read elevation above mean sea level.
The "Q" fundamentally relates to pressure, which is central to the pitot-static
system and dynamic pressure (q).
10. Which of the following would cause the Airspeed Indicator to
read lower than actual speed?
Examination; QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES/
GRADED A+/2026 UPDATE
/100%CORRECT
Section I: Airspeed Measurement & The Pitot-Static System (Questions 1-20)
1. Which of the following airspeeds is defined as the actual speed of the
aircraft relative to the undisturbed airmass?
a) Indicated Airspeed (IAS)
b) Calibrated Airspeed (CAS)
c) True Airspeed (TAS)
d) Equivalent Airspeed (EAS)
Rationale: True Airspeed (TAS) is the physical speed of the aircraft through the air
mass. Indicated Airspeed (IAS) is the raw reading from the pitot-static system,
corrected for instrument and position errors to become CAS, and then corrected for
density altitude to become TAS.
2. At high altitudes with a constant Indicated Airspeed (IAS), True Airspeed
(TAS) will be:
a) Higher than IAS
b) Lower than IAS
c) Equal to IAS
d) Unrelated to IAS
Rationale: As altitude increases, air density decreases. To maintain a constant
dynamic pressure (IAS), the aircraft must move faster through the thinner air,
resulting in a TAS that is greater than IAS.
3. Which airspeed is primarily used for structural limit calculations (e.g.,
never-exceed speed VNEVNE)?
a) True Airspeed (TAS)
,b) Equivalent Airspeed (EAS)
c) Mach Number
d) Ground Speed
Rationale: Equivalent Airspeed (EAS) is IAS corrected for compressibility effects.
It is directly proportional to dynamic pressure (q), which determines the
aerodynamic loads on the structure. VNEVNE is typically expressed as an EAS or
CAS.
4. A blocked Pitot tube (ram air inlet) while the static port remains open will
cause the Airspeed Indicator (ASI) to act as a(n):
a) Altimeter (at constant altitude)
b) Gyroscope
c) Variometer
d) Machmeter only
Rationale: If the Pitot tube is blocked but the static port is open, the pressure
inside the Pitot line becomes trapped. As altitude changes, static pressure changes,
but the trapped pressure does not. The ASI measures the difference; thus, it will
indicate changes in altitude rather than speed.
5. What is the primary cause of "position error" in the pitot-static system?
a) Temperature inversion layers
b) Disruption of airflow around the fuselage near the sensors
c) Mechanical friction within the instruments
d) Compressibility effects above Mach 0.3
Rationale: Position error occurs because the static port may not be located in a
region of true ambient static pressure. Local airflow disturbances (due to angle of
attack, fuselage shape) cause the sensed static pressure to be different from the
free-stream static pressure.
6. The difference between Calibrated Airspeed (CAS) and Indicated Airspeed
(IAS) is the correction for:
a) Density altitude
b) Compressibility
c) Instrument and position errors
d) Wind velocity
, Rationale: CAS is IAS corrected for installation (position) errors and instrument
errors. The conversion from CAS to EAS accounts for compressibility, and CAS to
TAS accounts for density.
7. As an aircraft climbs at a constant Mach number, the indicated airspeed
(IAS) will:
a) Remain constant
b) Decrease
c) Increase
d) Increase, then decrease
Rationale: Mach number is the ratio of TAS to the speed of sound. Since the speed
of sound decreases with temperature in the troposphere, maintaining a constant
Mach number requires a decreasing TAS. This decreasing TAS, combined with
decreasing density, results in a significant decrease in IAS.
8. Which statement best describes the "coffin corner"?
a) The point where VSVS equals VMOVMO
b) The region where the low-speed buffet (stall) and high-speed buffet (Mach
buffet) occur at the same airspeed
c) The maximum range cruise point
d) The intersection of the lift and drag curves
Rationale: Coffin corner is a critical flight regime at high altitudes where the stall
speed (VSVS) and the Mach buffet speed (VMMOVMMO) converge. There is a
very narrow margin between stalling and exceeding the critical Mach number.
9. The "Q" in QNH and QFE refers to:
a) Dynamic pressure
b) Static pressure
c) Total pressure
d) Vapor pressure
Rationale: In aviation meteorology, "Q" codes derive from the French word
"quotient." QNH and QFE are pressure settings. QFE sets the altimeter to read zero
at field elevation. QNH sets the altimeter to read elevation above mean sea level.
The "Q" fundamentally relates to pressure, which is central to the pitot-static
system and dynamic pressure (q).
10. Which of the following would cause the Airspeed Indicator to
read lower than actual speed?
