Aircraft Assembly and Rigging Flashcards
7 cards from real Airframe Mechanic Certification practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Aircraft Assembly and Rigging flashcards as text
What is the purpose of the 'dead zone' (or neutral zone) in a flight control system?
Answer: A small range of cockpit control movement near neutral that produces no control surface movement, used to reduce pilot fatigue
A dead zone near neutral allows small inadvertent cockpit inputs without producing control surface movement, reducing pilot workload on long flights—it must remain within the manufacturer's published limits.
During final rigging check of a manual flight control system, the mechanic applies force to deflect the aileron and then releases it. The aileron should:
Answer: Return to the neutral position and remain there without binding or excessive friction
After deflection, flight controls must return to neutral under system forces (springs, weight, aerodynamic loads) and remain there without binding, sticking, or excessive breakout force.
An aircraft's rudder control has more than the specified free play. After checking the rudder pedals and cables, the wear is found at the rudder horn attachment. What is the correct repair?
Answer: Replace the worn bolt, bushing, or fitting to restore the specified clearance per the Maintenance Manual
Worn attachment hardware (bolts, bushings, or fittings) must be replaced with serviceable parts of the correct specification—oversized fasteners without engineering approval are not permitted.
What rigging check is performed to verify that a trim tab returns to the neutral position when the trim control is centered?
Answer: Measure the tab deflection angle with a protractor at the rigged neutral and compare it to the manufacturer's datum
Trim tab neutral position is confirmed by measuring actual tab deflection angle with a rigging protractor and comparing it to the zero (datum) reference in the Maintenance Manual.
Which condition would require replacement of a flight control cable rather than continued service?
Answer: More than the allowable number of broken wires per lay length as specified in AC 43.13-1B or the AMM
Broken wire limits per lay length are defined in AC 43.13-1B and the aircraft's Maintenance Manual; exceeding these limits requires immediate cable replacement.
When assembling a quick-disconnect fitting on a flight control rod end, the technician must verify that the safety pin:
Answer: Is fully seated, passes through both sides of the fitting, and is retained by its clip or locking feature
Quick-disconnect safety pins must be fully inserted through both sides of the fitting and secured with their locking clip to prevent inadvertent disconnection.
A mechanic is checking aileron differential rigging on a light aircraft. 'Differential' means:
Answer: The upward-deflecting aileron travels farther than the downward-deflecting aileron to counteract adverse yaw
Aileron differential means the up-going aileron deflects more than the down-going aileron, reducing the increased drag on the rising wing and minimizing adverse yaw.