Free Sport Pilot Lighter-Than-Air (Airship) Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the Sport Pilot Lighter-Than-Air (Airship) practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1A sport pilot and one passenger will share $240 in eligible operating expenses for an airship flight. What is the minimum amount the pilot must pay?

   1. A. $60
   2. B. $80
   3. C. $120
   4. D. $240

   Answer: C

   Explanation: Section 61.315(b) states, "You must pay at least half the operating expenses of the flight." Half of $240 is $120; dividing among additional people or assigning the whole bill does not give the required minimum.

   Reference: 14 CFR Part 61 — Certification: Pilots, Flight Instructors, and Ground Instructors — § 61.315(b)

2. 2After an airship landing mishap, which fracture alone meets the NTSB serious-injury definition in §830.2, assuming no other injury or hospitalization criterion applies?

   1. A. A simple finger fracture
   2. B. A simple forearm fracture
   3. C. A simple toe fracture
   4. D. A simple nasal fracture

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The serious-injury definition includes an injury that "results in a fracture of any bone (except simple fractures of fingers, toes, or nose)". A forearm fracture qualifies; the other three simple fractures are the expressly listed exceptions.

   Reference: 49 CFR Part 830 — Aircraft Accident and Incident Notification and Reporting — § 830.2, Serious injury, clause (2)

3. 3An airship pilot makes the first call to a tower. How should the pilot identify the aircraft on this initial contact?

   1. A. Use only the last two registration characters.
   2. B. Use only the last three registration characters.
   3. C. Use the full aircraft identification.
   4. D. Use the assigned transponder code.

   Answer: C

   Explanation: AIM 4-2-4 states, "Call signs should never be abbreviated on an initial contact". The full identification prevents confusion; subsequent abbreviation rules do not authorize shortening this first call.

   Reference: Aeronautical Information Manual — Radio Communications Phraseology and Techniques — 4-2-4, Precautions in the Use of Call Signs

4. 4Before an airship departure, the pilot reads SCT010 BKN025 OVC060 in the airport METAR. What is the reported ceiling?

   1. A. 1,000 feet AGL
   2. B. 2,500 feet AGL
   3. C. 6,000 feet AGL
   4. D. 2,500 feet MSL

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The AIM states, "the ceiling is the lowest broken or overcast layer, or vertical visibility into an obscuration." It also states, "Cloud bases are reported with three digits in hundreds of feet above ground level (AGL)." The scattered layer does not constitute the ceiling; BKN025 does.

   Reference: Aeronautical Information Manual — Meteorology — 7-1-29, METAR, Sky Condition and Height

5. 5An airship pilot is assessing the wake hazard from a preceding airplane. Which combination produces the greatest vortex strength for that airplane?

   1. A. Heavy, clean, and slow
   2. B. Heavy, clean, and fast
   3. C. Light, clean, and slow
   4. D. Heavy, configured, and slow

   Answer: A

   Explanation: AIM 7-4-3 states, "the greatest vortex strength occurs when the generating aircraft is HEAVY, CLEAN, and SLOW." Higher weight and lower speed strengthen the wake, while turbulence from a configured aircraft hastens decay.

   Reference: Aeronautical Information Manual — Wake Turbulence — 7-4-3, Vortex Strength

6. 6An airship pilot has determined pressure altitude and needs density altitude for a performance assessment. Which additional measurement is used for the standard temperature correction?

   1. A. Dew-point temperature
   2. B. Outside air temperature
   3. C. Cylinder-head temperature
   4. D. Exhaust-gas temperature

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The handbook states, "density altitude can be computed by inputting the pressure altitude and outside air temperature". The correction uses ambient temperature, rather than an engine temperature or the dew point.

   Reference: Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge — Chapter 11: Aircraft Performance — p. 11-4, Density Altitude

7. 7An airship loading sheet locates a 40-pound item 25 inches forward of the reference datum. What moment should be entered for that item?

   1. A. Negative 1,000 pound-inches
   2. B. Positive 1,000 pound-inches
   3. C. Negative 1.6 pound-inches
   4. D. Positive 65 pound-inches

   Answer: A

   Explanation: The handbook defines moment as "the product of the weight of an item multiplied by its arm." An arm forward of datum is negative, so 40 × (−25) = −1,000 pound-inches. The alternatives lose the sign, divide instead of multiply, or add unlike quantities.

   Reference: Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge — Chapter 10: Weight and Balance — pp. 10-4–10-5, Arm and Moment definitions

8. 8An airship hull is at its maximum-dynamic-lift angle of attack. The pilot raises the elevators farther, increasing hull angle of attack beyond that value. Which paired force changes does the airship technical manual describe?

   1. A. Hull dynamic lift increases; elevator downforce increases.
   2. B. Hull dynamic lift increases; elevator downforce decreases.
   3. C. Hull dynamic lift decreases; elevator downforce decreases.
   4. D. Hull dynamic lift decreases; elevator downforce increases.

   Answer: D

   Explanation: The manual states that beyond the maximum-lift angle, "the dynamic lift nat.. urally decreases." It also states, "At the same time the downward thrust on the elevators is increased." Both effects reduce the available upward force. This applicable hull-lift limit does not prescribe an airplane spin-recovery sequence.

   Reference: Airship Aerodynamics Technical Manual — paragraph 36(e), Reverse, pp. 51–52

9. 9A sport airship pilot feels pressure to continue a personal trip because a passenger has an important appointment. In the PAVE checklist, where does this hazard belong?

   1. A. Pilot
   2. B. Aircraft
   3. C. Environment
   4. D. External pressures

   Answer: D

   Explanation: The handbook describes schedule concerns under external pressures and asks, "how critical is it to maintain the schedule, and is the trip worth the risks?" The appointment creates schedule pressure rather than an aircraft or weather defect.

   Reference: Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge — Chapter 2: Aeronautical Decision-Making — p. 2-11, External pressures

10. 10For a planned airship landing, the pilot needs detailed airport facilities, fuel availability, communications, and remarks to supplement the sectional chart. Which publication is designed to supply this information?

    1. A. Chart Supplement U.S.
    2. B. VFR Terminal Area Chart
    3. C. Sectional Aeronautical Chart
    4. D. Airport Diagram

    Answer: A

    Explanation: The handbook describes the Chart Supplement as including "location, elevation, runway and lighting facilities, available services". Its airport entries also provide fuel, communication, and other operational details needed for preflight planning.

    Reference: Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge — Chapter 16: Navigation — p. 16-17, Use of Chart Supplement U.S.