Flight Planning Exam Question

[mazzy1026]

Why is full flap selected during the approach and landing phase of a flight?

a) The safe flying speed is increased and a flatter approach path is achieved which improves vision.
b) The approach speed is reduced and a steeper approach path flown which improves vision.
c) The approach speed is reduced and a flatter approach path flown which improves vision.

I chose B (I am sitting the exam on Saturday).

My understanding was that when you lower flap, you lower the nose to maintain speed, which IMPROVES ahead vision and gives a steeper approach so why is the correct answer (according to the confuser) C ?

The explanation goes into the coefficient of lift (and it's related equations) and how that when you lower flap, you increase the wing angle of attack, and the upper camber of the wing etc (depending on type of flap). I still don't understand how the approach would be flatter?

Thanks

Maz :ok:

[BEagle]

The Confuser is wrong - that's why!

Your understanding is correct.

[GroundBound]

Because the Confuser is confused ! :)

There are a number of errors in the confuser, this is one of them.

Also, the question, as asked in the exam, is not phrased in quite the same way (can't remember the exact text), and is not confusing.

Don't learn from the Confuser. If you find contradictory statements to what you have learned its likely to be one of the Confuser errors. But always check of course (like now) :)

Good Luck with the exams
GB

[Mark 1]

The options are badly phrased, but, I agree, B is the best answer.

The lower speed is obviously correct.
The nose will be lower at a given stabilised condition.
If you don't adjust power the flight path will be steeper.

I reckon they've just got it wrong, so don't worry you're reasoning is quite correct.

[mazzy1026]

That was quick - thanks people :)

Don't worry, I have read the book twice and only use the confuser as last minute check-up, but it does make you wonder sometimes whether you are going mad or it's just a plain old mistake :=

Thanks again,

Maz :8

[IO540]

If one accepts the CAA is mostly playing with words, B is probably the least wrong :O

[vincent_watts]

Hi

Can I make a point too, which you are probably already aware of. However, the fact that the question you asked only had 3 possible answers, leads me to think you are studying the older (black) confuser. Not that this really matters, but the new confuser is green, and every question has 4 possible answers.

Am just saying this because if this is your first PPL ground exam, you may be shocked when you see 4 possible answers and not 3 on the exam paper.

Good luck

V

[mazzy1026]

Hi Vincent, you are quite right, I do have the old book with 3 choices in (but it is green) :)

After this exam I only have Navigation left and up to now my confuser has proven adequate. I find that there is always at least 1 totally stupid response like:

d) You dont need to worry about loading as 4 seaters are designed to be filled as required.

;)

[MyData]

Mazzy, I think the flaps question has come up before in other threads, and the consensus is that the confuser is wrong.

But it shows that you understand the question if you question the answer (if you see what I mean) rather than simply taking the confuser as the truth.

IIRC there are a number of inaccuracies and I know for sure that I did answer one question wrongly by putting the confuser answer in rather than the correct answer. I can't recall the question now but my brain was fried after a lesson and I was sitting the paper, then I saw the question and tried to work the answer from first principles (always a good method), but I could see that two of the options made sense - as part of my thinking must have been flawed - and I knew that that 'right' one was actually wrong as it was the confuser one, but then which was the confuser one and which was the real one? AAAAARRRRGGHHHH So I picked one, and it was wrong, so I dropped one mark on the whole paper.

Confuser is good for getting you on the way, but by no means gives you the whole truth.

[stue]

I remember that nav question. took me ages to work out what the hell the confused confuser was going on about so i put it down and went to bed. got up the next morning and sat the exam and passed, geting that question right.

it just proves that when you understand it and think about it, you will get it right. just go through it in you head.....
just lined up on finals, full flap... whats your speed doing? how is the app looking?

do it in your head in the exam and you will pass 1st time! :ok:

good luck and happy flying!:)

[mazzy1026]

Couldn't agree more with what's been said. Just got back from the flying school now after sitting the exam - I think it went quite well, but until I see the results, I ain't counting any chickens!!

:)

[BitMoreRightRudder]

The good old confuser. I actually found it a really useful tool but you are wise to use it only as a refresher for your knowledge of a subject, the temptation to use it as a 'let's just learn the answers' cheat sheet can be overwhelming.

Hope you passed mazzy, if you go on to do ATPLs then the fun increases tenfold. The CAA really do produce some corkers!

Good luck with the flying:cool:

[mazzy1026]

Thanks for the kind words all :ok:

Well I passed, got 80% - I will see if I can find out which questions I got wrong.............

;)

[BEagle]

Congratulations on passing.

But the Examiner should give you a full debrief on your incorrect answers.

[mazzy1026]

That's true Beagle - I think this may happen before the flight test, were he will sit down and go over any areas he may think I am struggling on (he may be able to see patterns in the exam results). I don't think he will go over every question I got wrong (I suppose it depends on how many you get wrong?)