PPL Flight Performance & Planning exam

What the exam covers

Pocket Pilot teaches Flight Performance & Planning in eight lessons, about 39 minutes of reading in all.

1. 01

   Mass and Balance

   4 min

   The masses to know · Why CG matters · Calculating CG: moments and arms · Sensible loading · Cargo lashing and shift

2. 02

   Density Altitude & Performance

   4 min

   Definitions · The quick density-altitude formula · What density altitude affects · Effects on take-off and landing · Humidity · Practical example

3. 03

   Take-off & Landing Performance

   5 min

   Declared distances · The 1.33 and 1.43 factors · Factors that lengthen take-off distance · The wind component · Field elevation and gradient · Surface types · Obstacles on the climb-out · Landing performance

4. 04

   V-Speeds & Aircraft Limits

   4 min

   Stall and configuration speeds · Operating limits · Climb speeds · Reference speeds on approach · How V-speeds change · Coloured arcs on the ASI · Practical example: setting up cruise

5. 05

   Climb, Cruise & Descent Performance

   5 min

   The climb · Climb speeds revisited · The cruise: power, speed and economy · Cruise altitude selection · The descent · Engine handling in descent · Range and endurance

6. 06

   Crosswind Components

   7 min

   The geometry · Quick mental maths · Maximum demonstrated crosswind · Crosswind technique · What limits crosswind capability · Gusts · Choosing the runway · The ground-loop accident chain · Practice problems

7. 07

   Fuel Planning under EASA Part-NCO

   5 min

   Part-NCO minimum fuel (VFR aeroplane) · The canonical fuel categories · How to plan trip fuel · Worked example: 90 NM cross-country in a C152 · Fuel measurement · In-flight fuel monitoring · MINIMUM FUEL and MAYDAY FUEL · Useful pre-flight habit

8. 08

   Flight Planning Workflow

   5 min

   Step 1: Weather · Step 2: NOTAMs and airspace · Step 3: Route and chart work · Step 4: Plog (pilot's log) · Step 5: Mass, balance and performance · Step 6: ATC flight plan (if needed) · Step 7: Brief yourself and your passengers · Step 8: Final go / no-go · Step 9: Once airborne

How the exam works

Flight Performance & Planning is one of the nine PPL(A) theory exams. Each is a separate multiple-choice paper, sat at your school or at a test centre approved by your national aviation authority. This one has 12 questions in 45 minutes, and you need 75% to pass, which is 9 correct answers.

• You have four attempts at each subject before further training is required.
• You must pass all nine within 18 months of your first sitting, in no more than six sittings.
• Your passes then stay valid for 24 months, and your skill test must fall inside that window.

The Flight Performance & Planning mock exam in Pocket Pilot has the same question count, time limit and pass mark, drawn from a growing bank of practice questions.

Try three exam questions

From the Pocket Pilot Flight Performance & Planning question bank, each with the app's explanation and the source it cites.

1. 01 / 03

   Loading an aircraft with the CG aft of the aft limit results in:

   1. ALight controls and risk of unrecoverable spin
   2. BNo appreciable effect on performance
   3. CLower stall speed and improved climb
   4. DHigher stall speed and more stable controls
   Show the answerHide the answer

   Answer A. An aft-of-limit CG gives very light controls and may leave insufficient elevator authority to recover from a spin or stall. Often fatal.

   Source

   CS-23 / Aircraft POH

   Lesson

   Mass and Balance

2. 02 / 03

   Taking off at a high density altitude, the aircraft lifts off at:

   1. AA lower indicated airspeed than usual
   2. BThe same indicated airspeed as usual, but a higher true airspeed and groundspeed
   3. CA higher indicated airspeed than usual
   4. DThe same groundspeed as at sea level
   Show the answerHide the answer

   Answer B. Indicated airspeeds do not change with density: the aircraft rotates and stalls at the same IAS. But that IAS corresponds to a higher TAS and groundspeed in thin air, which combined with reduced power is why the ground roll grows so much at hot, high aerodromes.

   Source

   EASA Subject 032 (density altitude)

   Lesson

   Density Altitude & Performance

3. 03 / 03

   For VFR flight by day in an aeroplane under EASA Part-NCO, what is the minimum final fuel reserve required on arrival at the destination?

   1. A20 minutes at normal cruising consumption
   2. B45 minutes at normal cruising consumption
   3. C30 minutes at normal cruising consumption
   4. D60 minutes at normal cruising consumption
   Show the answerHide the answer

   Answer C. Part-NCO.OP.125 requires that VFR aeroplane flights by day carry sufficient fuel to fly to the aerodrome of intended landing and thereafter for at least 30 minutes at normal cruising altitude. Night VFR and IFR require 45 minutes.

   Source

   Part-NCO.OP.125

   Lesson

   Fuel Planning under EASA Part-NCO

The other eight exams

• Air Law→16 questions · 35 min
• Human Performance & Limitations→12 questions · 25 min
• Meteorology→16 questions · 50 min
• Communications→12 questions · 20 min
• Navigation→12 questions · 45 min
• Principles of Flight→12 questions · 35 min
• Operational Procedures→12 questions · 30 min
• Aircraft General Knowledge→16 questions · 35 min