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FAA Private Pilot Helicopter (PRH) practice questions

213 free questions with answers and explanations.

Practice test
  1. 1.A helicopter is flying at a constant indicated airspeed of 80 knots while climbing from 2,000 feet to 10,000 feet pressure altitude. As altitude increases, the true airspeed (TAS) will:Performance and Limitations
  2. 2.A 24-year-old private pilot's third-class medical certificate is issued on July 15, 2023. Under 14 CFR 61.23, what is the last date the pilot may exercise private pilot privileges based on this medical certificate?Regulations
  3. 3.A mechanic is explaining rotor hub components to a new owner. Which hinge allows a main rotor blade to rotate about its own spanwise (longitudinal) axis so that its pitch angle can be changed?Helicopter Aerodynamics and Systems
  4. 4.A helicopter's performance chart shows a hovering ceiling in ground effect (HIGE) of 10,000 feet density altitude but a hovering ceiling out of ground effect (HOGE) of only 6,000 feet density altitude for the same gross weight. This difference exists because:Helicopter Aerodynamics and Systems
  5. 5.A helicopter is hovering 3 feet above a hard-surfaced runway. An instructor points out that less power is required to maintain this low hover than would be required to hover 50 feet above the same surface at the same gross weight. What is the primary reason for this?Performance and Limitations
  6. 6.On an aeronautical chart, a line connecting points that all have the same amount of magnetic variation is called what, and the specific line where magnetic variation is zero is called what?Navigation and Airspace
  7. 7.A helicopter's hover ceiling out-of-ground-effect (OGE) is alwaysPerformance and Limitations
  8. 8.A helicopter pilot plans to land at an airport depicted on the sectional chart with a blue dashed circle around it, with no other visible restrictions. Before entering this airspace, what must the pilot do?Navigation and Airspace
  9. 9.On a moonless night, a helicopter pilot is flying toward a sloping layer of city lights on a hillside that resembles a level horizon. Without realizing it, the pilot banks the helicopter to align with the sloping lights, resulting in an actual left bank while feeling wings-level. Which illusion caused this situation?Human Factors
  10. 10.A pilot reviews the following TAF: 'TAF KABC 0912Z 0912/0918 21015KT 5SM HZ SCT025 BECMG 0914/0916 25020G30KT P6SM SKC'. According to this forecast, what conditions are expected to be established at KABC by 1600Z?Weather
  11. 11.During a night flight over dark, featureless terrain with no ground lights or stars visible, a pilot scanning for traffic finds it difficult to focus on anything in the distance. Unknown to the pilot, his eyes have relaxed to a near focus of only 10 to 30 feet, causing him to miss an approaching aircraft's lights until very late. Which condition explains this?Human Factors
  12. 12.A helicopter pilot plans to transition through Class B airspace surrounding a major airport. What must the pilot obtain from ATC before entering that airspace?Navigation and Airspace
  13. 13.A student pilot asks how moving the cyclic stick changes the pitch angle of each main rotor blade individually as the rotor turns. The flight instructor explains that this mechanical linkage between the stationary fuselage and the rotating rotor system is accomplished by the:Helicopter Aerodynamics and Systems
  14. 14.A helicopter pilot without an instrument rating requests a special VFR clearance at night to depart a Class D surface area under 14 CFR 91.157. Is this legal?Navigation and Airspace
  15. 15.Effective translational lift (ETL) begins when a helicopter transitions from a hover into forward flight and typically occurs at approximatelyPerformance and Limitations
  16. 16.During a ramp check, an FAA inspector asks a pilot to produce documents required to be aboard the helicopter under 14 CFR Part 91. Which of the following is NOT required to be carried aboard the aircraft?Regulations
  17. 17.During a rapid descent in a pressurized environment, a pilot experiences sharp ear pain and cannot equalize pressure in the middle ear through normal swallowing. What technique should the pilot use to relieve this discomfort?Human Factors
  18. 18.A helicopter has a main rotor diameter of 35 feet and a gross weight of 2,000 pounds. What is the main rotor disk loading (in pounds per square foot), and what does a higher disk loading generally indicate?Helicopter Aerodynamics and Systems
  19. 19.A private pilot with 250 hours total flight time works part-time for a helicopter dealership. The dealership asks the pilot to fly a prospective buyer on a sales demonstration flight and pays the pilot for the flight. According to 14 CFR 61.113(d), is this legal?Regulations
  20. 20.According to 14 CFR 91.205, which of the following instruments is NOT required to be installed for a VFR day flight in a helicopter?Regulations
  21. 21.As a main rotor blade flaps upward during flight, its center of mass moves closer to the axis of rotation, causing the blade to momentarily speed up in its plane of rotation. This tendency, and the hinge used to accommodate it, are best described as which of the following?Helicopter Aerodynamics and Systems
  22. 22.A helicopter pilot is planning a VFR flight in Class E airspace at 4,500 feet MSL, which is more than 1,200 feet AGL and below 10,000 feet MSL. What are the minimum flight visibility and cloud clearance requirements?Regulations
  23. 23.A pilot preparing for a 300-nautical-mile cross-country flight departing in 6 hours calls Flight Service and requests current conditions, en route and destination forecasts, winds aloft, NOTAMs, and any applicable AIRMETs/SIGMETs for the entire route. This type of weather briefing is called aWeather
  24. 24.A helicopter pilot is planning a flight over mountainous terrain where winds are forecast to blow perpendicular to a ridge line at 30 knots. What hazard should the pilot be most concerned about on the leeward (downwind) side of the ridge?Weather
  25. 25.A pilot is preparing to transport a bulky external sling load beneath the helicopter. Which statement best describes the primary aerodynamic/handling concern associated with carrying an external load?Helicopter Aerodynamics and Systems
  26. 26.A private pilot's most recent flight review was completed and logged on April 5, 2022. Per 14 CFR 61.56, what is the latest date the pilot may act as pilot in command without completing another flight review?Regulations
  27. 27.A private pilot's most recent three night full-stop landings were logged on September 15. The pilot wants to carry a passenger at night on December 20. Under 14 CFR 61.57, is the pilot current to carry the passenger?Regulations
  28. 28.A helicopter pilot has been in a prolonged, coordinated turn while inside a cloud layer for over a minute. The pilot no longer senses any turning, but the attitude indicator and altimeter show the aircraft is banked and losing altitude rapidly. Believing the helicopter is simply descending wings-level, the pilot pulls back on the cyclic without correcting the bank. What is happening, and what is the danger?Human Factors
  29. 29.A pilot notices that a fast-moving cold front is approaching the departure airport. Which set of weather changes should the pilot expect as the front passes?Weather
  30. 30.A helicopter pilot is inbound to land at a nontowered airport where a standard left-hand traffic pattern is established for airplanes, and no other pattern is specifically prescribed for helicopters. According to 14 CFR 91.126(b), how should the helicopter pilot operate?Regulations
  31. 31.A pilot reviewing preflight weather products notes an AIRMET Sierra has been issued for the route of flight. What hazard does this AIRMET specifically advise pilots about?Weather
  32. 32.A helicopter pilot is on final approach when the aircraft experiences a sudden increase in headwind followed almost immediately by a strong tailwind and a rapid loss of altitude. What weather phenomenon is most likely responsible for this encounter?Weather
  33. 33.A helicopter and a glider are converging at approximately the same altitude on a collision course, with neither aircraft on a straight-in approach to land. Under 14 CFR 91.113, which aircraft has the right of way?Regulations
  34. 34.While completing a preflight self-assessment using the IMSAFE checklist, a helicopter pilot realizes that a recent job loss and mounting bills have been weighing heavily on his mind for days. Which IMSAFE factor should this pilot specifically evaluate before flying?Human Factors
  35. 35.A pilot is flying at very low airspeed, just above effective translational lift, and needs to reduce airspeed slightly to maintain obstacle clearance. According to the power-required curve, operating in this 'region of reverse command' means that to slow down further while maintaining altitude, the pilot must:Helicopter Aerodynamics and Systems
  36. 36.A pilot consumed several alcoholic beverages at a party that ended at 2200. The pilot is scheduled to act as pilot in command of a helicopter flight departing at 0500 the next morning. Under 14 CFR 91.17, may the pilot legally act as PIC of this flight?Regulations
  37. 37.A helicopter is equipped with a governor system that automatically adjusts engine throttle to maintain rotor RPM as collective pitch changes. During a rapid collective increase, the pilot notices the governor briefly lags before RPM stabilizes at the correct value. What is the correlator/throttle system's primary function in this design?Helicopter Aerodynamics and Systems
  38. 38.A private pilot is flying a helicopter cross-country at 3,500 feet MSL on a magnetic course of 090°, operating under VFR in uncontrolled airspace. According to 14 CFR Part 91, what altitude restriction applies to the pilot?Navigation and Airspace
  39. 39.A pilot needs to measure the distance between two points on a sectional chart that has no printed distance scale nearby. What reliable method should the pilot use?Navigation and Airspace
  40. 40.On a sectional chart, an obstruction symbol is labeled '1,825' above the symbol and '(352)' beneath it in parentheses. What does the number in parentheses represent?Navigation and Airspace
  41. 41.A weather briefing indicates an occluded front along the route where a fast-moving cold front has overtaken a slower-moving warm front, forcing the warm air aloft. Which weather is typically associated with a cold-type occlusion?Weather
  42. 42.A pilot examining a sectional chart notices a Class E airspace area bordered by a magenta vignette (shaded, fading band). What does this indicate about the floor of Class E airspace in that area?Navigation and Airspace
  43. 43.A performance chart shows that a helicopter's maximum torque available decreases as pressure altitude and temperature increase. This chart is illustrating the effect ofPerformance and Limitations
  44. 44.A helicopter's approved lateral CG limit is ±2.0 inches from the centerline. The empty helicopter weighs 1,500 lb with a lateral arm of 0 inches. A 170-lb pilot occupies the left seat at a lateral arm of -12 inches, and 300 lb of fuel is carried on the right side at a lateral arm of +10 inches. What is the resulting lateral CG, and is the loading within limits?Helicopter Aerodynamics and Systems
  45. 45.A pilot is computing weight and balance for a flight. Empty weight is 1,500 lb with a moment of 150,000 lb-in. The pilot weighs 170 lb and sits at station 80. Fuel weighs 300 lb and is loaded at station 90. What is the helicopter's center of gravity (CG) location?Performance and Limitations
  46. 46.A pilot receives notice of a Convective SIGMET issued along the planned route of flight. What hazardous condition does this advisory specifically address?Weather
  47. 47.During a hovering takeoff, a helicopter's left skid becomes momentarily caught on uneven terrain, causing the aircraft to begin rolling about that skid contact point. If the roll angle exceeds the helicopter's critical rollover angle before the pilot can correct it, what will happen?Helicopter Aerodynamics and Systems
  48. 48.During a stressful cross-country flight, a pilot begins breathing rapidly and shallowly. Shortly after, the pilot reports tingling in the fingers, lightheadedness, and a feeling of suffocation. What is the most likely cause and appropriate corrective action?Human Factors
  49. 49.A main rotor system has two blades, each with a chord of 1.1 feet, mounted on a rotor with a 17.5-foot radius. Using the formula solidity ratio = (number of blades × blade chord) / (π × rotor radius), what is the approximate rotor solidity ratio?Helicopter Aerodynamics and Systems
  50. 50.A helicopter's main rotor blades exhibit a designed decrease in pitch angle from root to tip, known as blade twist. What is the primary aerodynamic purpose of this design feature?Helicopter Aerodynamics and Systems