FAA Private Pilot Helicopter (PRH)

A. False horizon

A false horizon illusion occurs when a pilot mistakes a sloping line of ground lights, a cloud bank, or a starlit horizon for the actual horizon, causing the aircraft to be banked or pitched incorrectly while the pilot believes the attitude is normal.

D. Establish two-way radio communication with the control tower before entering

A blue dashed line depicts Class D airspace, which surrounds an airport with an operating control tower. Two-way radio communication must be established with ATC before entering, even without receiving an explicit clearance.

B. Ground effect restricts downwash airflow, reducing induced drag and required power

Ground effect occurs when the rotor system is within about one rotor diameter of the surface. The downwash is restricted, which reduces induced drag and the induced airflow angle, allowing the rotor to generate the same lift with less power.

B. swashplate assembly, which tilts or rises/lowers to vary blade pitch cyclically and collectively

The swashplate consists of a stationary and a rotating ring connected by pitch links to the blade grips; tilting the swashplate produces cyclic pitch changes and moving it up/down produces collective pitch changes.

B. lower than its IGE hover ceiling

Ground effect reduces induced drag and increases rotor efficiency near the surface, allowing a higher hover ceiling IGE. Without ground effect, more power is required for the same performance, so the OGE hover ceiling is always lower.

C. Perform a Valsalva maneuver by gently pinching the nose and blowing while keeping the mouth closed

The Valsalva maneuver—gently pinching the nose and blowing against a closed mouth and nose—forces air up the Eustachian tube to equalize pressure between the middle ear and the environment, relieving the pain of a blocked ear during descent.

C. July 31, 2028

For a pilot under age 40 on the date of examination, a third-class medical certificate is valid for 60 calendar months and expires at the end of the month, 60 months after issuance. July 2023 + 60 months = July 2028, so it expires July 31, 2028.

D. Attitude indicator

14 CFR 91.205(b) lists required instruments for VFR day flight, which includes airspeed indicator, magnetic compass, and oil pressure gauge, among others, but does not require an attitude indicator; that is required only for instrument flight under 91.205(d).

B. Wind 250° at 20 knots gusting to 30 knots, visibility greater than 6 statute miles, sky clear

The BECMG (becoming) group '0914/0916' indicates a gradual change beginning at 1400Z and completing by 1600Z. By 1600Z the new conditions—wind 250° at 20 knots gusting 30, visibility greater than 6 statute miles (P6SM), and sky clear (SKC)—are established.

D. Empty-field myopia

Empty-field myopia occurs when there is nothing specific to focus on (dark, featureless sky or terrain), causing the eyes to default to a near resting focal distance of about 10-30 feet. This makes distant objects, like other aircraft, effectively out of focus and harder to detect.

C. An explicit ATC clearance to enter the Class B airspace

14 CFR 91.131 requires an explicit ATC clearance ('cleared into Class Bravo') before entering Class B airspace, in addition to meeting equipment and pilot certification requirements.

C. Yes, helicopter pilots may operate under special VFR at night without an instrument rating, unlike required for airplanes

14 CFR 91.157 requires airplane pilots to hold an instrument rating for special VFR at night, but this requirement does not apply to helicopters. A non-instrument-rated helicopter pilot may operate under special VFR clearance at night.

C. 16 to 24 knots

Effective translational lift occurs as the helicopter accelerates through approximately 16 to 24 knots, where the rotor system moves into relatively undisturbed air, increasing lift efficiency and reducing power required.

C. Pilot's personal logbook

The required onboard documents are commonly remembered by the acronym AROW: Airworthiness certificate, Registration certificate, Operating limitations, and Weight and balance data. A pilot's personal logbook is not required to be carried in the aircraft.

B. No, because less than 8 hours have elapsed between consuming alcohol and acting as a crewmember

14 CFR 91.17 prohibits acting as a crewmember within 8 hours after consuming alcohol. From 2200 to 0500 is only 7 hours, which is less than the required 8-hour interval, so the pilot may not legally act as PIC.

C. 2.08 lb/ft²; higher disk loading generally requires more power to hover and produces a higher rate of descent in autorotation

Disk area = π × r² = π × (17.5 ft)² = 3.1416 × 306.25 = 962.1 ft². Disk loading = gross weight ÷ disk area = 2,000 lb ÷ 962.1 ft² ≈ 2.08 lb/ft². Higher disk loading (heavier weight relative to disk area) requires more power to hover and results in a higher rate of descent during autorotation, since less rotor area is available to generate lift per pound of aircraft weight.

D. Yes, because a private pilot with at least 200 hours of logged flight time may act as PIC of an aircraft sales demonstration flight for compensation

14 CFR 61.113(d) allows a private pilot to act as PIC of an aircraft used in a sales demonstration flight if that pilot has logged at least 200 hours of flight time. Since this pilot has 250 hours, the flight is legal.

D. Weather similar to a cold front, with cumuliform clouds and showers

In a cold-type occlusion, the overtaking cold air is colder than the air ahead of the warm front, so it slides under both air masses, producing weather similar to a cold front—cumuliform clouds, showers, and possible thunderstorms. Occluded fronts generally bring a mix of both warm and cold front weather characteristics.

D. Coriolis effect, accommodated by the lead-lag (drag) hinge

The Coriolis effect describes the tendency of a rotor blade to accelerate or decelerate in the plane of rotation as its center of mass moves closer to or farther from the axis of rotation during flapping (conservation of angular momentum). Fully articulated rotor systems use a lead-lag (drag) hinge to allow the blade to move fore and aft in response to this effect.

D. 3 statute miles visibility; 500 feet below, 1,000 feet above, and 2,000 feet horizontal from clouds

Per 14 CFR 91.155, in Class E airspace more than 1,200 feet AGL but below 10,000 feet MSL, the basic VFR minimums are 3 statute miles visibility with cloud clearances of 500 feet below, 1,000 feet above, and 2,000 feet horizontal.

D. No, because more than 90 days have elapsed since the qualifying landings

To carry passengers at night, a pilot must have made 3 takeoffs and landings to a full stop at night within the preceding 90 days. From September 15 to December 20 is more than 90 days (roughly 96 days), so the pilot is not current.

C. Feathering hinge

The feathering hinge (or feathering axis in semirigid systems) permits the blade to twist about its own length so the pitch angle can be varied by collective and cyclic inputs.

D. Standard briefing

A Standard Briefing provides a complete weather and NOTAM picture of the route of flight and is the type requested when no prior briefing has been obtained. An Abbreviated Briefing updates a previous briefing, and an Outlook Briefing is used when departure is more than 6 hours away.

B. Mountain wave turbulence and strong downdrafts

Strong winds blowing perpendicular to a mountain ridge can create mountain wave turbulence on the leeward side, producing severe turbulence, strong downdrafts, and rotor clouds. This is a significant hazard for helicopters operating at lower altitudes near terrain.

B. The load can shift the center of gravity and, if it swings or oscillates, can induce pitch, roll, or yaw instability

A slung load changes the helicopter's effective CG and adds a pendulum effect below the aircraft; if the load begins to oscillate or swing, it can couple with the helicopter's own motion and cause dangerous pitch, roll, or yaw instability.