More Tricky Interview Questions

[FurloughedAgain]

Here's a few more tricky interview questions for us to talk about. I'm interested in how some of you would answer the following.

#1. You have an engine failure while inside the final approach fix. You take care of the immediate-action items and the glideslope/localizer are right on. Will you go around? Why or why not?

#2. What is a vortex generator?

#3. You are flying with a very senior Captain and you are a fairly new F/O. You have a flap malfunction and have to make a no-flap landing. There is a checklist for this procedure but the Captain mumbles that he has been through this before, you're landing on a 10,000 foot runway, not to worry. No need to use the checklist. What will you do?

#4. What are indications that you are in a windshear in an aircraft without windshear detection equipment? During Takeoff? Approach?

#5. What are some factors which affect V1? Define V1? V2?

#6. How far would we avoid a thunderstorm around and above?

#7. What is an MSA, what area does it cover, and what terrain clearance does it provide? When would it be used?

#8. What charts tell you about the intensity of thunderstorms?

#9. What types of clouds produce rime ice? Clear ice? What type of water droplets produce clear ice?

#10. At FL290 you're cruising at .8 Mach. At FL390 you're also cruising at .8Mach. Which FL gives you the highest TAS? Why?

#11. You fly into a warm-air mass with constant mach of .80, what happens to TAS? Why?

 

[Sky-doggie]

Let's see...I'll give it my best shot... but don't laugh!!! I'm doing my best here! :0)


1) No should not go around single engine unless I have to. I should still be able to maintain Localizer/Glideslope all the way down to landing. A single engine go around should not be attempted unless neccessary.

2) There can be several types of vortex generators leading edge vortex generators or small finlike airfoil-like devices installed on the upper leading edge of an wing. The primary purpose is to reduce separation of airflow usually over the aileron sections of a wing so that there is more aileron controllability at slow speeds but they can be found anywhere on the wing.

3) Ask the captain to call for the "no flap landing checklist so I can complete the proper items" as well as calculate our landing distance to be sure we will have enough runway and wait for the captain's response if he continued to ignore me I would ask him to complete the items on the checklist. If he ignored me again I would complete the items on the check list so we can make a safe landing and talk to him afterwards. Tough one don't want to endanger the flight first of all but don't want to overstep my bounds!

4) I would say large variations in airspeeed for a given pitch attitude. as well as loss of climb/descent performance for a given pitch attitude and power setting requiring constant adjustment of power settings.

5) I would say takeoff weight, runway conditions, would be two big factors in determining V1. V1 = takeoff decision speed. Above V1 you go below V1 you can still abort safely under most conditions I think. V2 is takeoff safety speed where if you could accelerate to it you will have enough performance to clear at least a 35' obstacle at the end of the runway assuming you had an engine failure after V1 and continued the takeoff roll.

6) I would give a thunderstorm at least 20 miles of lateral separation whenever possible and maintain 1000' feet above the tops if possible for every 10 knots of wind at that altitude.

7) An MSA is the minimum safe altitude for an instrument approach or TAA for GPS approaches. it guarantees 1000 feet of obstacle clearance whether you are in mountainous or non-mountainous terrain within 25 NM of whatever it is dependent on. It is not the same as a minimum sector altitude which gives the same ground clearance but divides the sectors for clearance by radial/bearing.

8) Radar Summary charts give you the intensity of thunderstorms based on the countour lines depicted and height of tops above sea level. I believe VIP level 1-6 depicted in theree levels of topographic contours. There are also precipitaion indicators that tell you what kind of precip there are with the areas of thunderstorms. I believe they come out hourly.

9) Rime ice would be associated with cold cumulus and stratus type clouds where the ice crystals form in the already below freezing cloudes and then stick to your aircraft. Clear ice could be found in cumulonimbus, nimbosratus, clouds where the air is unstable and your aircraft surface is near freezing. The supercooled water droplets freeze after attaching to your aircraft forming a thick layer of clear ice that is hard to get rid of.

10) You would be at a higher TAS at FL 390. Cooler air up higher makes the speed of sound lower. The TAS at which Mach is acheived goes down with a decrease in temp.

11) TAS goes down in warmer air for a given mach number
The TAS at which you reach mach is higher higher with an increase in temp.


Ok did I get anything right. Please critique my answeres I'm prepping up for an interview next week....Thanks!!! Where are you furloughed from? Sorry to hear it hope you get called back soon! or find something else in the meantime!

Sky-dog

 

[banned username 2]

10) You would be at a higher TAS at FL 390. Cooler air up higher makes the speed of sound lower. The TAS at which Mach is acheived goes down with a decrease in temp.

11) TAS goes down in warmer air for a given mach number
The TAS at which you reach mach is higher higher with an increase in temp.

Wrong....

Higher temp equals higher TAS for a given Mach Number...

The Speed of Sound is 39 times the square root of the SAT in Kelvin...

So if the SAT is -40°C (233°K) 39 x sqrt of 233 = 595 kts. times 0.80 (Mach 0.80) = 476 KTAS

if SAT is -56°C (217°K) 39 x sqrt of 217 = 574.5 kts. times 0.80 (Mach 0.80) = 459.6 KTAS

So as temp goes down, TAS for a given Mach number (he stated steady 0.80M) goes down...

If you have the same SAT at 2 different altitudes and can maintain the same Mach Number at both altitudes, your TAS will be the same...

 

[Sky-doggie]

I pretty much was trying to say the same thing as you for 10 and 11 but perhaps stated it a little bit backwardly.

Thanks for the input. So no matter what your altitude the speed of sound only depends on Temp. Lower temp = lower TAS at mach 1.0 Higher temp = higher TAS at Mach 1.0 Got it~

Thanks
Sky-dog

 

[bobbysamd]

Good answers

I took the quiz and reacted with essentially the same answers without having cracked a book in years. So, I agree with all of the above.

I would qualify No. 1, though. In a light twin on a single-engine instrument approach, you are essentially in an emergency situation. You should have declared. You will land and not go around.

No. 3 is one of those subjective questions. At the beginning, before reciting everything that Sky-doggie suggested, I would say that safety is always Number 1. I might also say that I would speak audibly and clearly so the Captain is sure to hear me (and also to CYA on the cockpit voice recorder, followed-up by a NASA report).

 

[FurloughedAgain]

so far

Hmm...here's what I've come up with so far.

#1. You have an engine failure while inside the final approach fix. You take care of the immediate-action items and the glideslope/localizer are right on. Will you go around? Why or why not?

I'm not sure how to answer this one. Seems to me that in a turbojet powered aircraft where you know you have the performance to go somewhere, fly a vector, secure the engine, brief a single engine approach, notify the F/A's etc, then why take a chance? Would be pretty tough not to bump up ref a few knots and go for it. How would you guys answer this one?

#2. What is a vortex generator?

A vortex generators are normally found on an airfoil forward of a control surface. They are designed to direct high energy airflow into the boundery layer. They can delay airflow seperation at low-speed, high angles of attack and at high-speed when the seperation occurs as a result of a shockwave forming along the top of the airfoil.

#3. You are flying with a very senior Captain and you are a fairly new F/O. You have a flap malfunction and have to make a no-flap landing. There is a checklist for this procedure but the Captain mumbles that he has been through this before, you're landing on a 10,000 foot runway, not to worry. No need to use the checklist. What will you do?

"Geez Captain. I'm pretty new on the airplane and dont have nearly the experience you do. Would you mind running through the checklist real quick -- I feel like I'm behind the airplane a bit." If he continues his course of action then run through the checklist items on your own -- verbally if possible to ensure everything has been accomplished. Talk to the captain on the ground. Consider contacting professional standards.

# What are indications that you are in a windshear in an aircraft without windshear detection equipment? During Takeoff? Approach?

During Takeoff: 15 Knots Fluctuation, 500 FPM VSI Fluctuation, 5' Pitch Fluctuation.
During App/Ldg: 15 Knots Fluctuation, 500 FPM VSI Fluctuation, 5' Pitch Fluctuation, 1 Dot Displacement from G/S, Abnormal Power Settings Required

#5. What are some factors which affect V1?

I'm not sure

#6. How far would we avoid a thunderstorm around and above?

20 nautical miles around. 1000 feet above the top for each 10 knots windspeed at the cloud-top?

#7. What is an MSA, what area does it cover, and what terrain clearance does it provide? When would it be used?
Provides 1000 feet of obstruction clearance within the circle (or sector) within 25 nautical miles of the facility or fix.

#8. What charts tell you about the intensity of thunderstorms?

What are charts? What channel is the weather-channel in this hotel?

#9. What types of clouds produce rime ice? Clear ice? What type of water droplets produce clear ice?

<chime!> "Ice Detected" (I dont know this one either)

#10. At FL290 you're cruising at .8 Mach. At FL390 you're also cruising at .8Mach. Which FL gives you the highest TAS? Why?

wow...not a clue.

#11. You fly into a warm-air mass with constant mach of .80, what happens to TAS? Why?

No clue here either.

The runway is contaminated. What airspeed is affected?

Um...I assume V1 would be affected but I cant say for certain why. You guys want to take a shot at this one?

 

[banned username 2]

Re: so far

Hmm...here's what I've come up with so far.

[#5. What are some factors which affect V1?

I'm not sure

#9. What types of clouds produce rime ice? Clear ice? What type of water droplets produce clear ice?

<chime!> "Ice Detected" (I dont know this one either)

#10. At FL290 you're cruising at .8 Mach. At FL390 you're also cruising at .8Mach. Which FL gives you the highest TAS? Why?

wow...not a clue.

#11. You fly into a warm-air mass with constant mach of .80, what happens to TAS? Why?

No clue here either.

The runway is contaminated. What airspeed is affected?

Um...I assume V1 would be affected but I cant say for certain why. You guys want to take a shot at this one?

Furloughed Again....

PLEASE do not take this the wrong way, but looking at your profile, the aircraft you have flown (B-737, DC-9), Ratings (Boeing & Douglas) and your number of hours... I am rather surprised you don't know the answers to these questions...

But on the brighter side, I am glad to see you asking so you can learn... and that says a lot about you! Everyone should get the answers to questions they might have!

Again... please don't take my comment as a flame, it certainly is not meant to be one. I'm just surprised these items were never covered in your training...

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Memory Fading

Perhaps I was taking it a bit lightly. I do have a vague memory of some of these questions, but havent been able to find a reference to validate my responses.

For example:

#5. What are some factors which affect V1?

Are they looking for: The speed must be greater than VMCG, less than or equal to Vr, fast enough to achieve 35 feet above the end of the runway in the event of an engine failure, slow enough to allow the aircraft to stop on the remaining runway?

or Are they looking for: Weight, runway conditions, environmental considerations (temp), reduced thrust.

#9. What types of clouds produce rime ice? Clear ice? What type of water droplets produce clear ice?

I believe low-level stratus yields rime ice while cumulus tends to produce clear ice -- but I wouldnt bet my life on it. Also large, supercooled water droplets produce clear ice ... right?

#10. At FL290 you're cruising at .8 Mach. At FL390 you're also cruising at .8Mach. Which FL gives you the highest TAS? Why?

I know that at a constant altitude a higher temperature yields a higher true airspeed with a constant mach number...so I can assume that FL290 would give you a higher TAS at .8mach than FL390. I remember that we would have to slow as we descend to keep the "clacker" off so I know thats true -- but the logic behind it is a bit fuzzy for me.

#12 The runway is contaminated. What airspeed is affected?

Um...I assume V1 would be affected but I cant say for certain why. You guys want to take a shot at this one?

Surely you dont remember every detail that you have been taught during your long career?

As you can see I do have a pretty good idea what the answers are, but it is just not clear enough that I can put my foot down and answer with confidence -- which is why I figured we could talk about it here. I apologize for taking it too lightly in my first response.

Any input you might have would certainly be appreciated.

 

[banned username 2]

Again... I didn't mean it as a slam in any way... and of course I don't remember everything in my career (If I went out and tried to teach VFR stuff I'd certainly have to hit the books) But I feel I am pretty up on all the things that appply to the flying I am doing now and have done in the last 7-8 years...

I guess the Mach things are what surprised me... In a B-737 or DC-9 you'd be dealing with those things everytime you fly... But then again, if it was older equipment you probably didn't have a TAS indication so really couldn't sit and watch how TAS vs. Mach vs. temp all played into effect... Having the TAS indication makes it real easy to see the relationship between the factors....

Again, I in no way meant it as a flame... I was just curious if in your training this was never covered. Again, it says a lot about you to come out and ask... We are all continuously learning (or at least should be)...

Hope I cleared that up....

 

[KingAirer]

For the question about MSA, no one has said that it is used in emergency situations. Other than that im fine with everything, you guys have done alot better then i could have!