The Joint Aviation Authority requires that all multi-engine turbine-powered aircraft with a maximum take-off weight in excess of 5700 kg and with seating for more than nine passengers shall be equipped with a cockpit voice
recorder. The voice recorder must be capable of retaining recorded infor- mation over the period of the last 2 hours of operation and the parameters recorded must be as follows:
. All radio voice communications received or transmitted from the flight deck.
. All sounds within the flight deck environment, including audio signals received by each boom and mask microphone in use.
. Voice communications between flight crew members on the interphone systems.
. All voice or audio signals identifying navigation or approach aids, as received on crew headphones or speakers.
. All announcements made by the flight crew on the public address system. For aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of less than 5700 kg the recording time may be limited to 30 minutes.
The cockpit voice recorder must automatically begin recording before the aircraft first moves under its own power and continue until it is no longer capable of moving under its own power. In practical terms, this is usually from first engine start to last engine shut-down.
The voice recorder container must be easy to locate in a crash situation by painting it a distinctive orange or yellow colour with reflective material attached. It must also include an automatically activated underwater detection device and it must be resistant to shock, heat and fire.
The recorder must be installed in a location where its recordings are least likely to suffer damage. The site chosen is usually as far aft as practicable, typically close to the rear pressure bulkhead. It must receive its electrical power from a bus bar that can be relied upon to continue providing power under all circumstances and that is separate from the aircraft's essential and emergency services. cockpit voice recorder area microphone captain's audio public address microphone first officer's audio observer's audio
Figure 6.14 shows a block diagram of a cockpit voice recorder system for a large passenger transport aircraft.
There must be a means of preflight checking the cockpit voice recorder for serviceability. An aircraft may only be despatched with an unserviceable recorder provided that the means of repairing it are not available and that the aircraft does not complete more than eight subsequent consecutive flights with the device unserviceable.
Sample questions
1. The type of fly-by-wire system that converts pilot demands into rate of pitch or roll is known as:
a. An active control system? b. A passive control system? c. A rate control system? d. An integral control system?
2. A yaw damping system is necessary in aircraft:
a. To control the rate of yaw following a pilot rudder input? b. That are susceptible to Dutch roll?
c. That are susceptible to phugoidal flight? d. That do not have swept wings?
3. An automatic stabiliser trim system:
a. Adjusts the position of the elevators to align with the horizontal stabiliser?
b. Adjusts a trim tab on the elevators to reduce elevator deflection? c. Adjusts the position of the horizontal stabiliser to centralise the
elevators?
d. Can only be engaged after the autopilot system has been engaged? 4. The altitude alert system will provide:
a. An aural and visual alert that commences when the aircraft is within 900 ft of the selected altitude and continues until it is within 300 ft of the selected altitude?
b. An aural and visual alert that commences when the aircraft is within 900 ft of the selected altitude and repeats when it is within 300 ft of the selected altitude?
c. An aural alert that sounds for 2 seconds when the aircraft is within 900 ft of the selected altitude and a visual alert that remains illumi- nated until the aircraft is within 300 ft of the selected altitude?
d. An aural alert that sounds for 2 seconds when the aircraft is within 600 ft of the selected altitude and a visual alert that remains illumi- nated until the aircraft is within 300 ft of the selected altitude? 5. Radio altimeters operate in the . . . band with a frequency range
of . . . .:
a. UHF 4200 MHz±4400 MHz?
b. SHF 1600 MHz±1700 MHz?
c. UHF 4200 MHz±4400 MHz?
d. SHF 4200 MHz±4400 MHz?
6. The sweep rate of a radio altimeter is, typically:
a. High, to avoid interference with other aircraft transmissions? b. Low, to avoid height ambiguity?
c. Low, because the transmitter and receiver are not co-located? d. Variable, to make each aircraft's transmitted signals unique? 7. The accuracy of a radio altimeter is given as:
a. +1 ft or +5% of the indicated height, whichever is the lesser? b. +3 ft or +5% of the indicated height, whichever is the greater? c. +1 ft or +3% of the indicated height, whichever is the greater? d. +5 ft or +3% of the indicated height, whichever is the lesser? 8. A basic GPWS requires inputs from (answer a, b, c or d):
1. Radio altimeter
2. Central air data computer 3. ILS glidepath receiver 4. Approach configuration 5. Navigation computer 6. Flight management system a. 1, 2, 3, 4 only?
b. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 only? c. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6? d. 1, 2, 3 only?
9. GPWS mode 1 gives warning of: a. Excessive descent rate? b. Excessive terrain closure rate?
c. Altitude loss after take-off or go-around? d. Unsafe terrain clearance?
10. The GPWS mode that gives warning of altitude loss after take-off or go- around is active between:
a. 50 ft agl and 1800 ft agl? b. 50 ft agl and 700 ft agl? c. 50 ft agl and 2450 ft agl? d. 50 ft agl and 500 ft agl? 11. GPWS mode 5 is inhibited when:
a. Mode 1 is active?
b. The aircraft is below the glideslope? c. Mode 3 is active?
d. Flaps and landing gear are deployed?
12. A fundamental difference between advanced GPWS and basic GPWS is that the former:
a. Has only five operating modes? b. Gives alerts, rather than warnings?
c. Operates from a greater height above ground level? d. Identifies the warning mode with an alert message?
13. The colour display generated by the enhanced GPWS shows terrain that is below the aircraft's projected flight path:
a. In shaded yellow? b. In solid yellow? c. In shaded red? d. In green?
14. EGPWS mode 7 gives warning of:
a. Windshear, below a radio altitude of 1500 ft? b. `Minimums', below a radio altitude of 1000 ft? c. Terrain that is well above the projected flight path? d. Clear air turbulence?
15. TCAS II transponders transmit an interrogating signal on a frequency of . . . and respond on a frequency of . . . .:
a. 1090 MHz 1030 MHz?
b. 4200 MHz 4400 MHz?
c. 1030 MHz 1090 MHz?
16. A TCAS II message that relates to a possible confliction and requires avoiding action is known as a:
a. Traffic advisory? b. Resolution advisory? c. Manoeuvring advisory? a. Vertical speed advisory?
17. A TCAS II symbol depicting a solid yellow circle indicates: a. No threat?
b. Proximate traffic? c. Traffic advisory? d. Resolution advisory?
18. The minimum altitude at which the TCAS II system will issue a traffic advisory is:
a. 400 ft? b. 500 ft? c. 1000 ft? d. 1800 ft?
19. The aural warning usually associated with the overspeed warning is: a. A chime alert?
b. A gong?
c. A warbling tone? d. A clacker?
20. A stall warning system is set to operate an alarm: a. At a speed just below stalling speed?
b. At an angle of attack just below stalling angle? c. At a speed just above stalling speed?
d. At an angle of attack just above stalling angle?
21. The minimum retained data period required by JAR-OPS for a flight data recorder installed in an aircraft with a take-off weight in excess of 5700 kg and seating for more than 9 passengers is:
a. 25 hours? b. 30 minutes? c. 10 hours? d. 30 hours?
22. The minimum number of parameters required to be covered by a Type I FDR is: a. 25? b. 32? c. 15? d. 10?
23. A cockpit voice recorder must automatically begin and cease operating: a. At take-off and touchdown?
b. During voice transmissions by the flight crew?
c. Before the aircraft first moves under its own power and after it is no longer capable of moving under its own power?