How would you answer this?

B

Brian Z

Well-Known Member
This was an actual question on a CFI ride and failure to answer this correctly is one of the reasons the applicant busted the ride;

What two things do you need to make an aircraft airworthy?

Airworthiness encompasses so much how can it be narrowed down to just two items? I am close to my CFI ride so it bothers me I cannot come up with what I feel is a good answer. The only two things I can narrow it down to is compliance with all required maintenance and the original airworthiness certificate.
 
Brian Z said:
I am close to my CFI ride so it bothers me I cannot come up with what I feel is a good answer.
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I doubt the candidate failed for providing the two "correct" answers. Either there were other issues or he self-destructed. As a CFI, take control of the question and turn it into one you know how to answer.

And you might take the opportunity to review with the Examiner the Aviation Instructor's Handbook:
Types of Questions To Avoid

Effective quizzing does not ever include yes/no questions such as “Do you understand?” or “Do you have any questions?” Instructors should also avoid the following types of questions:
• Puzzle—“What is the first action you should take if a conventional gear airplane with a weak right brake is swerving left in a right crosswind during a full flap, power-on wheel landing?”
• Oversize—“What do you do before beginning an engine overhaul?”
• Toss-up—“In an emergency, should you squawk 7700 or pick a landing spot?”
• Bewilderment—“In reading the altimeter—you know you set a sensitive altimeter for the nearest station pressure—if you take temperature into account, as when flying from a cold air mass through a warm front, what precaution should you take when in a mountainous area?”
• Trick questions—these questions cause the students to develop the feeling that they are engaged in a battle of wits with the instructor, and the whole significance of the subject of the instruction involved is lost. An example of a trick question would be one in which the response options are 1, 2, 3, and 4, but they are placed in the following form.
A. 4
B. 3
C. 2
D. 1
• Irrelevant questions—diversions that introduce only unrelated facts and thoughts and slow the student’s progress. Questions unrelated to the test topics are not helpful in evaluating the student’s knowledge of the subject at hand. An example of an irrelevant question would be to ask a question about tire inflation during a test on the timing of magnetos.
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I love your sig! Great show.
Gunny: So, what's the range of effective fire on this thing?
Captain: Gunny, every time I fire it's effective.

That show cracks me up. :rotfl:
 
Money and time.

Given enough of both, you can make just about any aircraft airworthy. Without enough of either one, no aircraft will be airworthy. Then I'd tell the examiner to lick my starfish and I'm discontinuing the exam because "I feel ill".

-mini
 
Pilot Hopeful said:
14 CFR 3.5
Airworthy means the aircraft
(1) conforms to its type design and
(2) is in a condition for safe operation.
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I think that's the right track...

I would have answered "legally airworthy" (complies with all type certificates, inspections, ADs, etc) and "mechanically airworthy" (all the parts are working right NOW).
 
That is really a horrible question to ask.
Like the time i heard a commercial applicant being asked, "What is in the wings?"
Time was the answer.

--------

Old Dominion Flyer said:
I love your sig! Great show.
Gunny: So, what's the range of effective fire on this thing?
Captain: Gunny, every time I fire it's effective.

That show cracks me up. :rotfl:
Click to expand...

One friday night I sat down with an awesome deli-sandwich to watch his show. I'm in the process of taking the first bite, a huge bite.
Gunny yells: "GET THAT SANDWICH OUT OF YOUR PIE-HOLE, WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK."

I backed the sandwich out of my pie-hole and looked around the room, then proceeded to laugh hysterically.
 
Douglas said:
One friday night I sat down with an awesome deli-sandwich to watch his show. I'm in the process of taking the first bite, a huge bite.
Gunny yells: "GET THAT SANDWICH OUT OF YOUR PIE-HOLE, WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK."

I backed the sandwich out of my pie-hole and looked around the room, then proceeded to laugh hysterically.
Click to expand...
You should have put that on "My Life Is Average".
 
The answer he was looking for was...100 hour and annual inspections. Stupid question as there was not even talk about an aircraft for hire. The question could be worded much better.
 
Brian Z said:
The answer he was looking for was...100 hour and annual inspections. Stupid question as there was not even talk about an aircraft for hire. The question could be worded much better.
Click to expand...

Jeez so the applicant gets a bust for not being able to read the examiners mind. What a crock.
 
Brian Z said:
The answer he was looking for was...100 hour and annual inspections. Stupid question as there was not even talk about an aircraft for hire. The question could be worded much better.
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So...nothing about an airworthiness certificate, required equipment and documents, etc.?

Some check guys.... :banghead:
 
Brian Z said:
The answer he was looking for was...100 hour and annual inspections. Stupid question as there was not even talk about an aircraft for hire. The question could be worded much better.
Click to expand...
"Time and Money". You can't have any inspections without both.

-mini
 
Brian Z said:
The answer he was looking for was...100 hour and annual inspections. Stupid question as there was not even talk about an aircraft for hire. The question could be worded much better.
Click to expand...
Wow, he asked a terrible question and had the wrong answer. Nothing about ADs?
 
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