Written Test Question from FIA

[innovator152]

If the airspeed increases and decreases during longitudinal phugoid oscillations, the aircraft

B - is maintaining a nearly constant angle of attack.


just wondering if anyone here could help explain why that is the way it is, thanks.

 

[zulu99]

What were the other two answer choices? Sometimes the FAA doesn't give the exact right answer as a choice but something close, or the "best choice". I think it may be one of those scenarios because the answer you posted says the aircraft "is maintaining a nearly constant angle of attack." The deal with Phugoid Oscillations is it's a really slow interchange of velocity and height about some equilibrium energy level as the aircraft attempts to re-establish the equilibrium level-flight condition from which it had been disturbed.

I think that there is in fact a change in AOA but because it is so slow the inertia forces and damping forces are very low and not perceived by the pilot.

opcorn:

 

[The Gardener]

I passed that test!?!?!?

Well done to me!

Seriously though, where does this stuff come from?