ATPL airframe, systems and power plant 021: practice questions and syllabus

What the syllabus covers

The topics of the EASA syllabus for this subject, with what each one lists.

1. 021 01System design, loads, stresses, maintenance

   design, loads and stresses, fatigue and corrosion, maintenance.

2. 021 02Airframe

   construction methods, materials, wings, tail and control surfaces, fuselage, landing gear, doors, floor, windscreen, structural limitations.

3. 021 03Hydraulics

   basic principles of hydromechanics, hydraulic systems.

4. 021 04Landing gear, wheels, tyres, brakes

   landing gear, nose-wheel steering, brakes, wheels, rims and tyres.

5. 021 05Flight controls

   primary and secondary flight controls, fly-by-wire.

6. 021 06Pneumatics, pressurisation and air conditioning

   bleed air, pressurisation and air conditioning of the aeroplane.

7. 021 07Anti-icing and de-icing

   types, operation, indications, ice detection.

8. 021 08Fuel system

   piston engine and turbine engine.

9. 021 09Electrics

   general and basic applications, batteries, generation, distribution, electric motors.

10. 021 10Piston engines

    fuel, pumps, carburettor and injection, cooling, lubrication, ignition, mixture, propellers, performance and engine handling.

11. 021 11Turbine engines

    basic principles, main components, additional components and systems, operation and monitoring, performance, auxiliary power unit (APU).

12. 021 12Protection and detection systems

    smoke detection, fire protection, rain protection.

13. 021 13Oxygen systems

    cockpit, portable and chemical oxygen.

Source: EASA, Easy Access Rules for Aircrew (AMC to Part-FCL)

The illustrated course

To understand before you answer: 14 chapters and 118 key points, 118 of them with a diagram or an illustration. The first chapter, « Structures, loads and certification », is free to read.

1. Structures, loads and certification
2. Flight controls
3. Hydraulic systems
4. Landing gear, brakes and tyres
5. Pneumatics, air conditioning and pressurisation
6. Ice and rain protection
7. Fuel system
8. Electricity: basics, direct current and batteries
9. Alternating current and aircraft electrical systems
10. Piston engine: cycle, lubrication and ignition
11. Fuel supply, mixture and supercharging
12. Propellers
13. Gas turbine engines and APU
14. Fire protection, oxygen and emergency equipment

ATPL airframe, systems and power plant course: contents and chapter 1

3 questions to practise

Taken from the site's English bank and checked one by one. Read the question, choose your answer, then open the explanation. Like every explanation on the site, they may contain errors.

1. Question 1 · 021 09 Electrics

   A circuit with a 6-ohm and a 12-ohm resistor in parallel, connected to a 24V supply, draws a total current of:

   • A8 A
   • B2 A
   • C6 A
   • D4 A
   Show the answer+

   Answer: C. 6 A

   The two resistors in parallel give 6 × 12 / (6 + 12) = 4 Ω, so the current is I = V / R = 24 / 4 = 6 A.

2. Question 2 · 021 10 Piston engines

   In a piston engine, the purpose of an altitude mixture control is to :

   • Acorrect for variations in the fuel/air ratio due to decreased air density at altitude.
   • Benrich the mixture strength due to decreased air density at altitude.
   • Cweaken the mixture strength because of reduced exhaust back pressure at altitude.
   • Dprevent a weak cut when the throttle is opened rapidly at altitude.
   Show the answer+

   Answer: A. correct for variations in the fuel/air ratio due to decreased air density at altitude.

   An altitude mixture control compensates the fuel/air ratio for the reduced air density at altitude, keeping the mixture correctly set.

3. Question 3 · 021 11 Turbine engines

   The primary reason for a limitation being imposed on the temperature of gas flow is to :

   • Aensure that the maximum acceptable temperature within the combustion chamber is not exceeded.
   • Bensure that the maximum acceptable temperature at the turbine blades is not exceeded.
   • Cprevent damage to the jet pipe from overheating.
   • Dprevent overheating and subsequent creep of the nozzle guide vanes.
   Show the answer+

   Answer: B. ensure that the maximum acceptable temperature at the turbine blades is not exceeded.

   Gas temperature limits mainly exist to keep turbine blade temperatures within their material's safe operating limit.

9 more free questions, no sign-up: Free ATPL 021 questions

How to approach this subject

Turbine engines and electrics are best learned with schematic diagrams: follow the air through the engine (compressor, combustion chamber, turbine, exhaust nozzle) and the current through the network (generation, distribution). Piston engines come back to the same points: detonation, mixture, carburettor heat.

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