The aviation quiz
Fifteen questions, one from each of the app's 15 lesson groups. Every answer comes with a why. Score 80% or better and you're cleared.
Question 1 / 15
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LEG 01 · How Flight Works
If a wing flies twice as fast, about how much more lift can it make?
Why
Lift grows with the square of speed, so doubling the speed gives about four times the lift.
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LEG 02 · Anatomy of an Airplane
What do spoilers do right after an airliner touches down?
Why
Raised spoilers disrupt the airflow and cut the wing's lift, putting the airplane's weight on its wheels for better braking.
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LEG 03 · Engines & Propulsion
Why can't a jet engine work in space?
Why
Unlike a rocket, which carries its own oxygen, a jet engine takes oxygen from the surrounding air.
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LEG 04 · In the Cockpit
How is the digit 9 spoken on aviation radio?
Why
Aviation radio uses niner for nine, alongside tree for three and fife for five, so the digits are easy to tell apart.
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LEG 05 · Airports & Air Traffic Control
A runway's centerline points to 270 degrees magnetic. What is its runway number?
Why
Runway numbers are the magnetic direction divided by ten and rounded, so 270 degrees becomes Runway 27.
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LEG 06 · Navigation & Weather
Why is flying east often quicker than the same trip west?
Why
Flying with a jet stream gives an eastbound airplane a tailwind boost, shortening the trip compared with flying west.
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LEG 07 · Pioneers of Flight
How long did Orville Wright's first powered flight last?
Why
On December 17, 1903, Orville's first flight lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet.
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LEG 08 · Early Air Power
How many victories made a World War I pilot an ace?
Why
The term ace emerged in World War I for an aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft.
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LEG 09 · WWII in the Air
Which engine powered both the Spitfire and the Hurricane?
Why
Both fighters used the Rolls-Royce Merlin, which was later fitted to the P-51 Mustang as well.
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LEG 10 · The Jet Age
Near sea level, about how fast does sound travel?
Why
In standard sea-level conditions, sound travels at about 761 mph, or 1,100 feet per second.
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LEG 11 · Airliners & Airlines
What makes the A380 unique among jet airliners?
Why
The A380 is the only full-length double-deck jet airliner, and the largest passenger plane ever built.
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LEG 12 · Speed & Altitude Legends
What metal was the SR-71's airframe mostly made of?
Why
Above Mach 3 its skin reached about 600°F, so the airframe was built largely of titanium and its alloys.
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LEG 13 · Military Aviation
Why do most helicopters need a tail rotor?
Why
Turning the main rotor twists the body the opposite way, and the tail rotor's push cancels that torque.
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LEG 14 · Safety & Lessons Learned
What color are an airliner's “black boxes”?
Why
Their cases are bright orange or bright yellow, with reflective tape, so searchers can find them after an accident.
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LEG 15 · Modern & Future Flight
What does eVTOL stand for?
Why
An eVTOL is an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, which rises like a helicopter and cruises like an airplane.
Daily Departure
Five questions. Sixty seconds. Every day.
In the app, the Daily Departure serves the same 5 questions to everyone each day, drawn from all 275, with 60 seconds on the clock. Keep a streak, earn a boarding pass to share, and see how your friends land.