Cessna 172N Aeromedical Factors — PPL Oral Exam Questions

DPE oral questions · aeromedical factors

13 questions a DPE may ask in this section

1. Question 1 · PA.I.H.K1

   What is hypoxia and at what altitude does it typically become a concern?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Hypoxia = insufficient oxygen reaching tissues
   • Types: histotoxic (alcohol/drugs), hypemic (carbon monoxide/anemia), stagnant (poor circulation), hypoxic (altitude)
   • Symptoms: euphoria, impaired judgment, tingling, cyanosis, unconsciousness
   • Insidious: pilot often doesn't recognize own impairment
   • FAR 91.211: supplemental oxygen required above 12,500 MSL for crew for more than 30 min; required above 14,000 for all flight time; required above 15,000 for passengers
   • Night vision impaired above ~5,000 feet MSL

   Source14 CFR 91.211; PHAK FAA-H-8083-25C Chapter 17

2. Question 2 · PA.I.H.K1

   What is spatial disorientation, and how should a pilot handle it?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Spatial disorientation: pilot's senses (especially vestibular) conflict with the actual aircraft attitude
   • Caused by: leans, graveyard spiral, coriolis illusion, somatogravic illusion
   • NOT visible outside cues — occurs in IMC, at night, or over featureless terrain
   • Corrective action: trust instruments, not feelings — correct toward what instruments show
   • Training action: transition to instrument flying or break out of IMC immediately

   SourcePHAK FAA-H-8083-25C Chapter 17; AFH

3. Question 3 · PA.I.H.K1

   What does IM SAFE stand for and how should it be used?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • IM SAFE checklist for personal fitness to fly:
   • I — Illness
   • M — Medication
   • S — Stress
   • A — Alcohol
   • F — Fatigue
   • E — Emotion (or Eating)

   SourcePHAK FAA-H-8083-25C Chapter 17

4. Question 4 · PA.I.H.K2

   What is CFIT and how can it be prevented?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • CFIT = Controlled Flight Into Terrain
   • Aircraft is fully functional but crew flies it into terrain, water, or obstacle
   • Prevention: terrain awareness, review MOAs and high terrain on sectional, use terrain-depiction features on GPS
   • Occurs most often at night, in IMC, or in unfamiliar areas
   • TAWS/GPWS (terrain awareness and warning systems) provide alerts

   SourcePHAK FAA-H-8083-25C Chapter 17; RMH FAA-H-8083-2A

5. Question 5 · PA.I.H.K1

   You're cruising at 8,500 feet MSL over flat terrain. Your passenger, seated to your right, has been quiet for the last 30 minutes. You glance over and notice they appear pale, are sitting very still, and you can see a faint sheen of sweat on their forehead. They look a little queasy. What do you suspect and what do you do?

   SourcePHAK FAA-H-8083-25C Chapter 17

6. Question 6 · PA.I.H

   You stayed up late studying and had coffee but still feel 'off.' Are you fit to fly?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • IMSAFE — Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Emotion
   • If any compromised, should not act as PIC

   SourcePHAK Chapter 2; ACS Task I.H

7. Question 7 · PA.I.H

   We are at 11,500 feet and I notice your fingernails are turning blue. What is this a symptom of?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Hypoxia (Hypoxic Hypoxia) — lack of oxygen
   • Blue fingers/lips = cyanosis

   SourcePHAK Chapter 17; ACS Task I.H

8. Question 8 · PA.I.H

   We are flying at night through light haze. Why might I ask you to turn off the strobe lights?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Reflected strobe/anti-collision light in clouds/fog/haze can cause spatial disorientation or flicker vertigo effect

   SourceAIM 2-1-10; POH Section 10

9. Question 9 · PA.I.H

   Flying through light haze at night and I'm starting to feel dizzy. Why turn off the strobe lights?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Reflected strobe/anti-collision light in clouds/fog/haze can produce vertigo and loss of orientation — flicker vertigo effect

   SourceAIM; POH Section 10

10. Question 10 · PA.I.H

    At 11,500 feet, passenger's fingernails are turning blue and they're acting confused. What is it and what do you do?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Hypoxia — descend immediately to lower altitude where partial pressure of oxygen is higher

    SourceRMH Chapter 3; ACS Task IX.C

11. Question 11 · PA.I.H

    You're landing at a private airpark with a runway half the width of home base. How does this affect visual perception?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Narrower runway creates illusion aircraft is higher than actual
    • Pilot tendency: fly lower-than-actual approach, increasing risk of striking obstacles or landing short

    SourcePHAK Chapter 17; ACS Task I.H

12. Question 12 · PA.I.H

    We're approaching a runway with significant uphill slope. What will you likely see and how will you likely react?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Upsloping runway creates illusion aircraft is too high
    • Natural tendency: reduce power and pitch down — leads to dangerously low approach or hard landing short of threshold

    SourcePHAK Chapter 17; ACS Task I.H

13. Question 13 · PA.I.H

    You fly into an unlit black hole area and lose your sense of which way is up. Immediate action?

    What a DPE expects to hear

    • Trust your flight instruments (AI, TC, altimeter) over your physical gut feelings
    • Level wings and maintain altitude using instruments only

    SourcePHAK Chapter 17; ACS Task VIII.E