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CPL DGCA Theory Examination Relevant for these courses

Syllabus - Technical General Commercial Pilot License

(Aeroplane)
Commercial Course

1. Aircraft and Engines

1.1 Airframe and Systems

- Fuselage - types of construction - stress
- Wings - types of construction - structural components - stress
- Stabilizing surfaces - vertical, horizontal and V-tail surfaces - ‘flutter’ - compensation
system - mach trim
- Landing Gear - types - locking devices and emergency extension systems - accidental
retraction prevention devices - position, movement lights and indicators - nose wheel
steering - wheels and tyres (limitations) - braking systems - parking brake - mode of
operation of anti-skid system - mode of system of auto brake system - operation,
indications and warning systems
- Flight Controls - Primary controls: - elevator, aileron and rudder - trim - mode of
actuation (mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, fly-by wire) - operation, indicators, warning
devices and controls) - efforts to transmit
  - Secondary controls: - leading and trailing edge lift augmentation devices - lift
dumping and speed brakes - variable elevator - mode of actuation (mechanical,
hydraulic, electrical, fly-by wire) - operation, indicators, warning devices and controls) -
danger situations and potential failures
- Hydraulics - Basic principles of hydromechanics - hydraulic fluids - schematic
construction and functioning of hydraulic systems
- Hydraulic system - main, standby and emergency system - operation, indicators,
warning system - ancillary system 
- Pneumatic system - power sources - schematic construction - potential failures,
warning devices - operation, indicators, warning systems - pneumatic operated systems
- Air-conditioning systems - construction, functioning, operation, indicators and warning
devices - heating and cooling - temperature regulation - automatic and manual - ram air
ventilation - schematic construction
- Anti-ice systems - aerofoil and control surfaces, power plant, air intakes, windshield -
schematic construction, operating limitations and initiation, timing of de-icing system
usage - ice warning system
- Pressurization - cabin altitude, maximum cabin altitude, differential pressure -
pressurized zones in the aircraft - safety devices and warning systems - rapid
decompression, cabin altitude warning - emergency procedures
- Non-pneumatic operated de-ice and anti-ice systems - schematic construction,
functioning and operation of: - air intake - propeller-pitot, static pressure sensor and
stall warning devices - windshield - rain repellent system
  - Fuel system - Fuel tanks - structural components and types - location of tanks on
single-and-multi-engine aircraft - sequence and types of re-fuelling - unusable fuel  -
Fuel feed - gravity and pressure feed - cross feed  - Fuel system monitoring - operating,
indicators, warning systems - fuel management (sequencing of fuel tank switching) - dip
stick

1.2 Electrics

a) Director Current (DC); Direct /Alternating Current (DC/AC) - General - electric circuits
- voltage, current, resistance - Ohm’s law - resistive circuits - resistance as a function of
temperature - electrical power, electrical work - fuses (function, type and operation) -
the electrical field - the capacitor (function) system, shock absorbers)
- Batteries - types, characteristics - capacity - uses - hazards
- Magnetism - permanent magnetism - electromagnetism: - relay, circuit breaker,
solenoid valve (principle, function and applications) - electromagnetic power -
electromagnetic induction
- Generators - alternator: - principle, function and applications - monitoring devices -
regulation, control and protection - modes of excitation - starter generator
- Generators - alternator: - principle, function and applications - monitoring devices -
regulation, control and protection - modes of excitation - starter generator
- Distribution - current distribution (buses) - monitoring of electrical flight
instruments/systems: - ammeter, voltmeter - annunciators - electrical consumers - DC
power distribution: - construction, operation and system monitoring - elementary
switching circuits - Inverter - The aircraft structure as an electrical conductor

b) Alternating Current (AC)

- General - single and multi-phase AC - frequency - phase shift  - AC components
- Generators - 3-phase generator - brushless generator - generator drive: - constant
speed drive - integrated drive
- AC power distribution - operation and monitoring - protection circuits, paralleling of
Ac-generators
- Transformers - function - types and applications
- Transformer/rectifier units

c) Basic knowledge of computers - Logic circuits - Logical symbols - Switching circuits

and logical symbols

1.3 Power Plant 

a) Piston engine 

General - design type - Principle of the 4-stroke internal combustion engine -

Mechanical component 
Lubrication system - function - schematic construction - monitoring instruments and
indicators - lubricants 
Air cooling - system monitoring - cylinder head temperature - cowl flaps
 Ignition - schematic construction and function - types of ignition - magneto check 
  Engine fuel supply - carburetor (construction and mode of operation, carburetor
icing) - fuel injection (construction and mode of operation) - alternate air 
  Engine performance - pressure / density altitude - performance as a function of
pressure and temperature 
  Power augmentation devices - turbocharger, supercharger (construction and effect
on engine performance) 
  Fuel - types, grades - detonation characteristics, octane rating - colour coding -
additives - water content, ice formation - fuel density - alternate fuels, differences in
specifications, limitations 
 Mixture - rich and lean mixture - maximum power and fuel economy mixture setting 
  Propeller - fixed pitch and constant speed propeller - principles and operation of
propellers on single and multi-engine aircraft - propeller check - propeller efficiency
as a function of airspeed - aircraft and engine protection (propeller operation: ground/
air, coarse/fine pitch limitations) 
 Engine handling and manipulation - power setting, power range - mixture setting  -
operational limitations 
 Operational criteria - maximum and minimum RPM - (induced) engine vibration and
critical RPM - remedial action by abnormal engine start run-up and inflight 
b) Turbine engine 
- principles of operation - types of construction - turboprop - turbojet - turbofan 

c) Engine construction  
- Air inlet - function 
- Compressor - function - construction and mode of operation - effects of damage -
compressor stall and surge (cause and avoidance) 
- Diffuser - function 
- Combustion chamber - function, types and working principles - mixing ratios - fuel
injectors - thermal load 
- Turbine - function, construction and working principles - thermal and mechanical
stress - effects of damage - monitoring of exhaust gas temperature 
- Jet pipe - function - different types - noise silencing devices
 - Pressure, temperature and airflow in a turbine engine 
- Reverse thrust - function, types and principles of operation - degree of efficiency - use
and monitoring 
- Performance and thrust augmentation - water injection, principles of operation - use
and system monitoring 
- Bleed air - effect of use of bleed air on thrust, exhaust temperature, RPM and pressure
ratio 
- Auxiliary gearbox - function  

 d) Engine systems 

- Ignition - function, types, components, operation, safety aspects 

- Starter - function, type, construction and mode of operation - control and monitoring -
self sustaining and idle speeds 
- Engine start malfunctions - cause and avoidance 
- Fuel system - schematic diagrams, components - operation and monitoring -
malfunctions 
- Lubrication - components - operation and monitoring - malfunctions 
- Fuel - effects of temperature - impurities - additives 
  - Thrust - thrust formula - flat rated engine - thrust as a function of airspeed, air
density, pressure, temperature and RPM - power plant operation and monitoring

e) Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)

- General - function, types - location - operation and monitoring
- Ram air turbine - function

1.4 Emergency Equipment

a) Doors and emergency exits - evacuation slides, general usage or as life rafts or
flotation devices
b) Smoke detection - location, indicators, function test
c) Fire detection - location, warning mode, function test
d) Fire fighting equipment - location, operation, contents, gauge, function test
e) Aircraft oxygen equipment - drill, use of equipment in case of rapid decompression -
oxygen generators
f) Hydraulic systems - components, fluids - operation, indication, warning systems -
auxiliary systems
g) Emergency equipment - portable, hand-held fire extinguisher - smoke mask, smoke
protection hood] - portable oxygen system - emergency locator beacon, transmitter -
life jacket, life raft - pocket lamp, emergency lighting - megaphone - cash axe - fireproof
gloves - emergency flotation system

2. Principles of Flight

2.1 Subsonic Aerodynamics

a) Basics Laws and Definitions

- Laws and definitions - units - laws of Newton - ideal gas equation - equation of
impulse - equation of continuity - Bernoulli’s theorem - static pressure - dynamic
pressure - viscosity - density - IAS, CAS, EAS, TAS
- Basics about airflow - stationary airflow - not stationary airflow - streamline - stream
tube - two-dimensional airflow - three-dimensional airflow
- Aerodynamic forces on surfaces - resulting air force - lift - drag - angle of attack -
forces and equilibrium of forces during climb, level, descent and turn
- Shape of an aerofoil - thickness of chord ratio - chordline - camberline  - nose radius -
camber - angle of attack - angle of incidence
 - The wing shape - aspect ratio - root chord - tip chord - tapered wings - shape of wing
surface - mean aerodynamic chord (MAC)

b) The two-dimensional airflow about an aerofoil - streamline pattern - stagnation point

- pressure distribution - centre of pressure - lift and downwash - drag and wake (loss of
impulse) - influence of angle of attack - flow separation at high angles of attack - the
lift-graph

c) The coefficients
- The lift coefficient C - the lift formula - CL – α graph - CLmax and α - normal values of
CLmax, αcrit, stall, and the slope of the CL / A.o.A curve
- The drag coefficient CD - the drag formulas: - zero lift drag - lift induced drag - CD – α
graph - CL – CD graph, profile polar - CL – CD ratio - normal values of the CL – CD ratio

d) The three-dimensional airflow about an aeroplane

- Streamline pattern - span-wise flow and causes - tip vortices and local α - tip vortices
and angle of attack - up-wash and down-wash due to tip vortices - span-wise lift
distribution - wake turbulence behind an aircraft (causes, distribution, duration of the
phenomenon)
- Induced drag - influence of tip vortices on the angle of attack - the induced local α -
influence of induced angle of attack on the direction of the lift vector - induced drag and
angle of attack - induced drag and speed - induced drag and wing aspect ratio -
induced drag and wing planform - induced drag coefficient - induced drag coefficient
and angle of attack - influence of the induced drag on the CL – α graph - influence of
the induced drag on the CL – CD graph, airplane lift drag ratio - influence of plan of
section - winglets - wing span loading - influence of wing twist
 
e) The total drag
- influence of change of camber - the parasite drag - profile drag - interference drag -
friction drag - The profile drag and speed - the induced drag and speed - the total drag
- the total drag and speed - minimum drag - the drag – speed graph

f) The ground effect  - effect on CDi - effect on αcrit - effect on CL

 - Effect on take-off and landing characteristics of an aircraft

g) The relation between the lift coefficient and the speed for constant lift - as a formula -
in a graph

  h) The stall - Flow separation at increasing angles of attack - the boundary layer: -
laminar layer - turbulent layer - transition - separation point - influence of angle of attack
- influence on: - pressure distribution - location of centre of pressure - CL - CD - pitch
moments - down-wash at horizontal stabilizer - buffet - use of controls  - The stall
speed - in the lift formula - 1g stall speed - influence of: - the centre of gravity - power
setting - altitude / IAS - wing loading - load factor n: - definition  - turns - forces

- The initial stall in span-wise direction - influence of plan form - aerodynamic twist
(wash out) - geometric twist - use of ailerons - influence of fences, vortilons, saw teeth
and vortex generators

- Special phenomena of stall - the power-on stall - climbing and descending turns -
swept back wings - super- or deep-stall, stick pusher - canards - T-tailed aircraft -
avoidance of spins: - spin development - spin recognition - spin recovery

- ice (in stagnation point and on surface): - absence of stall warning - abnormal
behaviour of the stall - stabilizer stal

- Stall warning - importance of stall warning - speed margin - buffet - stall strip - flapper
switch - AOA vane - AOA probe - stick shaker - recovery from stall

  i) CLmax augmentation - Trailing edge flaps and the reasons for use in take-off and
landing - different types of flaps: - split flap - plain flap  - slotted flap - fowler flap  -
their influence on the CL – α graph - their influence on the CL – CD graph - flap
asymmetry - influence on pitch movement
  - Leading edge devices and the reasons for use in take-off and landing - different
types: - Krueger flaps - variable camber flaps - slats - their influence on the CL – α
graph - their influence on the CL – CD graph - slat asymmetry - normal/automatic
operation
 - Vortex generators - aerodynamic principles - advantages - disadvantages

j) Means to decrease the CL – CD ratio, increasing drag - Spoilers and the reasons for
use in the different phases of flight - different functions: - flight spoilers (speedbrakes) -
ground spoilers (lift dumpers) - roll spoilers - spoiler-mixer - their influence on the CL -
α graph - their influence on the CL – CD graph and ratio  - Speedbrakes as a means of
increasing drag and the reasons for use in the different phases of flight - the influence
on the CL – CD graph ratio

  k) The boundary layer - Different types - laminar - turbulent - Their advantages and
disadvantages on pressure drag and friction drag

 l) Special circumstances - Ice and other contamination - ice in stagnation point - ice on
the surface (frost, snow, clear ice) - rain - contamination of the leading edge - effects on
stall - effects on loss of controllability - effects on control surface movement - influence
on high lift devices during take-off, landing and low speeds - affect on lift/drag ratio
- Deformation and modification of airframe, ageing aircraft 

2.2 Transonic Aerodynamics

- The Mach number definition - speed of sound - influence of temperature and altitude -
compressibility
- Normal shockwaves - Mcrit and exceeding Mcrit - Influence of: - mach number -
control deflection - angle of attack - aerofoil thickness - angle of sweep - area ruling -
CL – α graph - CLmax - CD - CL – CD - Aerodynamic heating - Shock stall / Mach buffet
- Influence on: - drag - pitch (Mach trim): - contribution of: - movement of the centre of
pressure - angle of sweep - down-wash
- Buffet margin, aerodynamic ceiling

- Means to avoid the effects of exceeding Mcrit - Vortex generators - Supercritical

profile - shape - influence of aerofoil shape on shockwaves - advantages and
disadvantages of supercritical aerofoil

2.3 Stability

a) Condition of equilibrium in stable horizontal flight - precondition for static stability -

sum of moments - lift and weight - drag and thrust - sum of forces - in horizontal plane -
in vertical plane
b) Methods of achieving balance - Wing and empennage (tail and canard) - control
surfaces - Ballast or weight trim
c) Longitudinal stability - Basics and definitions - Static stability, positive, neutral and
negative - precondition for dynamic stability - dynamic stability, positive, neutral and
negative - damping:  - phugoid - short period

 - effect of high altitude on dynamic stability - static stability - neutral point/location of

neutral point - definition - Contribution of: - aircraft geometry - down-wash - a.c. of the
wing - Location of centre of gravity - aft limit, minimum stability margin - forward
position - effects on static and dynamic stability - The CM – α graph
- Contribution of: - location of centre of gravity - control deflection - major aircraft parts
(wings, fuselage, tail) - configuration: - flap deflection - gear extension - The elevator
position – speed graph (IAS) - Contribution of; - location of centre of gravity - trim (trim
tab) - trim (stabilizer trim) - Mach number/Mach trim - friction in the system - down
spring - bob weight - The manoeuvring /stick force per g - Contribution of: - location of
centre of gravity - trim - down spring - bob weight  - Stick force per g and the limit load
factor - category of certification - Special circumstances - ice: - effects of flap
extension - effects of stabilizer ice - rain - deformation of airframe

d) Static directional stability - Slip angle ß - Yaw moment coefficient CN - CN – ß graph

- Contribution of : - location of centre of gravity - angle of sweep of the wing - fuselage
at high angles of attack - strakes - dorsal fin and angle of sweep of fin - major aircraft
parts

e) Static lateral stability - Bank angle ø - The roll moment coefficient CL - Contribution
of angle of slip ß - The CL – ß graph - Contribution of: - angle of sweep of wing - ventral
fin - location of the wing - dihedral / anhedral - Effective lateral stability

 f) Dynamic lateral stability - effects of asymmetric propeller slipstream - Tendency to

spiral dive - Dutch roll - causes - Mach - yaw damper  - Effects of altitude on dynamic
stability

 2.4 Control

a) General - Basics, the Three Planes and Three Axis - Camber change - Angle of attack
change
b) Pitch Control - Elevator - Down-wash effects - Ice on tail - Location of centre of
gravity
c) Yaw Control - Pedal/Rudder ratio changer - Moments due to engine thrust - direct -
induced - Engine failure - rudder limitations at asymmetric thrust - meaning of VMCA,
VMCG
d) Roll Control - Ailerons - inboard ailerons - outboard ailerons - function in different
phases of flight - Spoilers - Adverse yaw - Means to avoid adverse yaw - frise ailerons -
differential aileron deflection - coupling ailerons to rudder by spring - roll spoilers -
effects of asymmetric propeller slip stream
e) Interaction in different planes (yaw/roll) - limitations of asymmetric power
f) Means to reduce control forces - Aerodynamic balance - nose balance - horn
balances - internal balances - balance tab, anti-balance tab - servo tab - spring tab -
Artificial - power assisted controls - fully powered controls - artificial feel: - inputs: -
dynamic pressure q - stabilizer setting
g) Mass Balance - reasons to balance - means
h) Trimming - reasons to trim - trim tabs - stabilizer trim/trim rate versus IAS - position
of centre of gravity influence on trim/stabilizer setting for take-off

 2.5 Limitations

a) Operating limitations
      - flutter - aileron reversal - gear/flap operating - VMO, VNO, VNE - MMO
b) Manoeuvring envelope
  - Manoeuvring load diagram - load factor - accelerated stall speed - VA, VC, VD -
manoeuvring limit load factor/certification category
 - Contribution of: - mass - altitude - Mach number
c) Gust Envelope
- Gust load diagram - vertical gust speeds - accelerated stall speed - VB, VC, VD - gust
limit load factor - VRA
- Contribution of: - mass - altitude - Mach number

2.6 Propellers
a) Conversion of engine torque to thrust
- meaning of pitch - blade twist - fixed pitch and variable pitch/constant speed -
propeller efficiency versus speed - effects of ice on propeller
b) Engine failure or engine stop
- Windmilling drag - influence on yaw moment when asymmetric power
- Feathering - influence on glide performance - influence on yaw moment when
asymmetric power
c) Design feature of power absorption
- aspect ratio of blade - diameter of propeller - number of blades - propeller noise
d) Moments and couples due to propeller operation
- Torque reaction - Gyroscopic precession - Asymmetric slipstream effect - Asymmetric
blade effect 

2.7 Flight Mechanics

a) Forces action on an airplane
- Straight horizontal steady flight - Straight steady climb - Straight steady descent -
Straight steady glide
- Steady coordinated turn - bank angle - load factor - turn radius - angular velocity -
rate one turn  
b) Asymmetric Thrust 
- Moments about the vertical axis - Influence of bank angle - overbanking - finstall -
Influence of aircraft weight - Influence of use of ailerons - Influence of special propeller
effects on roll moments - propeller torque - propeller wash on flaps - Influence of slip
angle on roll moments - VMCA - VMCL - VMCG - Influence of altitude 
c) Emergency Descent 
- Influence of configuration - Influence of chosen mach number and IAS - Typical points
on polar curve 
d) Wind shear 

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