PLTW AEROSPACE | 143 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
100% CORRECT | LATEST UPDATE 2025
Aerospace Engineer - ANSWER Develops new technologies for use in aviation,
defense systems, and space exploration, often specializing in areas such as
structural design, guidance, navigation and control, instrumentation and
communication, and production methods.
Aircraft - ANSWER A device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the
air.
ATC - ANSWER Air Traffic Control, A system is to prevent a collision between
aircraft operating in the system and to organize and expedite the flow of traffic,
and to provide support for National Security and Homeland Defense.
FAA - ANSWER Federal Aviation Administration. The U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration is an operating mode of the Department of Transportation
responsible for the safety of civil aviation.
NASA - ANSWER National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The United
States government agency that is responsible for science and technology related
to air and space.
NACA - ANSWER National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. From March 3,
1915 until October 1, 1958, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
(NACA) provided advice and carried out much of the cutting-edge research in
aeronautics in the United States.
,Aileron - ANSWER Small-hinged sections on the outboard portion of a wing
that are used to generate a rolling motion for an aircraft.
Airfoil - ANSWER Any surface, such as a wing, which provides aerodynamic
force when it interacts with a moving stream of air.
Angle of Attack - ANSWER The angle formed by the wing chord line and the
relative wind.
Aspect Ratio - ANSWER The relationship between the length and width of a
wing.
Boundary Layer - ANSWER A thin layer of air next to the surface of an airfoil
which shows a reduction in speed due to the air's viscosity.
Center of Gravity - ANSWER The common reference point for the three axes of
the aircraft.
Cockpit - ANSWER The space in the fuselage of a small airplane containing
seats for the pilot, copilot, and sometimes passengers.
Controllability - ANSWER The capability of an aircraft to respond to your flight
inputs, especially with regard to attitude and flight path.
Dihedral - ANSWER The mounting of wings so that the wingtips and higher
than the wingroot.
, Drag - ANSWER Acts in the opposite direction of flight, opposes the forward-
acting force of thrust, and limits the forward speed of the aircraft.
Dynamic Stability - ANSWER Out of its own accord, an aircraft eventually
returns to and remains at its equilibrium position over a period of time.
Elevator - ANSWER A rear horizontal stabilizer that controls up and down or
pitching motion of the aircraft nose.
Empennage - ANSWER The tail assembly of an aircraft, including the horizontal
and vertical stabilizers, elevators and rudder.
Flaps - ANSWER Control surfaces attached to the trailing edge of the wing
extending outward from the fuselage to the midpoint of each wing. Flaps can
increase the lifting efficiency of the wing and decrease stall speed.
Fuselage - ANSWER Houses the cabin, the cockpit and is a common attachment
point for the other major components.
Glider - ANSWER An aircraft that is designed to fly without an engine.
Horizontal Stabilizer - ANSWER A structure that creates up and down forces at
the tail to keep the fuselage aligned in pitch with the relative wind. The structure
itself is horizontal while the forces it creates are vertical.
100% CORRECT | LATEST UPDATE 2025
Aerospace Engineer - ANSWER Develops new technologies for use in aviation,
defense systems, and space exploration, often specializing in areas such as
structural design, guidance, navigation and control, instrumentation and
communication, and production methods.
Aircraft - ANSWER A device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the
air.
ATC - ANSWER Air Traffic Control, A system is to prevent a collision between
aircraft operating in the system and to organize and expedite the flow of traffic,
and to provide support for National Security and Homeland Defense.
FAA - ANSWER Federal Aviation Administration. The U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration is an operating mode of the Department of Transportation
responsible for the safety of civil aviation.
NASA - ANSWER National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The United
States government agency that is responsible for science and technology related
to air and space.
NACA - ANSWER National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. From March 3,
1915 until October 1, 1958, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
(NACA) provided advice and carried out much of the cutting-edge research in
aeronautics in the United States.
,Aileron - ANSWER Small-hinged sections on the outboard portion of a wing
that are used to generate a rolling motion for an aircraft.
Airfoil - ANSWER Any surface, such as a wing, which provides aerodynamic
force when it interacts with a moving stream of air.
Angle of Attack - ANSWER The angle formed by the wing chord line and the
relative wind.
Aspect Ratio - ANSWER The relationship between the length and width of a
wing.
Boundary Layer - ANSWER A thin layer of air next to the surface of an airfoil
which shows a reduction in speed due to the air's viscosity.
Center of Gravity - ANSWER The common reference point for the three axes of
the aircraft.
Cockpit - ANSWER The space in the fuselage of a small airplane containing
seats for the pilot, copilot, and sometimes passengers.
Controllability - ANSWER The capability of an aircraft to respond to your flight
inputs, especially with regard to attitude and flight path.
Dihedral - ANSWER The mounting of wings so that the wingtips and higher
than the wingroot.
, Drag - ANSWER Acts in the opposite direction of flight, opposes the forward-
acting force of thrust, and limits the forward speed of the aircraft.
Dynamic Stability - ANSWER Out of its own accord, an aircraft eventually
returns to and remains at its equilibrium position over a period of time.
Elevator - ANSWER A rear horizontal stabilizer that controls up and down or
pitching motion of the aircraft nose.
Empennage - ANSWER The tail assembly of an aircraft, including the horizontal
and vertical stabilizers, elevators and rudder.
Flaps - ANSWER Control surfaces attached to the trailing edge of the wing
extending outward from the fuselage to the midpoint of each wing. Flaps can
increase the lifting efficiency of the wing and decrease stall speed.
Fuselage - ANSWER Houses the cabin, the cockpit and is a common attachment
point for the other major components.
Glider - ANSWER An aircraft that is designed to fly without an engine.
Horizontal Stabilizer - ANSWER A structure that creates up and down forces at
the tail to keep the fuselage aligned in pitch with the relative wind. The structure
itself is horizontal while the forces it creates are vertical.
