A practical A&P-focused guide to physics in aviation, based on FAA-H-8083-30B Chapter 5, including force, work, torque, pressure, fluids, Bernoulli’s principle, Newton’s laws, heat, sound, atmosphere, and aircraft theory of flight.
Math for A&P Students: The Formulas You Actually Need to Know A lot of A&P students get nervous when they hear the word math. That is understandable. Aviation maintenance math can show up in several different areas: weight and balance, electrical circuits, torque, measurement, area, volume, ratios, percentages, and unit conversions. The good news is that A&P math is not advanced math. You do not need calculus. You do not need complicated algebra. What you need is a solid understanding of the basic formulas that aircraft mechanics actually use. ...
Aircraft Weight and Balance Explained One of the most important responsibilities of an aviation maintenance technician is understanding aircraft weight and balance. An aircraft that is outside of its approved weight and balance limits may be difficult—or even impossible—to control safely. Every A&P student should have a solid understanding of these concepts. Why Weight and Balance Matters Aircraft are designed to operate within specific weight and center of gravity (CG) limits. Exceeding those limits can affect: ...
AC 43.13-1B: Things Every A&P Student Should Know If you are studying to become an A&P mechanic, you are going to hear about AC 43.13-1B a lot. It is one of those references that shows up in school, in FAA test prep, in practical maintenance discussions, and in real hangar conversations. The full title is: Advisory Circular 43.13-1B — Acceptable Methods, Techniques, and Practices: Aircraft Inspection and Repair That title tells you exactly why it matters. It is not just a book of random maintenance tips. It is FAA-published guidance on maintenance methods, inspection practices, and repair techniques that the FAA considers acceptable when they are properly applied. ...
CFR Parts Every A&P Student Should Know When studying for your A&P certificate, it is easy to focus only on tools, electricity, engines, structures, and systems. But regulations are also a major part of becoming an aviation maintenance technician. You do not need to memorize every word of the Code of Federal Regulations, but you should know which CFR parts apply to aircraft maintenance, mechanic privileges, inspections, records, airworthiness, and repair stations. ...
Electrical troubleshooting is one of those A&P subjects that can feel confusing until you slow down and break the circuit into smaller parts. One of the most important circuit types to understand is the series-parallel circuit. A series-parallel circuit is exactly what it sounds like: it is a circuit that contains both series sections and parallel sections. Some parts of the circuit have only one path for current. Other parts of the circuit have multiple paths for current. ...