Subtopic ACFTB 1.1 — Application of units of measurement

BASIC
ACFTB

1.1.1

Apply the units of measurement appropriate to aircraft and principles of flight.

3

Subtopic ACFTB 1.2 — Aviation and aircraft

BASIC
ACFTB

1.2.1

Explain the relevance of theory of flight and aircraft characteristics in ATS operations.

2

Subtopic ACFTB 1.1 — Application of units of measurement

BASIC
ACFTB

1.1.1

Apply the units of measurement appropriate to aircraft and the principles of flight.

3

Subtopic ACFTB 1.2 — Aviation and aircraft

BASIC
ACFTB

1.2.1

Explain the relevance of theory of flight and aircraft characteristics in ATS operations.

2

Subtopic ACFTB 2.1 — Forces acting on aircraft

BASIC
ACFTB

2.1.1

Explain the forces acting on an aircraft in flight and their interaction.

2

Lift, thrust, drag, weight during level flight

Optional content: during climb, descent, turn

BASIC
ACFTB

2.1.2

Explain causes and effects of wake turbulence.

2

Induced drag

Subtopic ACFTB 2.2 — Structural components and control of an aircraft

BASIC
ACFTB

2.2.1

Describe the main structural components of an aircraft.

2

Rotary and fixed wing, tail plane, fuselage, flap, aileron, elevator, rudder, landing gear

BASIC
ACFTB

2.2.2

Explain how the pilot controls the movements of an aircraft.

2

Rudder, aileron, elevator, throttle, rotary wing controls

BASIC
ACFTB

2.2.3

Explain the factors affecting aircraft stability.

2

Subtopic ACFTB 2.3 — Flight envelope

BASIC
ACFTB

2.3.1

Characterise the critical factors which affect aircraft performance.

2

Maximum speeds, minimum and stall speeds, ceiling, critical angle of attack, maximum ROC

Subtopic ACFTB 2.1 — Forces acting on aircraft

BASIC
ACFTB

2.1.1

Explain the forces acting on an aircraft in flight and their interaction.

2

Lift, thrust, drag, weight during level flight

Optional content: during climb, descent, turn

BASIC
ACFTB

2.1.2

Explain causes and effects of wake turbulence.

2

Induced drag

Subtopic ACFTB 2.2 — Structural components and control of an aircraft

BASIC
ACFTB

2.2.1

Describe the main structural components of an aircraft.

2

Rotary and fixed wing, tail plane, fuselage, flap, aileron, elevator, rudder, landing gear

BASIC
ACFTB

2.2.2

Explain how the pilot controls the movements of an aircraft.

2

Rudder, aileron, elevator, throttle, rotary wing controls

BASIC
ACFTB

2.2.3

Explain the factors affecting aircraft stability.

2

BASIC ACFTB 2.2.4

List aircraft design features reducing induced drag.

1

Optional content: winglet, tip tanks, reducing wing incidence, aspect ratio, etc.

BASIC ACFTB 2.2.5

Explain aircraft lights and their functions.

2

Regulation (EU) No 923/2012, ICAO Annex 6

Optional content: position lights, anti-collision lights, taxi lights, navigation lights, stroboscopic lights, landing lights

Subtopic ACFTB 2.3 — Flight envelope

BASIC
ACFTB

2.3.1

Characterise the critical factors which affect aircraft performance.

2

Maximum speeds, minimum and stall speeds, ceiling, critical angle of attack, maximum ROC

Subtopic ACFTB 3.1 — Aircraft categories

BASIC
ACFTB

3.1.1

List the different categories of aircraft.

1

Fixed wing, rotary wing, balloon, glider, RPAS

Subtopic ACFTB 3.2 — Wake turbulence categories

BASIC
ACFTB

3.2.1

List the wake turbulence categories.

1

ICAO Doc 4444

Subtopic ACFTB 3.3 — ICAO approach categories

BASIC
ACFTB

3.3.1

List the ICAO approach categories.

1

ICAO Doc 8168

Subtopic ACFTB 3.4 — Environmental categories

BASIC
ACFTB

3.4.1

List ICAO noise classification.

ICAO Annex 16

Optional content

https://www.easa.europa.eu/eaer/topics/technology-and-design/aircraft-noise

Subtopic ACFTB 3.1 — Aircraft categories

BASIC
ACFTB

3.1.1

List the different categories of aircraft.

1

Fixed wing, rotary wing, balloon, glider, RPAS

Subtopic ACFTB 3.2 — Wake turbulence categories

BASIC
ACFTB

3.2.1

List the wake turbulence categories.

1

Regulation (EU) 2017/373

Subtopic ACFTB 3.3 — ICAO approach categories

BASIC
ACFTB

3.3.1

List the ICAO approach categories.

1

ICAO Doc 8168

Subtopic ACFTB 3.4 — Environmental categories

BASIC
ACFTB

3.4.1

List the ICAO noise classification.

ICAO Annex 16

Optional content

https://www.easa.europa.eu/eaer/topics/technology-and-design/aircraft-noise 

Subtopic ACFTB 4.1 — Recognition

BASIC
ACFTB

4.1.1

Recognise the most commonly used aircraft.

1

Subtopic ACFTB 4.2 — Performance data

BASIC
ACFTB

4.2.1

State the ICAO aircraft type designators and categories for the most commonly used aircraft.

1

Type designators, approach and wake turbulence categories

BASIC
ACFTB

4.2.2

State the standard average performance data of the most commonly used aircraft.

1

Rate of climb/descent, cruising speed, ceiling

Subtopic ACFTB 5.1 — Piston engines

BASIC
ACFTB

5.1.1

Explain the operating principles, advantages and disadvantages of the piston engine and propeller.

2

Piston engines, fixed pitch, variable pitch, number of blades

Subtopic ACFTB 5.2 — Jet engines

BASIC
ACFTB

5.2.1

Explain the operating principles, advantages and disadvantages of the jet engine.

2

BASIC
ACFTB

5.2.2

List the different types of jet engines.

1

Subtopic ACFTB 5.3 — Turboprop engines

BASIC
ACFTB

5.3.1

Explain the operating principles, advantages and disadvantages of the turboprop engine and propeller.

2

Subtopic ACFTB 5.4 — Aviation fuels

BASIC
ACFTB

5.4.1

List the most common aviation fuels.

1

Subtopic ACFTB 5.1 — Piston engines

BASIC
ACFTB

5.1.1

Explain the operating principles, advantages and disadvantages of the piston engine and propeller.

2

Piston engines, fixed pitch, variable pitch, number of blades

Subtopic ACFTB 5.2 — Jet engines

BASIC
ACFTB

5.2.1

Explain the operating principles, advantages and disadvantages of the jet engine.

2

BASIC
ACFTB

5.2.2

List the different types of jet engines.

1

Subtopic ACFTB 5.3 — Turboprop engines

BASIC
ACFTB

5.3.1

Explain the operating principles, advantages and disadvantages of the turboprop engine and propeller.

2

Subtopic ACFTB 5.4 — Electric engines

BASIC ACFTB 5.4.1

Explain the operating principles, advantages and disadvantages of the electric engine.

2

Subtopic ACFTB 5.5 — Sources of energy used in aviation

BASIC
ACFTB

5.5.1

List the sources of energy used in aviation propulsion systems.

1

Petroleum-based fuels (Avgas, Jet A-1, Jet B, biokerosene), electrical energy stored or generated on board the aircraft

Optional content: hydrogen cell

Subtopic ACFTB 6.1 — Flight instruments

BASIC
ACFTB

6.1.1

Explain the basic operating principles and interpretation of the information displayed by flight instruments.

2

Altimeter, air speed indicator, vertical speed indicator, turn and bank indicator, artificial horizon, gyrosyn compass

BASIC
ACFTB

6.1.2

Explain the impact of errors and abnormal indications of flight instruments on aircraft operations.

2

Optional content: pitot-static failures, unreliable gyro source

Subtopic ACFTB 6.2 — Navigational instruments

BASIC
ACFTB

6.2.1

Describe the basic on-board operating principles and interpretation of the information displayed by navigational instruments/systems.

2

Optional content: ADF, VOR (TACAN), DME, ILS, inertial reference system, satellite-based systems

Subtopic ACFTB 6.3 — Engine instruments

BASIC
ACFTB

6.3.1

List the vital engine monitoring parameters and their associated instruments.

1

Optional content: oil pressure and temperature, engine temperature, rpm, fuel state and flow

Subtopic ACFTB 6.4 — Aircraft systems

BASIC
ACFTB

6.4.1

Explain the use of the most common aircraft systems.

2

SSR transponder, GPWS, EFIS, flight director, autopilot, FMS, ice protection systems

Optional content: ADS capability, head-up display, wind shear indicator, weather radar, hydraulic system, electrical system, environmental system

BASIC
ACFTB

6.4.2

Explain the impact of degradation/failure of the most common aircraft systems on aircraft operations.

2

Engine failure

Optional content: hydraulic failure, electrical failure, environmental system failure, degradation of aircraft position source data

Subtopic ACFTB 6.1 — Flight instruments

BASIC
ACFTB

6.1.1

Explain the basic operating principles and interpretation of the information displayed by flight instruments.

2

Altimeter, air speed indicator, vertical speed indicator, turn and bank indicator, artificial horizon, gyrosyn compass

BASIC
ACFTB

6.1.2

Explain the impact of errors and abnormal indications of flight instruments on aircraft operations.

2

Optional content: pitot-static failures, unreliable gyro source

Subtopic ACFTB 6.2 — Navigational instruments

BASIC
ACFTB

6.2.1

Describe the basic on-board operating principles and interpretation of the information displayed by navigational instruments/systems.

2

Optional content: ADF, VOR (TACAN), DME, ILS, inertial reference system, satellite-based systems

Subtopic ACFTB 6.3 — Engine instruments

BASIC
ACFTB

6.3.1

List the vital engine monitoring parameters and their associated instruments.

1

Optional content: oil pressure and temperature, engine temperature, rpm, fuel state and flow, battery resource

Subtopic ACFTB 6.4 — Aircraft elements and systems

BASIC
ACFTB

6.4.1

Explain the use of the most common aircraft systems.

2

SSR transponder, GPWS, EFIS, flight director, autopilot, FMS, ice protection, cabin pressurisation, fire detection and extinguishing, emergency oxygen supply systems

Optional content: ADS capability, head-up display, wind shear indicator, weather radar, hydraulic system, electrical system, environmental system

BASIC
ACFTB

6.4.2

Explain the impact of degradation/failure of the most common aircraft systems on aircraft operations.

2

Engine failure

Optional content: hydraulic failure, electrical failure, environmental system failure, degradation of aircraft position source data

BASIC ACFTB 6.4.3

Explain common aircraft elements and their functions.

2

Aircraft cabin, flight deck, galley, doors, cargo compartments

Subtopic ACFTB 7.1 — Take-off factors

BASIC
ACFTB

7.1.1

Explain the factors affecting aircraft during take-off.

2

Runway conditions, runway slope, wind, temperature, aerodrome elevation, aircraft mass

Subtopic ACFTB 7.2 — Climb factors

BASIC
ACFTB

7.2.1

Explain the factors affecting aircraft during climb.

2

Speed, mass, wind, wind shear, temperature, cabin pressurisation, air density

Subtopic ACFTB 7.3 — Cruise factors

BASIC
ACFTB

7.3.1

Explain the factors affecting aircraft during cruise.

2

Level, cruising speed, wind, mass, cabin pressurisation

Subtopic ACFTB 7.4 — Descent and initial approach factors

BASIC
ACFTB

7.4.1

Explain the factors affecting aircraft during descent.

2

Wind, speed, rate of descent, aircraft configuration, cabin pressurisation

BASIC
ACFTB

7.4.2

Explain the factors affecting an aircraft in a holding pattern.

2

Speed, level, turbulence, icing

BASIC
ACFTB

7.4.3

Explain the benefits of continuous descent operations.

2

Subtopic ACFTB 7.5 — Final approach and landing factors

BASIC
ACFTB

7.5.1

Explain the factors affecting aircraft during final approach and landing.

2

Aircraft configuration, mass, wind, wind shear, aerodrome elevation, runway conditions, runway slope

Subtopic ACFTB 7.6 — Economic factors

BASIC
ACFTB

7.6.1

Explain the economic consequences of ATC changes on the flight profile of an aircraft.

2

Routing, flight level, speed, rates of climb or descent, continuous descent operations (CDO), continuous climb operations (CCO)

Subtopic ACFTB 7.7 — Environmental factors

BASIC
ACFTB

7.7.1

Explain performance restrictions due to environmental considerations.

2

Optional content: continuous descent operations (CDO), continuous climb operations (CCO), fuel-dumping, noise-abatement procedures, minimum flight levels