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100+ Free SACAA AME Helicopters Practice Questions
SACAA Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Rotorcraft General Theoretical Knowledge Examination practice questions are available now; exam metadata is being verified.
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Sample SACAA AME Helicopters Practice Questions
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1Which aerodynamic force opposes rotor disk drag in steady, unaccelerated forward flight of a helicopter?
A.Forward tilt component of total rotor thrust
B.Tail rotor anti-torque thrust
C.Centrifugal force acting along the rotor blades
D.Gravity vector acting on the tail boom
Explanation: In steady forward flight, the main rotor disk is tilted forward via cyclic pitch control. This tilts the total rotor thrust vector forward, creating a horizontal thrust component that overcomes parasitic and profile drag of the helicopter.
2During autorotation, which region of the rotor blade provides the thrust that keeps the rotor turning at operational RPM?
A.Driven (propeller) region near the tip
B.Driving (autorotative) region between roughly 25% and 70% blade radius
C.Stall region at the blade root
D.Stabilizer bar region
Explanation: The driving (autorotative) zone located approximately between 25% and 70% of the blade radius produces a aerodynamic force vector tilted forward of the axis of rotation, creating accelerating torque that keeps the rotor turning.
3Gyroscopic precession causes maximum blade deflection to occur at what angular position relative to the point of maximum applied force?
A.45 degrees after the point of applied force in direction of rotation
B.90 degrees after the point of applied force in direction of rotation
C.180 degrees opposite the point of applied force
D.90 degrees before the point of applied force in direction of rotation
Explanation: Because a spinning rotor behaves as a gyroscope, an aerodynamic force applied to the rotor system results in maximum directional movement (blade flapping/displacement) 90 degrees later in the direction of rotation.
4What primary mechanism naturally compensates for dissymmetry of lift in a main rotor system during forward flight?
A.Automatic pitch change via governor throttle correlation
B.Blade flapping
C.Tail rotor balance weights
D.Engine torque compensation valves
Explanation: Blade flapping compensates for dissymmetry of lift. The advancing blade experiences higher relative airspeed and flaps up (reducing angle of attack), while the retreating blade experiences lower relative airspeed and flaps down (increasing angle of attack).
5According to the Law of Conservation of Angular Momentum (Coriolis Effect), what happens to a rotor blade when it flaps upward?
A.Its center of mass shifts inward toward the axis of rotation, causing it to lead (speed up)
B.Its center of mass shifts outward, causing it to lag (slow down)
C.Its pitch angle automatically increases by 10 degrees
D.Its rotational velocity drops to zero
Explanation: When a blade flaps up, its center of mass moves closer to the center of rotation. To conserve angular momentum, the blade speeds up in its plane of rotation, causing it to lead forward.
6At approximately what airspeed does Effective Translational Lift (ETL) typically occur in helicopters?
A.2 to 5 knots
B.16 to 24 knots
C.45 to 60 knots
D.80 to 100 knots
Explanation: Effective Translational Lift (ETL) occurs as the helicopter accelerates through roughly 16 to 24 knots, where the rotor completely outruns its own recirculated downwash and enters clean, undisturbed air.
7Which main rotor head design features physical hinges for flapping, lead-lag (drag), and feathering for each blade?
A.Semi-rigid teetering rotor head
B.Fully articulated rotor head
C.Rigid (hingeless) rotor head
D.Bearingless composite rotor head
Explanation: A fully articulated rotor head uses independent mechanical hinges (or equivalent elastomeric bearings) for flapping, lead-lag (hunting/drag), and pitch changes (feathering) for three or more blades.
8What is a key maintenance advantage of elastomeric bearings used in modern rotor heads compared to conventional metallic bearings?
A.They require daily pressure lubrication with synthetic grease
B.They eliminate the need for liquid lubrication and offer fail-safe visual inspection characteristics
C.They allow infinite operating lifespan without inspection
D.They increase mechanical friction to dampen flutter
Explanation: Elastomeric bearings consist of alternating layers of elastomer and metal shims. They operate completely dry (no lubrication required) and fail gradually via elastomer degradation, which is easily detected during visual inspections.
9In a standard swashplate assembly, which component rotates with the main rotor hub?
A.Stationary swashplate ring
B.Rotating swashplate ring
C.Collective hydraulic servo cylinder body
D.Non-rotating control uniball guide
Explanation: The rotating swashplate ring turns at main rotor RPM via drive scissors (torque links) connected to the main shaft/hub, transmitting control pitch inputs directly to the blade pitch horns.
10What happens to the swashplate assembly when the pilot moves only the collective pitch lever upward?
A.The entire swashplate assembly moves uniformly up (or down) along the main mast axis without tilting
B.The swashplate tilts forward only
C.The rotating ring stops turning while the stationary ring tilts sideways
D.The swashplate rotates in the opposite direction of the rotor mast
Explanation: Collective control input slides the complete swashplate assembly vertically along the mast (or uniball guide), altering pitch equally across all rotor blades simultaneously without tilting the disk.
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