PLT107: Aircraft Alternator
What code PLT107 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study Aircraft Alternator before your checkride.
Recall aircraft alternator / generator system
What this means for your checkride
The alternator or generator recharges the battery and powers the electrical system while the engine runs. The ammeter or a loadmeter shows whether the system is charging or discharging, and a warning light or gauge flags a failure. If the alternator quits, the battery becomes the only source and you must shed electrical load to make it last.
An electrical failure quietly puts you on a countdown, so the FAA tests how the charging system works, how to read the ammeter, and what to shut off when the alternator fails.
Pilots think losing the alternator means an immediate blackout. The battery keeps essential equipment running for a while; the correct response is to reduce nonessential load and land, not to expect everything to stop at once.
Where to study it
A code on your test report is an area of deficiency. An authorized instructor must review it with you and endorse that review before you take the practical test, and the examiner may revisit it during the oral. Study it until you can explain it out loud, not just recognize the answer.