PLT114: Aircraft Construction
What code PLT114 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study Aircraft Construction before your checkride.
Recall aircraft design - construction / function
What this means for your checkride
The airframe is built from a few major parts: the fuselage (the central body), the wings (lift), the empennage (the tail, giving stability and control), the landing gear, and the powerplant. Most light airplanes use semi-monocoque construction, where the skin carries much of the load.
Knowing the major components and how they carry load underlies systems and inspection knowledge, so the FAA tests the parts and their functions.
Pilots think the empennage is just the tail fin. It includes the horizontal and vertical stabilizers plus the elevator and rudder, and it provides the stability that keeps the airplane pointed into the wind.
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.