Figure 3-1 -- Design and modification symbols.
GENERAL AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE AND
CHARACTERISTICS
To provide service to aircraft under your control, you must know the characteristics and
limitations of the aircraft. This knowledge enables you to appreciate some of the
problems that confront the pilot. It also gives you confidence in your ability and makes it
easier for you to plan ahead.
Often you control several aircraft at once, and it is your responsibility to provide
separation between them. Knowledge of the speed, rates of climb and descent, rates of
turn, and maneuverability of different aircraft is vital.
Field Elevation, Temperature, and Humidity
The performance and maneuverability of different aircraft varies since each type of
aircraft has its own set of characteristics governing its performance in the air or on the
ground. Performance is affected by field elevation, temperature, and humidity.
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