SIFT Army Aviation Information Practice Test

What should be avoided during an air taxi?

1. Flying in sunny areas

2. Flying in shaded areas of height-velocity diagram

3. Flying over water

4. Flying at low RPM

The correct answer is: Flying in shaded areas of height-velocity diagram

Flying in shaded areas of the height-velocity diagram should be avoided during an air taxi because these shaded areas represent conditions where an aircraft may be at greater risk of experiencing a loss of control or not being able to safely glide to a landing in the event of an engine failure. The height-velocity diagram illustrates safe zones where the aircraft can maintain sufficient altitude and speed to rectify a problematic situation. Being in a shaded area signifies that the aircraft is operating in a regime where it may not have adequate altitude to recover from a loss of power, thereby increasing the potential for an accident. In contrast, while other options may present certain risks in their own right, they do not carry the same critical implications for safety and recovery as maneuvering in shaded areas of the height-velocity diagram during an air taxi.