Aviation Maintenance Terms beginning with C
Cage (verb)
To lock the gimbals of a gyroscopic instrument so it will not be damaged by abrupt flight maneuvers or rough handling.
Calendar month
A measurement of time used by the FAA for inspection and certification purposes. One calendar month from a given day extends from that day until midnight of the last day of that month.
Calibrated airspeed (CAS)
Indicated airspeed corrected for position error. See position error.
Calorie
The amount of heat energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of pure water 1 °C.
Camber (wheel alignment)
The amount the wheels of an aircraft are tilted, or inclined, from the vertical. If the top of the wheel tilts outward, the camber is positive. If the top of the wheel tilts inward, the camber is negative.
Canard
A horizontal control surface mounted ahead of the wing to provide longitudinal stability and control.
Canted rate gyro
A rate gyro whose gimbal axis is tilted so it can sense rotation of the aircraft about its roll axis as well as its yaw axis.
Cantilever wing
A wing that is supported by its internal structure and requires no external supports. The wing spars are built in such a way that they carry all the bending and torsional loads.
Cap strip
The main top and bottom members of a wing rib. The cap strips give the rib its aerodynamic shape.
Capacitance-type fuel quantity measuring system
A popular type of electronic fuel quantity indicating system that has no moving parts in the fuel tank. The tank units are cylindrical capacitors, called probes, mounted across the tank, from top to bottom. The dielectric between the plates of the probes is either fuel or the air above the fuel, and the capacitance of the probe varies with the amount of fuel in the tank. The indicator is a servo-type instrument driven by the amplified output of a capacitance bridge.
Capillary tube
A soft copper tube with a small inside diameter. The capillary tube used with vapor-pressure thermometer connects the temperature sensing bulb to the Bourdon tube. The capillary tube is protected from physical damage by enclosing it in a braided metal wire jacket.
Carbon monoxide detector
A packet of chemical crystals mounted in the aircraft flight deck or cabin where they are easily visible. The crystals change their color from yellow to green when they are exposed to carbon monoxide.
Carbon-pile voltage regulator
A type of voltage regulator used with high-output DC generators. Field current is controlled by varying the resistance of a stack of thin carbon discs. This resistance is varied by controlling the amount the stack is compressed by a spring whose force is opposed by the pull of an electromagnet. The electromagnet’s strength is proportional to the generator’s output voltage.
Carburizing flame
An oxyacetylene flame produced by an excess of acetylene. This flame is identified by a feather around the inner cone. A carburizing flame is also called a reducing flame.
Carcass (tire component)
The layers of rubberized fabric that make up the body of an aircraft tire.
Case pressure
A low pressure that is maintained inside the case of a hydraulic pump. If a seal becomes damaged, hydraulic fluid will be forced out of the pump rather than allowing air to be drawn into the pump.
Cathode-ray tube (CRT)
A display tube used for oscilloscopes and computer video displays. An electron gun emits a stream of electrons that is attracted to a positively charged inner surface of the face of the tube. Acceleration and focusing grids speed the movement of the electrons and shape the beam into a pinpoint size. Electrostatic or electromagnetic forces caused by deflection plates or coils move the beam over the face of the tube. The inside surface of the face of the tube is treated with a phosphor material that emits light when the beam of electrons strikes it.
Cavitation
A condition that exist in a hydraulic pump when there is not enough pressure in the reservoir to force fluid to the inlet of the pump. The pump picks up air instead of fluid.
Center of gravity
The location on an aircraft about which the force of gravity is concentrated.
Center of lift
The location of the chord line of an airfoil at which all the lift forces produced by the airfoil are considered to be concentrated.
Center of pressure
The point on the chord line of an airfoil where all of the aerodynamic forces are considered to be concentrated.
Centering cam
A cam in the nose-gear shock strut that causes the piston to center when the strut fully extends. When the aircraft takes off and the strut extends, the wheel is straightened in its fore-and-aft position so it can be retracted into the wheel well. Charging stand (air conditioning service equipment). A handy and compact arrangement of air conditioning servicing equipment. A charging stand contains a vacuum pump, a manifold gauge set, and a method of measuring and dispensing the refrigerant.
Chatter
A type of rapid vibration of a hydraulic pump caused by the pump taking in some air along with the hydraulic fluid.
Check (wood defect)
Longitudinal cracks that extend across a log’s annual rings.
Check valve
A hydraulic or pneumatic system component that allows full flow of fluid in one direction but blocks all flow in the opposite direction.
Chemical oxygen candle system
An oxygen system used for emergency or backup use. Solid blocks of material that release oxygen when they are burned are carried in special fireproof fixtures. When oxygen is needed, the candles are ignited with an integral igniter, and oxygen flows into the tubing leading to the masks.
Chevron seal
A form of one-way seal used in some fluid- power actuators. A chevron seal is made of a resilient material whose cross section is in the shape of the letter V. The pressure being sealed must be applied to the open side of the V.
Chromel
An alloy of nickel and chromium used as the positive element in a thermocouple for measuring exhaust gas temperature.
Circle
A closed plane figure with every point an equal distance from the center. A circle has the greatest area for its circumference of any enclosed shape.
Circuit breaker
An electrical component that automatically opens a circuit any time excessive current flows through it. A circuit breaker may be reset to restore the circuit after the fault causing the excessive current has been corrected.
Clad aluminum
A sheet of aluminum alloy that has a coating of pure aluminum rolled on one or both of its surfaces for corrosion protection.
Clamp-on ammeter
An electrical instrument used to measure current without opening the circuit through which it is flowing. The jaws of the ammeter are opened, slipped over the current- carrying wire, and then clamped shut. Current flowing through the wire produces a magnetic field which induces a voltage in the ammeter that is proportional to the amount of current.
Cleco fastener
A patented spring-type fastener used to hold metal sheets in position until they can be permanently riveted together.
Close-quarter iron
A small hand-held iron with an accurately calibrated thermostat. This iron is used for heat- shrinking polyester fabrics in areas that would be difficult to work with a large iron.
Closed angle
An angle formed in sheet metal that has been bent more than 90°.
Closed assembly time
The time elapsing between the assembly of glued joints and the application of pressure.
Closed-center hydraulic system
A hydraulic system in which the selector valves are installed in parallel with each other. When no unit is actuated, fluid circulates from the pump back to the reservoir without flowing through any of the selector valves.
Closed-center selector valve
A type of flow-control valve used to direct pressurized fluid into one side of an actuator, and at the same time, direct the return fluid from the other side of the actuator to the fluid reservoir. Closed-center selector valves are connected in parallel between the pressure manifold and the return manifold.
Coaxial
Rotating about the same axis. Coaxial rotors of a helicopter are mounted on concentric shafts in such a way that they turn in opposite directions to cancel torque.
Coaxial cable
A special type of electrical cable that consists of a central conductor held rigidly in the center of a braided outer conductor. Coaxial cable, commonly called coax, is used for attaching radio receivers and transmitters to their antenna.
Coefficient of drag
A dimensionless number used in the formula for determining induced drag as it relates to the angle of attack.
Coefficient of lift
A dimensionless number relating to the angle of attack used in the formula for determining aerodynamic lift.
Coin dimpling
A process of preparing a hole in sheet metal for flush riveting. A coining die is pressed into the rivet hole to form a sharp-edged depression into which the rivet head fits.
Collective pitch control
The helicopter control that changes the pitch of all of the rotor blades at the same time. Movement of the collective pitch control increases or decreases the lift produced by the entire rotor disc.
Collodion
Cellulose nitrate used as a film base for certain aircraft dopes.
Combustion heater
A type of cabin heater used in some aircraft. Gasoline from the aircraft fuel tanks is burned in the heater.
Compass fluid
A highly refined, water-clear petroleum product similar to kerosene. Compass fluid is used to dampen the oscillations of magnetic compasses.
Compass rose
A location on an airport where an aircraft can be taken to have its compasses “swung.” Lines are painted on the rose to mark the magnetic directions in 30° increments.
Compass swinging
A maintenance procedure that minimizes deviation error in a magnetic compass. The aircraft is aligned on a compass rose, and the compensating magnets in the compass case are adjusted so the compass card indicates the direction marked on the rose. After the deviation error is minimized on all headings, a compass correction card is completed and mounted on the instrument panel next to the compass.
Compensated fuel pump
A vane-type, engine-driven fuel pump that has a diaphragm connected to the pressure regulating valve. The chamber above the diaphragm is vented to the carburetor upper deck where it senses the pressure of the air as it enters the engine. The diaphragm allows the fuel pump to compensate for altitude changes and keeps the carburetor inlet fuel pressure a constant amount higher than the carburetor inlet air pressure.
Compensator port (brake system component)
A small hole between a hydraulic brake master cylinder and the reservoir. When the brakes are released, this port is uncovered and the fluid in the master cylinder is vented to the reservoir. When the brake is applied, the master-cylinder piston covers the compensator port and allows pressure in the line to the brake to build up and apply the brakes. When the brake is released, the piston uncovers the compensator port. If any fluid has been lost from the brake, the reservoir will refill the master cylinder. A restricted compensator port will cause the brakes to drag or will cause them to be slow to release.
Composite
Something made up of different materials combined in such a way that the characteristics of the resulting material are different from those of any of the components.
Compound curve
A curve formed in more than one plane. The surface of a sphere is a compound curve.
Compound gauge (air conditioning servicing equipment)
A pressure gauge used to measure the pressure in the low side of an air conditioning system. A compound gauge is calibrated from zero to 30 inches of mercury vacuum, and from zero to about 150-psi positive gauge pressure.
Compressibility effect
The sudden increase in the total drag of an airfoil in transonic flight caused by formation of shock waves on the surface.
Compression failure
A type of structural failure in wood caused by the application of too great a compressive load. A compression failure shows up as a faint line running at right angles to the grain of the wood.
Compression strut
A heavy structural member, often in the form of a steel tube, used to hold the spars of a Pratt truss airplane wing apart. A compression strut opposes the compressive loads between the spars arising from the tensile loads produced by the drag and antidrug wires.
Compression wood
A defect in wood that causes it to have a high specific gravity and the appearance of an excessive growth of summerwood. In most species, there is little difference between the color of the springwood and the summerwood. Any material containing compression wood is unsuited for aircraft structural use and must be rejected.
Compressor (air conditioning system component)
The component in a vapor-cycle cooling system in which the low- pressure refrigerant vapors, after they leave the evaporator, are compressed to increase both their temperature and pressure before they pass into the condenser. Some compressors are driven by electric motors, others by hydraulic motors and, in the case of most light airplanes, are belt driven from the engine.
Concave surface
A surface that is curved inward. The outer edges are higher than the center.
Condenser (air conditioning system component)
The component in a vapor-cycle cooling system in which the heat taken from the aircraft cabin is given up to the ambient air outside the aircraft.
Conductor (electrical)
A material that allows electrons to move freely from one atom to another within the material.
Coning angle
The angle formed between the plane of rotation of a helicopter rotor blade when it is producing lift and a line perpendicular to the rotor shaft. The degree of the coning angle is determined by the relationship between the centrifugal force acting on the blades and the aerodynamic lift produced by the blades.
Constant (mathematical)
A value used in a mathematical computation that is the same every time it is used. For example, the relationship between the length of the circumference of a circle and the length of its diameter is a constant, 3.1416. This constant is called by the Greek name of Pi (π).
Constant differential mode (cabin pressurization)
The mode of pressurization in which the cabin pressure is maintained a constant amount higher than the outside air pressure. The maximum differential pressure is determined by the structural strength of the aircraft cabin.
Constant-displacement pump
A fluid pump that moves a specific volume of fluid each time it rotates; the faster the pump turns, the more fluid it moves. Some form of pressure regulator or relief valve must be used with a constant- displacement pump when it is driven by an aircraft engine.
Constant-speed drive (CSD)
A special drive system used to connect an alternating current generator to an aircraft engine. The drive holds the generator speed (and thus its frequency) constant as the engine speed varies.
Constantan
A copper-nickel alloy used as the negative lead of a thermocouple for measuring the cylinder head temperature of a reciprocating engine.
Contactor (electrical component)
A remotely actuated, heavy-duty electrical switch. Contactors are used in an aircraft electrical system to connect the battery to the main bus.
Continuity tester
A troubleshooting tool that consists of a battery, a light bulb, and test leads. The test leads are connected to each end of the conductor under test, and if the bulb lights up, there is continuity. If it does not light up, the conductor is open.
Continuous Airworthiness Inspection Program
An inspection program that is part of a continuous airworthiness maintenance program approved for certain large airplanes (to which 14 CFR Part 125 is not applicable) turbojet multi-engine airplanes, turbopropeller-powered multi-engine airplanes, and turbine-powered rotorcraft.
Continuous-duty solenoid
A solenoid-type switch designed to be kept energized by current flowing through its coil for an indefinite period of time. The battery contactor in an aircraft electrical system is a continuous-duty solenoid. Current flows through its coil all the time the battery is connected to the electrical system.
Continuous-flow oxygen system
A type of oxygen system that allows a metered amount of oxygen to continuously flow into the mask. A rebreather-type mask is used with a continuous-flow system. The simplest form of continuous- flow oxygen system regulates the flow by a calibrated orifice in the outlet to the mask, but most systems use either a manual or automatic regulator to vary the pressure across the orifice proportional to the altitude being flown.
Continuous-loop fire-detection system
A fire-detection system that uses a continuous loop of two conductors separated with a thermistor-type insulation. Under normal temperature conditions, the thermistor material is an insulator; but if it is exposed to a fire, the thermistor changes into a conductor and completes the circuit between the two conductors, initiating a fire warning.
Control horn
The arm on a control surface to which the control cable or push-pull rod attaches to move the surface.
Control stick
The type of control device used in some airplanes. A vertical stick in the flight deck controls the ailerons by side-to-side movement and the elevators by fore- and-aft movement.
Control yoke
The movable column on which an airplane control wheel is mounted. The yoke may be moved in or out to actuate the elevators, and the control wheel may be rotated to actuate the ailerons.
Controllability
The characteristic of an aircraft that allows it to change its flight attitude in response to the pilot’s movement of the flight deck controls.
Conventional current
An imaginary flow of electricity that is said to flow from the positive terminal of a power source, through the external circuit to its negative terminal. The arrowheads in semiconductor symbols point in the direction of conventional current flow.
Converging duct
A duct, or passage, whose cross-sectional area decreases in the direction of fluid flow.
Conversion coating
A chemical solution used to form an airtight oxide or phosphate film on the surface of aluminum or magnesium parts. The conversion coating prevents air from reaching the metal and keeps it from corroding.
Convex surface
A surface that is curved outward. The outer edges are lower than the center.
Coriolis effect
The change in rotor blade velocity to compensate for a change in the distance between the center of mass of the rotor blade and the axis rotation of the blade as the blades flap in flight.
Cornice brake
A large shop tool used to make straight bends across a sheet of metal. Cornice brakes are often called leaf brakes.
Corrugated metal
Sheets of metal that have been made more rigid by forming a series of parallel ridges or waves in its surface.
Cotter pin
A split metal pin used to safety a castellated or slotted nut on a bolt. The pin is passed through the hole in the shank of the bolt and the slots in the nut, and the ends of the pin are spread to prevent it backing out of the hole.
Countersinking
Preparation of a rivet hole for a flush rivet by beveling the edges of the holes with a cutter of the correct angle.
Coverite surface thermometer
A small surface-type bimetallic thermometer that calibrates the temperature of an iron used to heat-shrink polyester fabrics.
Crabbing
Pointing the nose of an aircraft into the wind to compensate for wind drift.
Crazing
A form of stress-caused damage that occurs in a transparent thermoplastic material. Crazing appears as a series of tiny, hair-like cracks just below the surface of the plastic.
Critical Mach number
The flight Mach number at which there is the first indication of supersonic airflow over any part of the aircraft structure.
Cross coat
A double coat of aircraft finishing material in which the second coat is sprayed at right angles to the first coat, before the solvents have evaporated from the first coat.
Cross-feed valve (fuel system component)
A valve in a fuel system that allows any of the engines of a multi-engine aircraft to draw fuel from any fuel tank. Cross-feed systems are used to allow a multi-engine aircraft to maintain a balanced fuel condition.
Cross-flow valve
An automatic flow-control valve installed between the gear-up and gear-down lines of the landing gear of some large airplanes. When the landing gear is released from its uplocks, its weight causes it to fall faster than the hydraulic system can supply fluid to the gear-down side of the actuation cylinder. The cross-flow valve opens and directs fluid from the gear-up side into the gear-down side. This allows the gear to move down with a smooth motion.
Cryogenic liquid
Aliquid which boils at temperatures of less than about 110 °F (–163 °C) at normal atmospheric pressures.
Cuno filter
The registered trade name for a particular style of edge-type fluid filter. Cuno filters are made up of a stack of thin metal discs that are separated by thin scraper blades. Contaminants collect on the edge of the discs, and they are periodically scraped out and allowed to collect in the bottom of the filter case for future removal.
Current
A general term used for electrical flow. See conventional current.
Current limiter
An electrical component used to limit the amount of current a generator can produce. Some current limiters are a type of slow-blow fuse in the generator output. Other current limiters reduce the generator output voltage if the generator tries to put out more than its rated current.
Cusp
A pointed end.
Cyclic pitch control
The helicopter control that allows the pilot to change the pitch of the rotor blades individually, at a specific point in their rotation. The cyclic pitch control allows the pilot to tilt the plane of rotation of the rotor disc to change the direction of lift produced by the rotor.
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