FAA AMT (Aviation Maintenance Technician) Airframe Practice Exam

What is employed to maintain lateral stability when jettisoning fuel?

1. Two separate independent systems

2. Computer-controlled fuel distribution

3. Manual valve operation by the pilot

4. Gravity-based systems

The correct answer is: Two separate independent systems

When jettisoning fuel, maintaining lateral stability is crucial to the safety and stability of the aircraft. While options B and D may seem viable, computer-controlled fuel distribution is a risk because any malfunction could affect the stability of the aircraft. Gravity-based systems are also not as reliable and may not provide enough control for lateral stability. Option C, manual valve operation by the pilot, may be a possible solution but it requires constant monitoring and adjustment by the pilot, which can be dangerous and distracting during flight. Thus, the most effective and reliable option would be to have two separate independent systems in place for maintaining lateral stability when jettisoning fuel. This ensures a backup in case one system fails and provides a more secure form of stability control during the fuel jettison process.