Certified Flight Instructor - Flight Instructor Airplane Practice Exam

What should a pilot do if the aircraft experiences a total electrical failure during flight?

1. Attempt to restore electrical power immediately.

2. Perform a controlled descent to land.

3. Use hand signals for communication.

4. Activate emergency beacons for assistance.

The correct answer is: Perform a controlled descent to land.

In the event of a total electrical failure during flight, a pilot should focus on maintaining control of the aircraft and ensuring the safety of all onboard. Performing a controlled descent to land is crucial in this situation for several reasons. Firstly, without electrical power, critical flight instruments may become inoperative, making it difficult to maintain level flight or assess altitude accurately. By initiating a controlled descent, the pilot can manage the aircraft's performance and safely navigate towards a suitable landing area. Additionally, descending helps to ensure that the aircraft remains within a manageable altitude and can also facilitate communication with air traffic control or other pilots using radio if any auxiliary power systems or backup communication methods are available. Given that the aircraft may be losing altitude, it's important to identify and reach a safe place to land as soon as possible. The other options, while they might appear relevant, do not address the immediate necessity of controlling the aircraft and ensuring a safe landing as effectively. Attempting to restore electrical power may take time and distract the pilot from more immediate flight management tasks. Using hand signals for communication can be impractical in a flight emergency where radio communication is often preferred. Activating emergency beacons might be a useful step post-landing or if the scenario allows, but they don't