flight operationsFAA-published sample question (ATM, Aug 2021)
Under what conditions might a pilot expect the possibility of hydroplaning?
A
When landing on a wet runway that is covered in rubber from previous landings.✓ Correct Answer
B
When departing a grooved runway with less than a thousandth of an inch of water.
C
When the adiabatic lapse rate is high, and steam is rising from the landing surface.
Explanation
Hydroplaning can occur on a wet runway, and rubber deposits in the touchdown zone make the surface smoother and more prone to viscous and reverted-rubber hydroplaning. Grooved runways with only a trace of water resist hydroplaning, and lapse rate or rising steam has nothing to do with it.
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