SkyDrill

Pedal position during tail rotor tracking run

Aviation Mechanic Airframe (AMA) practice question 6 of 11 on Rotorcraft Fundamentals. ACS element AM.II.N.R2 · difficulty: standard. Want to answer it in a timed quiz? Use the Aviation Mechanic Airframe (AMA) practice mode.

Question bank updated 2026-09-22

QUESTIONDuring the marking method of tail rotor tracking, how are the pedals positioned while the engine is run?

  1. ADisplaced fully to the left
  2. BHeld in the neutral position
  3. CCycled slowly through full travel
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. Held in the neutral position

  • A — incorrect A fully displaced pedal changes tail rotor blade pitch and would not give the neutral reference the tracking check requires.
  • B — correct The procedure directs that the engine be run with the pedals in the neutral position before the marking device is moved into the tail rotor disc.
  • C — incorrect Moving the pedals during the run would change tail rotor pitch continuously and make the marks meaningless.

BACKGROUND

After replacement or installation of a tail rotor hub, blades, or pitch change system, the tail rotor rigging is checked and the blades are tracked, with tip clearance set before tracking and checked again afterward. In the marking method, a six-inch piece of soft rubber hose is attached to a flexible stick and covered with Prussian blue or similar coloring thinned with oil. Ground run-up is performed by authorized personnel only, with the engine started in accordance with the applicable maintenance manual and run with the pedals in the neutral position. The marking device is rested on the underside of the tail boom and moved slowly into the tail rotor disc about one inch from the tip. When the near blade is marked, the engine is stopped and the rotor allowed to stop; the procedure is repeated until the tracking mark crosses over to the other blade, and then the pitch control link of the unmarked blade is extended one half turn.

STUDY TIP

Read tracking procedures as a fixed sequence and note every reference condition they name, such as neutral pedals, since a check made under the wrong condition proves nothing.

KEY POINTS

  • Ground run-up for tail rotor tracking is performed by authorized personnel only.
  • The engine is run with the pedals in the neutral position.
  • Marking is repeated until the mark crosses to the other blade, then the unmarked blade's pitch control link is extended one half turn.

SOURCES

  • FAA-H-8083-31B ch02 "Tail Rotor Tracking — Marking Method" (sources/ama-airframe/ch02.txt)
Practice the Aviation Mechanic Airframe (AMA) test →Timed 100-question exam, by ACS area, or review your misses. Free.
MORE ON ROTORCRAFT FUNDAMENTALS

SkyDrill is not affiliated with the FAA. This is an original practice item based on FAA-H-8083-31B Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook – Airframe, and 14 CFR part 43. Regulations and handbooks are revised; confirm details against the current edition.