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If the alternator fails in flight, what is the appropriate pilot action?
Choices
Turn off the battery master immediately to save the engine
The engine runs on magnetos, but shutting off the master removes needed electrical power abruptly.
✓ Reduce electrical load and plan to land before the battery is exhaustedcorrect
With only battery power remaining, shedding nonessential load extends available power.
Increase electrical load to test the system
Adding load drains the battery faster, which is the opposite of what is needed.
Do nothing, as the engine will stop without the alternator
The engine keeps running on the magnetos regardless of the alternator.
Why
After an alternator failure the airplane runs on the battery alone, so the pilot should reduce electrical load by shedding nonessential equipment and land before the battery is depleted.
FAA source: PHAK Ch. 7browse the reference library →
Original study question written for this course — representative of FAA knowledge-test topics, not an actual current FAA exam question.