tion. The fuselage of a powered parachute contains  the aircraft engine, a seat for each occupant and is  attached to the aircraft’s landing gear. POWER-OFF DESCENT—Aircraft configuration  where a descent occurs with power at idle. POWERPLANT—A complete engine and propeller  combination with accessories. PPC—See POWERED PARACHUTE. PPCL—Powered parachute land. PPCS—Powered parachute sea. PRACTICAL TEST—Flight test administered by an  FAA examiner or designated examiner as a pre- requisite for pilot certification. Successful comple- tion of the practical test is required to earn a pilot  certificate or rating. PRACTICAL TEST STANDARDS (PTS)—An FAA  published document of standards that must be met  for the issuance of a particular pilot certificate or  rating. FAA inspectors and designated pilot exam- iners use these standards when conducting pilot  practical tests, and flight instructors use the PTS  while preparing applicants for practical tests. PREFLIGHT INSPECTION—Aircraft inspection  conducted to determine if an aircraft is mechani- cally and legally airworthy. PRESSURE ALTITUDE—The altitude indicated  when the altimeter setting window (barometric  scale) is adjusted to 29.92. This is the altitude  above the standard datum plane, which is a  theoretical plane where air pressure (corrected  to 15ºC) equals 29.92 in. Hg. Pressure altitude is  used to compute density altitude, true altitude, true  airspeed, and other performance data. PRIVATE AIRPORT—Airport that is privately  owned and not available to the public without  prior permission. They are depicted on aeronauti- cal charts for emergency and landmark purposes. PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE—An FAA-issued  pilot certificate permitting carriage of passengers  on a not-for-hire basis. Reference 14 CFR part 61. PROFICIENCY CHECK—An evaluation of aero- nautical knowledge and flight proficiency. Refer- ence part 61. Upon successful completion of the  proficiency check the authorized instructor will  endorse the applicant’s logbook indicating the  added category/class of equipment that the appli- cant is authorized to operate. PROPELLER—A device for propelling an aircraft  that, when rotated, produces by its action on the  air, a thrust approximately perpendicular to its  plane of rotation. It includes the control compo- nents normally supplied by its manufacturer. PROPELLER BLAST—The volume of air acceler- ated behind a propeller producing thrust. PTS—See PRACTICAL TEST STANDARDS. PUBLIC AIRPORT—Airport that is available to the  aviation public. PUSHER CONFIGURATION—Propeller configura- tion where the propeller shaft faces the rear of the  aircraft. Thrust produced by the propeller pushes  the aircraft, rather than pulling it. RAM-AIR WING—Also known as a parafoil. An  airfoil designed with an aerodynamic cell structure  which is inflated by the wind, forming a classic  wing cross-section that generates lift. RECIPROCATING ENGINE—An engine that  converts the heat energy from burning fuel into  the reciprocating movement of the pistons. This  movement is converted into a rotary motion by the  connecting rods and crankshaft. REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE—A federal cer- tificate that documents aircraft ownership. RELATIVE WIND—The direction the wind strikes  an airfoil. RIBS—The parts of an aircraft wing structure that  give the wing its aerodynamic cross section.  Fabric covers the ribs and gives the PPC wing its  airfoil shape. RISERS—One of several straps that attach the cart  to the suspension lines. Sometimes referred to as  “V lines,” risers are the intermediate link between  the suspension lines and the aircraft. RISK ELEMENTS—The four fundamental areas of  exposure to risk: the pilot, the aircraft, the envi- ronment, and the type of operation that comprise  any given aviation situation. RISK MANAGEMENT—The part of the decision  making process which relies on situational aware- ness, problem recognition, and good judgment to  reduce risks associated with each flight. ROLL—The rotation of an aircraft about its longitu- dinal axis. ROUNDOUT (FLARE)—A pitch-up during landing  approach to reduce rate of descent and forward  speed prior to touchdown. RPM—Revolutions per minute. A measure of rota- tional speed. One RPM is one revolution made in  one minute. RUNWAY—A defined rectangular area on a land  airport prepared for the landing and takeoff run  of aircraft along its length. Runways are normally  numbered in relation to their magnetic direction  rounded off to the nearest 10 degrees; e.g., Run- way 1, Runway 25. G-8