[Question] Hand on the throttle at ALL TIMES?

Honestly, I'm a "hands off" kind of guy most of the time. It also depends on what kind of airplane I'm flying. In the 1900, my hand came off the power-lever at V1, in the Navajo, it comes off the throttles when I retract the gear, in the PC-12 it comes off when retract the gear, in the Caravan it comes off after an aborted takeoff is no longer practical/possible. I remember when flying the 206/207 that I'd set it and the friction lock and use both hands on the yoke. In the Cherokee 6 I'd set the power, engage the friction lock, then use the johnson bar to pick the airplane up. Nothing really kills you so fast that you need to have your hand on the throttle all the time - I think that's stupid.

Edit to add: Also, I've done a lot of low-level work in light piston airplanes and one thing stands out in my mind - I almost never had my hand on the throttle, even at "nap of the earth." Set the power, set the friction lock, and keep your engine instruments in your scan (also, just pay attention to the seat of your pants) and enjoy!
 
When I was instructing, I taught hand on throttle to primary students for the entire flight, until they learned to fly the airplane with one hand. I always told them once you can habitually fly the airplane with your left hand alone, your right hand can do whatever it wants to, be it on your knee, on the throttle, sipping a cola, or jerkin the gherkin.

In the PC-12 my hand is off the PCL pretty much from gear retraction to gear extension but I do make minor adjustments, usually though in that airplane when you're adjusting the PCL you're making very small adjustments gripping the base of the lever rather than the handle itself.

I will say this about the PC-12, at the faster airspeeds (+200 knots) if I'm hand flying it is usually with both hands because ours are the older generation without the servo tabs on the ailerons, so roll control is pretty heavy, and the trim motor can be a little bit slow sometimes.
 
DBrown said:
I see your hand on the throttle during takeoff and raise you a Cessna seat track AD....:stir:

Next we'll be debating high wing vs low wing
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You're most likely to slide right at rotation, in which case you're better off sliding back with your hand on the throttle than not. Also, with all the additional AD requirements on those things you have to be flying a real poopbox AND be utterly careless with checking your seat to have issues. IMHO if they are maintained per the AD you won't have issues, it's when mechs either don't understand the AD, don't read it fully, or plain old pencil whip it that you have problems.
 
kingck said:
so i have a question retaining to flight training ive gone through a few CFI's now and ive noticed one thing that grinds the hell out of my gears some of the CFI's tell me i have to keep one hand on the throttle the ENTIRE flights, now sure i get the one hand on the throttle rule for landings/takeoffs but in level cruise?! anyone else here have a CFI do something similar or if any of you are CFI care to shine some light on this situation.
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What aircraft are we talking about? I was taught to always keep my hand on the throttle in R22, cause she gives like 1.6 seconds to enter auto after the engine failure or you're dead... So yeah I sure do keep it on the throttle all the time.

But not in the airplanes that's just nonsense. I was taught and I now teach my students to keep it on the throttle below 700' AGL unless they need their right hand for something else like retracting the gear or flaps or smth.
 
hammerhat said:
What aircraft are we talking about? I was taught to always keep my hand on the throttle in R22, cause she gives like 1.6 seconds to enter auto after the engine failure or you're dead... So yeah I sure do keep it on the throttle all the time.

But not in the airplanes that's just nonsense. I was taught and I now teach my students to keep it on the throttle below 700' AGL unless they need their right hand for something else like retracting the gear or flaps or smth.
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Why?
 
I get what atn is saying, but I can't verify that my student isn't going to go fly a pos that allows the throttle to slide back on climb out (rented somewhere else). I have students keep a hand on the throttle until we can safely deal with a unexpected throttle reduction.
 
Monk said:
I get what atn is saying, but I can't verify that my student isn't going to go fly a pos that allows the throttle to slide back on climb out (rented somewhere else).
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Who cares? Are you not teaching them to keep an eye on their airspeed and their engine instruments? And BTW, if you can't tell the difference in engine sound when the throttle reduces on a piston prop plane, even with DC headclamps on, then you probably shouldn't hold a medical certificate.

Sorry, but this is just a stupid tradition that keeps getting handed down. Stop the madness!
 
I care, people are stupid ( not any of you people, it those other people!), and anything I can do to mitigate that stupidity is good.
 
I am currently rethinking my position....
Anyone have a dpe that Insist on this? ( hand on throttle until...x)
 
Roger Roger said:
You're most likely to slide right at rotation, in which case you're better off sliding back with your hand on the throttle than not. Also, with all the additional AD requirements on those things you have to be flying a real poopbox AND be utterly careless with checking your seat to have issues. IMHO if they are maintained per the AD you won't have issues, it's when mechs either don't understand the AD, don't read it fully, or plain old pencil whip it that you have problems.
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Roger Roger said:
You're most likely to slide right at rotation, in which case you're better off sliding back with your hand on the throttle than not. Also, with all the additional AD requirements on those things you have to be flying a real poopbox AND be utterly careless with checking your seat to have issues. IMHO if they are maintained per the AD you won't have issues, it's when mechs either don't understand the AD, don't read it fully, or plain old pencil whip it that you have problems.
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:stir::stir::stir::stir::stir:

I was being ironic...and stirring the pot, because the argument is about as valid as low wing vs high wing.
Different strokes for different folks.

I personally teach HOT until 500' on takeoff and after turning on final.
Any other time is a waste IMO
 
Roger Roger said:
You're most likely to slide right at rotation, in which case you're better off sliding back with your hand on the throttle than not. Also, with all the additional AD requirements on those things you have to be flying a real poopbox AND be utterly careless with checking your seat to have issues. IMHO if they are maintained per the AD you won't have issues, it's when mechs either don't understand the AD, don't read it fully, or plain old pencil whip it that you have problems.
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One could easily argue that power idle and full back stick at rotation speed is a very bad situation.
 
Roger Roger said:
Not nearly as bad as full power and back stick right at rotation.
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Arguably

I agree with you, I teach it that way, but I see it both ways, if a seats sliding and my hands off the throttle at V1 I reach my right hand to the seat adjuster, simultaneously yanking with my left hand that's already at the elevator stop, catapult myself forward, push stick forward and recover (had full power the whole time and extra time before a stall)

If your hand was on the throttle and it was pulled to idle
You lose that extra thrust and time

During takeoff and landing what else are you doing with your other hand anyway? If the answer isn't "nothing" you aren't prepared to land or takeoff

I taped a students hand to a throttle once because he just wouldn't stop flying 2 handed.
 
Roger Roger said:
Not nearly as bad as full power and back stick right at rotation.
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Depends on what you are flying :D


As far as the hand on the throttle, it depends on what I'm flying.

If the airplane has a published decision speed, hand off at V1.

Light twin or retract, hand off after gear and/or flaps up. Hand on the throttle(s) is my own subtle reminder to clean the airplane up and if my hands are off the throttle quadrant, I'm clean and climbing.

In my airplane, I generally keep my hand on the throttle until ~200 AGL.

As for landing... Inside the FAF on an instrument approach or after the first major power reduction in the pattern for landing.
 
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