mngtsystem
Well-Known Member
Any good ideas on how to get the sight picture right? - Seems this is a basic and fundamental step. Once you have the sight picture for straight and level, how to get it in turns, etc? Thanks for your input.
Sight Picture
- Thread starter mngtsystem
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Ollie
Well-Known Member
It just takes a conscious effort and repetition of the maneuvers until you've got it figured out. Make some mental notes on the relationship between the horizon and various points on the aircraft's structure such as wingtips, cowlings, spinners, the prop arc, etc. Starting on the ground, get your seat set the way you like it and take note of the three point landing attitude. Do the same during each phase of flight and before you know it you'll have it all figured out.
"The horizon is eye level." ~Stick and Rudder
This statement taught me more about basic flight than any tip to this day. Two things occur when you are at level flight:
1) The horizon has the appearance of normalcy. A condition even the laymen can clearly distinguish.
2) Your butt feels 1G, or it feels what it has felt the majority of its life when you've sat on the ground.
Have you ever noticed an early students tendency to decent when entering a turn? Ever wonder if it is their unconscious seeking for 1G flight that causes it? I have, and I think it does.
Anyways, if you want to get a guy/gal flying straight and level inside of a few minutes tell them to make it look at feel comfortable. Explain that the horizon will sit at eye level, like it has their entire life. Next show them how manipulating the elevator changes the pressure on their butt. I've had 100 percent success with this thus far.
Notice: I always trim straight and level for this demonstration. Let the student contend with trim after they understand this concept IMO.
This statement taught me more about basic flight than any tip to this day. Two things occur when you are at level flight:
1) The horizon has the appearance of normalcy. A condition even the laymen can clearly distinguish.
2) Your butt feels 1G, or it feels what it has felt the majority of its life when you've sat on the ground.
Have you ever noticed an early students tendency to decent when entering a turn? Ever wonder if it is their unconscious seeking for 1G flight that causes it? I have, and I think it does.
Anyways, if you want to get a guy/gal flying straight and level inside of a few minutes tell them to make it look at feel comfortable. Explain that the horizon will sit at eye level, like it has their entire life. Next show them how manipulating the elevator changes the pressure on their butt. I've had 100 percent success with this thus far.
Notice: I always trim straight and level for this demonstration. Let the student contend with trim after they understand this concept IMO.
js0305
Well-Known Member
jasoN534ER
Well-Known Member
There is a method that, if the Instructor hasn't used it, I wouldn't advise teaching it.
On pre-flight, stand directly behind the airplane so the vertical tail is centered with the tip of the spinner. Look out ahead of where this imaginary line draws out, until it meets some object farther out in front of the airplane. When you get into the plane, adjust your seat, and sit keeping your head where it will be the entire flight, then, without leaning, mark a vertical line with a grease pencil on the windscreen where that object appears, so that can be your 'straight ahead' point. Then, when you are at a level part of the airport (if you have a very long taxiway) draw a line where the horizon appears (through, and perpendicular to, the vertical line). Using this as a number one reference point will give you immediate feedback on airplane pitch and will help the student with rudder coordination greatly.
There is a whole lot more explanation to get into with this method; things like knowing pitch and power settings for all stages of flight, and how the number one reference point will help students in maintaining altitude before seeing some sort of trend on the VSI. It assists them in knowing where their pitch and bank should be in level flight/normal turns/traffic patterns/steep turns...
Not a lot of people use this method, and it is actually really helpful.
On pre-flight, stand directly behind the airplane so the vertical tail is centered with the tip of the spinner. Look out ahead of where this imaginary line draws out, until it meets some object farther out in front of the airplane. When you get into the plane, adjust your seat, and sit keeping your head where it will be the entire flight, then, without leaning, mark a vertical line with a grease pencil on the windscreen where that object appears, so that can be your 'straight ahead' point. Then, when you are at a level part of the airport (if you have a very long taxiway) draw a line where the horizon appears (through, and perpendicular to, the vertical line). Using this as a number one reference point will give you immediate feedback on airplane pitch and will help the student with rudder coordination greatly.
There is a whole lot more explanation to get into with this method; things like knowing pitch and power settings for all stages of flight, and how the number one reference point will help students in maintaining altitude before seeing some sort of trend on the VSI. It assists them in knowing where their pitch and bank should be in level flight/normal turns/traffic patterns/steep turns...
Not a lot of people use this method, and it is actually really helpful.
Not to say you're wrong, because that's a valuable technique you mentioned, but I've noticed the opposite in some students - they think turns should feel more dramatic than they do, and end up pitching up too much as a result.
Agreed, I'm not referring to all students. I'm also only talking about the turns prior to you telling them about G-force. Apologies if that wasn't clear.