Teaching straight and level

RiddlePilot

RiddlePilot

New Member
I've just started my CFI initial, and I just had a pretty tough question posed to me on my first flight. While flying level at 9000, my instructor asks "so how would you explain this pitch attitude to a student?" My answer: "uhhh". I realized that I couldn't answer the question. I just kind of "do it."

My instructor explained a good way to teach this, but I'd like to hear some other CFI's ideas on explaining something this easy. Thoughts?
 
fingers on the dash for pitch and the close-to-identical positions of each wingtip on the horizon is the method i was taught and is the method which the CFI instructors here seem to "understand."
 
Straight:
o three points make a straight line (the airplane being the third). have two landmarks in front of you to follow at all times, you are going straight.
o the horizon line out the front is level, not banked
o the wing tips are equidistant from the horizon on the sides

Level
o you develop a view of what the airplane's nose position is in relation to the horizon (I avoid specifics because it's different in each airplane. Even within the same type, the seat positions can be very different.
o the wing tips are in the level flight position (not up or down)
 
Well since no one else is gonna chime in I will. Command Performance is the only way to teach VFR flying because it keeps the student's damn eyes out of the cockpit. I experimented a little bit with this and realized that if on the first couple flights I took a dry erase marker with me and trimmed the airplane for straight and level then had the student put a mark on the windscreen directly between their eyes and the horizon they could target straight and level more aggressively. Then I would stop letting them use it after they started working on slow flight-ish and now I can just say, "CLIMB", "DESCENT" or "STRAIGHT AND LEVEL" and they can go right to it. Now whether or not they can hold it long term is subject to discussion but...
a) That's not my fault and...
b) That's their problem

Another thing...do your student's the favor of utilizing the law of effect by covering up their 6 pack with soap dish covers and let them fly the airplane. Prove to them it's possible to keep an aircraft in level, safe flight without the use of the attitude indicator. Then uncover the altitmeter every now and then and prove that they're on altitude. I sometimes only give my students an altimeter when they're in the pattern...works good. But I digress...as far as the straight and level talking points go...

1) Pitch the aircraft to the approximate sight picture that you had taxiing the aircraft on the ground (works great in the arrow)
2) Set your power to a normal cruise power setting
3) Make small control pressure changes while dividing attention between the relative distance between the dash and the horizon while monitoring change on the altimeter
4) Adjust trim to compensate for any consistent control pressures
5) Divide attention 80% outside and 20% inside (for those of you that USE your instruments) and compensate accordingly outside.

That's the way I do it...otherwise yell, scream, cheat and cry until they find it.
bandit.gif
 
One of my instructors used to give me only the airspeed indicator and altimeter.....I became a much better pilot because of it. You really learn the method of pitch + power = performance.
 
Tallboy covered it as well as any I have heard. Straight and level IS and should ALWAYS be taught and learned as a 100% outside the airplane concept. The instruments just support your decision on pitch attitude. First, have the student try from the first lesson to establish a routine seat position in the aircraft, because if that doesn't change, neither will the level flight pitch attitude. Then do just as Tallboy said, and from the first time you show them level flight, make them memorize what the picture out the window looks like. I always say something like "For me, the cowling is six inches below the horizon right now", then I ask them "What do you see?" If you get them thinking like that from the beginning, things will fall into place nicely. Now, I have only been instructing about 5 months now, but I have never had a problem with this method. Give it a try.
 
I was given the airspeed, altimeter and the VSI. Too many people fail to teach the student that the VSI and altimeter go hand in hand. I am sure someone is going to chime in and say "the VSI is a trend inst." and the student will chase it. My instructor ALWAYS pointed at the altimeter and VSI at the same time with two fingers. Especially in the pattern. If the student understands the VSI, they will catch the altitude deviation sooner and their scan of the instruments in the pattern or at altitude will improve greatly.

Two pennies....ILS
 
I'll bite.

The altimeter is a lot more accurate for altitude deviations, so I was told largly to ignore the VSI because it can take so long to actually start working, where the altimeter is instantaneous (or nearly so). The VSI has it's role, but to me it's has nothing to do with straight and level flight.

Cheers


John Herreshoff
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'll bite.

The altimeter is a lot more accurate for altitude deviations, so I was told largly to ignore the VSI because it can take so long to actually start working, where the altimeter is instantaneous (or nearly so). The VSI has it's role, but to me it's has nothing to do with straight and level flight.

Cheers


John Herreshoff

[/ QUOTE ]

Unless you have an IVSI
smile.gif
 
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