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Heading Indicator
Use 45 degree markers on heading indicator to fly 45 degree intercepts to airways, runways and 45 degree holding pattern entries. Common procedure is to only set HI in level un-accelerated flight. Setting the HI should be part of every instrument approach checklist but especially the NDB approaches.

Even if the heading indicator perfect it could not compensate for the precession caused by latitude. .This is the effect that latitude has to induce a constant rate of precession for the latitude. Practically all great circle routes are of a constant setting. Magnetic variation is not adjusted in an ordinary heading indicator but can be self correcting if aircraft is equipped with a gyro compass..

IFR Flying
A single instrument usually provides the best information for a maneuver. The use of secondary instruments is a MUST to provide the required redundancy to verify the validity of the primary instrument. The eyes must flick stop and flick from instrument to instrument. Any references to charts of paper should not exceed 3-seconds. Learn to improvise and deal with what you have where you have it. Control changes are made by finger pressure. IFR control input is by pressure not movement.

Straight and Level
Bank Pitch Power
HI, TC, AI, Alt, VSI Controls airspeed
If power is not a variable then airspeed indicator is a pitch control.
Practice
Changing speed from cruise, to low cruise, to slow flight, full flap slow flight and back again while maintaining headings and altitude.

Rate Turns
Bank Pitch Power
AI then TC, AI VSI, altimeter, AI Constant airspeed with throttle.
Practice
Cover AI for and HI well into exercise and use clock and compass to make variety of turns up to 360 degrees. Compass headings of 180 will allow you to keep wings level.

Advice
There are subtle difference in making airspeed maneuvers. If you are fast, slow or just right, in level-flight make power raise or lower the nose for you. Trim after the attitude/airspeed is acquired. Leveling off is done by leading by10% of the climb rate or descent rate.

IFR Steep Turns
Practice with both full and partial panel
--Roll into steep turn
--Use VSI for pitch because of its sensitivity
--Altimeter lag will make holding pitch/altitude more difficult.
--Lock arm and elbow
--Increase power as needed
--Rollout requires immediate forward pressure and rudder application
--Advanced practice would be doing 360s or 720s linked in both left and right turns

Altitude Control
As with full panel instrument flight, partial panel flight requires that the pilot be able to fly using pitch, power, and trim in such a way that achieving and maintaining level flight can be done using known performance factors of the aircraft. Once flying the airplane is not part of the IFR problem then the pilot can use the instruments to achieve desired performance. Partial panel flight control can only be reached using the mind and eyes while interpreting instruments. The lighter the touch the better.

In level flight the altimeter is an indirect indication of pitch attitude being level. Any rate change in the altimeter up or down is an indirect indication of a climb or pitch attitude with constant power. The pilot must learn to interpret the rate of movement as an indicator of attitude. What we wish to achieve is slow movement caused by gentle changes. Any effort to react abruptly will result in over-control. The pitch change occurs immediately but the instruments have delayed reactions. Always make pitch changes slowly and smoothly. These will get the plane where you want it with positive control. Your reaction to an altitude deviation should be a slight change in pressure designed to slow down the needle movement. If the needle reacts abruptly too much pressure has been used. The slower the needle moves the closer the aircraft is to the desired attitude.

Using the vertical speed indicator as a direct indicator of pitch attitude can lead to abrupt over-control or chasing of the needle. This is a most common student error since the VSI needle tends to be quite active. The VSI is a trend as well as a rate instrument. Once again, only very light control pressures can be used successfully to stabilize the VSI.

Rate Altitude Changes
Climb
--
In straight and level change to climb ias
--Use power (full) to get 500 fpm climb
--Adjust pitch for airspeed
--Primary for pitch is VSI
--Airspeed is primary for power
--Coordinate pitch and power for performance

Descent
--
Reduce power for 500 fpm descent (-Five rpm for five fpm)
--Adjust pitch for constant ias
--Ias is primary for pitch until VSI is 500 fpm descent
--VSI becomes primary pitch
--Power primary for airspeed
--Coordinate pitch and power for performance.

Airspeed Climbs
Constant power and airspeed. From cruise, raise nose, then power, then trim. Airspeed is primary pitch.

Airspeed Descents
Power for airspeed to make airspeed primary for airspeed. IAS and VSI for pitch.

Level Off
Altimeter for pitch, power for airspeed. (Do not reduce power until reaching desired airspeed.)

To fly well you must master these basic maneuvers. Though never written into the PTS there are several identical pilot control applications that coordinate pitch and power to achieve needed performance. Most control applications require that the pilot anticipate errors because the corrections required are apparent.
power for airspeed. (do not reduce power until reaching desired airspeed.

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