PTS Hood Flying Straight and Level Flight Constant Airspeed Climbs Constant Airspeed Descents Turns to Headings

Contents:

IX. AREA OF OPERATION - FLIGHT BY REFERENCE TO INSTRUMENTS
A. Task:
STRAIGHT-AND-LEVEL FLIGHT
REFERENCES: AC 61-27, AC 61-23

INSTRUMENT MANEUVERS PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS
Within + 200 feet of altitude, 20 degrees of heading, and 10 knots of airspeed. Straight and level, constant airspeed climbs and descents with turns to headings.

P 1. Exhibits knowledge of the elements related to attitude instrument flying during straight-and-level flight.
P 2. Flies straight-and-level with only reference to instruments. Uses basic crosscheck interpretation, scan, trim, control for straight and level flight using instruments only. Smooth coordinated control
P 3. Maintains altitude + 200', heading + 20 degree, airspeed + 10 knots.

EX Primary instruments are heading indicator, attitude indicator and airspeed. Secondary are turn coordinator, altimeter, vertical speed indicator, and power. A light touch on controls of properly trimmed aircraft is a necessity. The basic skill of VFR trimmed for straight and level is essential. Trim must be set in anticipation for acceleration/deceleration and then fine-tuned. A full fist grip on the yoke makes it difficult/impossible to feel yoke pressures requiring trim. A properly trimmed IFR aircraft requires a locked-elbow light finger pressure pilot. Changes in power, however slight require re-trimming. You might note the location of the trim indicator as a reference index.

It is important that the eyes not fixate but keep moving. Use the top center markings of the attitude indicator to level the aircraft. If a wing is low you are turning. If you find yourself in a turn, first level the wings and then enter the correcting turn. The correcting turn should be set on the attitude indicator for a standard rate according to airspeed. A C-150 at cruise will be about 12 degrees; in slow flight only 10 degrees of bank. Check your bank against the turn coordinator to see if it is standard rate.

As a beginner you might try using a count system for returning to desired heading. If you are 10 degrees off, enter a 10-degree bank for a 4 count and level off, for 20 degrees count 8 etc. You must be aware that VFR banks are usually steeper than IFR with greater back pressure required. For this reason, inexperience under the hood tends to cause over banking and climbs. Just as how you hold a Ping-Pong paddle will set limits to proficiency, so will how you hold the yoke. Keep it light.

See instructional material on hood.

B. Task:
CONSTANT AIRSPEED CLIMBS
REFERENCES: AC 61-21, AC 61-27

INSTRUMENT MANEUVERS PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS
Within + 200 feet of altitude, 20 degrees of heading, and 10 knots of airspeed. Straight and level, constant airspeed climbs and descents with turns to headings.

P 1. Knows basic instrument interpretation, scan, trim, and control for straight, constant speed climbs.
P 2. Will establish the specified climb configuration by the examiner.
P 3. Transitions to the climb pitch attitude and power setting on an assigned heading using proper instrument cross-check and interpretations, and coordinated control application.
P 4. Demonstrates climbs solely by reference to instruments at a constant airspeed to specific altitudes in straight flight.
P 5. Levels off at the assigned altitude and maintains that altitude + 200'; maintains heading + 20 degree, maintains airspeed + 10 knots.

EX Explain how instruments will appear initially and when established. Discuss control applications and inputs required to hold airspeed and heading.

From level trimmed cruise flight, raise nose 1/2 BAR on attitude indicator, apply full power and right rudder trim down one full turn. Increase rate of scan to cover top index of attitude indicator and heading indicator. Correct by count system suggested above. Check airspeed and fine trim as required. Do not fixate. During any change deliberately increase your rate of scan. To level off, first lead altitude by about 50 feet, center BAR trim up one and hold altitude/ BAR while plane accelerates. Rudder pressure is best for heading control initially. Fine trim as required at cruise power. Instructor may be moving seat to affect trim. Distractions are allowed. A well-trimmed plane will not get too far off. Do not let yourself be hurried. If you "lose it" level the wings; turn to heading, climb/descend to altitude. As a beginner do not try to do two of these at once. Fly with a light touch and trim for feel. A change in sound is one of the first and best clues you have when things are changing. Listen carefully; learn the sound of your plane.

C. Task:
CONSTANT AIRSPEED DESCENTS
REFERENCES: AC 61-21, AC 61-27

P 1. Knows and can discuss basic instrument interpretation, scan, trim, and control for straight, constant speed descents.
P 2. Establishes the descent configuration specified by the examiner.
P 3. Transitions to the descent pitch attitude and power setting on an assigned heading using the proper instrument cross-check and interpretation, and coordinated control applications.
P 4. Demonstrates descents solely by reference to instruments at a constant airspeed to specific altitudes in straight flight.
P 5. Levels off and maintains assigned altitude + 200', heading + 20 degrees, and airspeed + 10 knots.

EX Explain how BAR will read differently if aircraft descends at cruise Vs nose high slow flight. Know how to determine minimum/maximum altitudes.

At cruise speed the easiest descent is made by Carb Heat and 100 RPM changes in power to select the desired rate of descent. Be careful not to over-react by making power and yoke changes together. Be patient and let the plane settle down after making a change. Remember to increase your scan rate. A half BAR will give about 500 feet per minute. If the descent is called for at 60 knots, set power and trim as for landing from level cruise, let the plane slow down to 60 by holding altitude. At 60 ease up on the yoke and maintain 60 just as for landing. Don't hurry. Keep a light touch and fine trim as required.

Minimum altitudes are determined by the FAR's or may be assigned by ATC.

1. Absolute minimum altitude is that which will permit a safe landing.
2. 500' clear of people in farm areas.
3. 1000' in populated areas.
4. One foot over Class D airspace.
5. There is no minimum in an emergency or with intent to land.

6. Maximum altitudes may be assigned by ATC.

7. 700' in magenta area and 1200' in blue areas where visibility of 3 miles and proper cloud clearance cannot be maintained.
8. The best way to understand how this really works is to make a SVFR flight with an instructor. Radio and transponder requirements enter in at higher altitudes.

D. TASK:
TURNS TO HEADINGS
REFERENCES: AC 61-21, AC 61-27

P 1. Knows and can discuss basic instrument interpretation, scan, trim, and control for turns to headings
P 2. Transitions to the level-turn attitude using proper instrument crosscheck and interpretation and coordinated control application.
P 3. Demonstrates turns to headings solely by reference to instruments.
-- Maintains altitude + 200', maintains assigned final heading + 20-degrees,
--Maintains airspeed + 10 knots. 25 degree bank under the hood is disqualifying in first edition of test.

EX Explain that the higher your speed the greater degree of bank required to make a standard rate turn.

At cruise, in a C-150 about 12 degrees on the attitude indicator will approximate a standard rate turn. Use 1/2 the angle of bank as the lead to catch a desired heading. If improper rudder pressure is applied during or after the turn the yoke input pressures required to execute will be improper, also.

Practice making 30-second standard rate turns from cardinal headings. Do the turns by time and the turn coordinator. You may find that the turn coordinator markings are not accurate. Once you have established the turn coordinator setting relate that to the degrees of bank on the attitude indicator. You should calibrate each aircraft you fly in this manner for more precise flying. In any event, set the bank on the attitude indicator according to your airspeed, check the turn coordinator and keep a light touch. Experience has shown that any time a VFR pilot puts more than one finger behind the yoke while on instruments he will exert climb pressure.

During a turn under the hood the first sign of things going wrong will be a change in sound. Deliberately increase the speed of your scan just before entering a turn and when leveling out. It helps to develop a sense as to how many degrees that your assigned turn has. This makes it possible to eliminate the heading indicator from your scan for a period of time during the turn and bringing it back when it is about time to level off.

When you level off from a turn you will frequently succumb to the tendency to turn back in the other direction and gaining altitude. This is a normal reaction to your inner ear sensors. Prevention is easiest accomplished by momentarily locking on to the top index of the attitude indicator and scanning it with the turn coordinator. This gives the inner ear time to settle down. Then resume normal scan. Small heading changes can best be made by a count system. For a ten degree correction, enter a 10-degree bank on the attitude indicator, count 3 or 4, and level off. Remember the rudder.

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