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  • Chapter 6, Section I: Airplane Attitude Instrument Flying › Learning Methods › Pitch Control

    Attitude Instrument Flying Using the Primary and Supporting Method Another basic method for teaching attitude instrument flying classifies the instruments as they relate to control function, as well as aircraft performance. All maneuvers involve some degree of motion about ... lateral (pitch), longitudinal (bank/ roll), and vertical (yaw) axes. Attitude control is stressed in this handbook in terms of pitch control, bank control, power control, and trim control. Instruments are grouped as they relate to control function and aircraft performance…

  • Chapter 6: Flight Controls › Flight Control Systems › Primary Flight Controls

    Flight Control Systems Flight Controls Aircraft flight control systems consist of primary and secondary systems. The ailerons, elevator (or stabilator), and rudder constitute the primary control system and are required to control an aircraft safely during flight. Wing flaps, leading ... edge devices, spoilers, and trim systems constitute the secondary control system and improve the performance characteristics of the airplane or relieve the pilot of excessive control forces. Primary Flight Controls Aircraft control systems are carefully designed to provide adequate responsiveness…

  • Chapter 6, Section I: Airplane Attitude Instrument Flying › Learning Methods › Aircraft Control During Instrument Flight

    Trim (fine tune the control forces) until control pressures are neutralized. Trimming for hands-off flight is essential for smooth, precise aircraft control. Figure 6-2. Performance instruments. Figure 6-3. Navigation instruments. It allows a pilot to attend ... other flight deck duties with minimum deviation from the desired attitude. 3. Cross-check the performance instruments to determine if the established attitude or power setting is providing the desired performance. The cross-check involves both seeing and interpreting…

  • Chapter 7, Section I: Airplane Basic Flight Maneuvers › Unusual Attitudes and Recoveries › Recovery from Unusual Attitudes

    Recognizing Unusual Attitudes As a general rule, any time an instrument rate of movement or indication other than those associated with the basic instrument flight maneuvers is noted, assume an unusual attitude and increase the speed of cross-check ... confirm the attitude, instrument error, or instrument malfunction. Nose-high attitudes are shown by the rate and direction of movement of the altimeter needle, vertical speed needle, and airspeed needle, as well as the immediately recognizable indication of the attitude…

  • Chapter 8: Helicopter Attitude Instrument Flying › Instrument Flight › Aircraft Control

    Aircraft Control Controlling a helicopter is the result of accurately interpreting the flight instruments and translating these readings into correct control responses. Aircraft control involves adjustment to pitch, bank, power, and trim in order to achieve a desired flight path ... Pitch attitude control is controlling the movement of the helicopter about its lateral axis. After interpreting the helicopter’s pitch attitude by reference to the pitch instruments (attitude indicator, altimeter, airspeed indicator, and vertical speed indicator (VSI)), cyclic control adjustments…

  • Chapter 8: Helicopter Attitude Instrument Flying › Unusual Attitudes

    Unusual Attitudes Any maneuver not required for normal helicopter instrument flight is an unusual attitude and may be caused by any one or combination of factors, such as turbulence, disorientation, instrument failure, confusion, preoccupation with flight deck duties, carelessness ... cross-checking, errors in instrument interpretation, or lack of proficiency in aircraft control. Due to the instability characteristics of the helicopter, unusual attitudes can be extremely critical. As soon as an unusual attitude is detected, make a recovery to straight…