Flight Lesson 4

Flight Environment – Inside and Outside the cockpit – Airport Introduction – Normal takeoffs/departures, Flight Operations. Ground lesson 4 should be completed before this flight lesson.

Objective

For the student to become proficient in the four basics of flight and trimming procedures. The student will also be introduced to slow flight procedures and start working with the views.

Assignment for this lesson

  • Read and understand FAA Airplane Flying Handbook book Chapter “5. Takeoff and Departure Climbs” as specified in “HPTS Sport Pilot Guide of What to Study,” page 118 in this book
  • Watch the Learn to Fly DVD Section 3 and answer DVD fill-in-the-blank questions.
  • Seaplane only: Read and understand FAA-H-8083-23 Seaplane Operations Handbook Chapter 4 starting with Takeoffs page 4-10 to the end of chapter.

Content

Same as the previous lessons

  • Set up the airplane to be at the Carson City Airport Terminal. Release brake and start by taxing out north to the taxiway. Taxi slow enough to maintain control, take a right and taxi down to the run up area of runway 27. Stop and do a run with a checklist from the manufacturers flight simulator model (if available) or the real airplane or the generic checklists listed on this site. After run up enter the runway and takeoff.
  • New – Here you are going to do a controlled takeoff by keeping it in the middle of the runway, rotate at the proper sped (typically 60 knots), and maintaining 60 in your climb +/- 10 knots. Climb at 60 knots (or what ever the recommended climb speed is for the airplane).
  • Turn left, gently 90 degree turn, maintaining 60 knots until you get to a 180 degree heading directly south.
  • Keep climbing to 7000 feet MSL than level out and reduce throttle to maintain 70 knots. Here you maintain 7000 foot altitude, 70 knots airspeed and a 180 degree south heading.
  • New – Adjust the trim on the stick (usually to the right side of the stick) so there is no stick pressure forward and backward where you can let go of the stick and it flies at the same 70 knot speed. You may need to trim the roll also to it flies straight. Maintain altitude within +/- 200 feet, heading within 20 degrees and new airspeed +/- 10 knots, with the trim only. Continue on this track for about 5 minutes. fly straight and level within the tolerances. The objective is to fly generally straight and level within these tolerances for 5 minutes only using the trim.
  • New – Start looking at your different views so you can see out the front of the airplane. Typically you go into the 3D/virtual view and move the eye point up and maybe back so you can see out the front better. Pan to the sides and back to the front. Get comfortable with looking outside more but still be able to see the instruments. Start looking outside more and just glancing down at the instruments as a check to see if you are maintaining altitude, airspeed and direction.
  • New – Start slowing down the airplane first to 60 knots, stabelize at this speed and adjust the throttle to miantain altitude, than slow down to 50 knots and stabelize and adjust the throttle to maintain altitude, than slow down to minimum controlled airspeed (typically around 40 knots depending on the airplane) and maintain altitude with the throttle.
  • New – At Minimum controlled airspeed make a very gentle turn (about 20 degrees) to the left to a 90 degree heading. Maintain the 90 degree heading for 1 minute and than make a gentle right hand turn (about 20 degrees) to the south at 180 degree heading.
  • Speed back up to your trim speed which should still be at 70 knots. Make a gentle (about 20 degrees bank) to all the way back to the north heading of 0/360 degrees (180 degree heading change).
  • New, If you have flaps, slow to the speed allowable for letting the flaps down (inside the white mark on the airspeed indicator) and put on full flaps.
  • Start slowing down the airplane first to 60 knots, stabilize at this speed and adjust the throttle to maintain altitude, than slow down to 50 knots and stabilize and adjust the throttle to maintain altitude, than slow down to minimum controlled airspeed with full flaps (typically around 40 knots depending on the airplane) and maintain altitude with the throttle.
  • New – At Minimum controlled airspeed make a very gentle turn (about 20 degrees bank) to the left to a 270 degree heading. Maintain the 270 heading for 1 minute and than make a gentle right hand turn (about 20 degrees) to the north at the 0/360 degree heading.
  • Speed back up to your trim speed as you put the flaps back to the flight position.which should still be at 70 knots.
  • This is the end/completion of lesson 4. Practice this as many times as necessary to do it within the tolerances specified.

____ Student normal takeoff and departure at proper climb speeds

____ Trimming

____ Slow flight with no flaps and full flaps

____ Collision avoidance with new views over the nose and side to side

Completion Standards

This lesson is complete when the student can maintain flight within 200 feet altitude, 20 degrees heading, and +/-10 knots airspeed, while performing the four basics of flight and the maneuvers listed in the content of this module.

Also the student must be proficient in the art of trimming, post-flight operations, and be oriented with slow flight.