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Turns

There are two key pieces to effectively controlling the aircraft. The first that the attitude is linked directly to viewing the horizon, straight ahead, and using whatever references that the aircraft provides in determining the pitch, yaw, and roll. The second is that when the controls are used to change the attitude, that the attention must be focused at this primary visual reference, until the aircraft has attained the new flying attitude. Most modern aircraft in the normal operating ranges require little control inputs to maintain new attitudes. As with orientation teaching the lookout requires understanding of how the eye works in identifying objects. The key sequence in doing turns becomes lookout, concentrate on the horizon until the turn is established, return to the lookout.

  1. Instructor coaches student’s attempt at Pre-Takeoff Checks.
  2. Student does not have hands on controls during launch until after 300 feet.
  3. Instructor directs the student’s attention to the towplane until just before 300 feet.
  4. Instructor directs students attention to objects that will help judgement of 300 feet, gets student to call out 300 feet, and then check the altimeter.
  5. Student’s attention directed to the towplane again. If conditions are not turbulent is allowed to follow through on the controls for the remainder of the aerotow. Instructor’s actions during the aerotow are simply described to the student.
  6. Instructor does lookout, release, and turn.
  7. Instructor coaches student’s attempt to locate the airfield, making sure that the aircraft is in level flight when doing so. Introduce the lookout before turns.
  8. Instructor demonstrates the effects of each control with the student following through, allowing the student to practise each in turn.
  9. Instructor does a lookout in conjunction with the student.
  10. Instructor demonstrates with student following through on the controls. Returns to level flight.
  11. Student coached through a turn, with instructor not following through on the controls.
  12. Student practises turns as instructor directs flight to the circuit.
  13. Instructor takes control, student coached through the downwind checks.
  14. Instructor takes control from the base leg onward with student not on the controls, and provides simple descriptions of the actions taken during the landing.