CFI Maneuvers - Common Errors (AFH)- Full Details

Straight-and-level flight

-Attempting to use improper pitch and bank reference points on the airplane to establish attitude

-Forgetting the location of preselected reference points on subsequent flights

-Attempting to establish or correct airplane attitude using flight instruments rather than the natural horizon

-"Chasing" the flight instruments rather than adhering to the principles of attitude flying

-Mechanically pushing or pulling on the flight controls rather than exerting accurate and smooth pressure to affect change

-Not scanning outside the cockpit to look for other aircraft traffic, weather and terrain influences, and not maintaining situational awareness

-A tight palm grip on the flight controls resulting in a desensitized feeling of the hand and fingers, which results in over controlling the airplane

-Habitually flying with one wing low or maintaining directional control using only the rudder control

-Failure to make timely and measured control and puts when deviations from straight-and-level flight are detected

-Inadequate attention to sensory inputs in developing feel for the airplane

Level turns

-Failure to adequately clear in the direction of turn for aircraft traffic

-Gaining or losing altitude during the turn

-Not holding the desired bank angle constant

-Attempting to execute the turn solely by instrument reference

-Leaning away from the direction of the turn while seated

-Insufficient feel for the airplane as evidenced by the inability to detect slips or skids without reference to flight instruments

-Attempting to maintain a constant bank angle by referencing only the airplane's nose

-Making skidding flat turns to avoid banking the airplane

-Holding excessive rudder in the direction of turn

-Gaining proficiency in turns in only one direction

-Failure to coordinate the controls

Climbs and climbing turns

-Attempting to establish the climb pitch attitude by primarily referencing the airspeed indicator resulting in the pilot chasing the airspeed

-Applying elevator pressure too aggressively resulting in an excessive climb angle

-Inadequate or inappropriate rudder pressure during climbing turns

-Allowing the airplane to yaw during climbs usually due to inadequate right rudder pressure

-Fixation on the airplane's nose during straight climbs, resulting in climbing with one wing low

-Failure to properly initiate a climbing turn with a coordinated use of the flight controls, resulting in no turn but rather a climb with one wing low

-Improper coordination resulting in a slip that counteracts the rate of climb, resulting in little or no altitude gain

-Inability to keep pitch and bank attitude constant during climbing turns

-Attempting to exceed the airplanes climb capability

-Applying forward elevator pressure too aggressively during level-off resulting in a loss of altitude or G-force substantially less than one G

Descents and descending turns

-Failure to adequately clear for aircraft traffic in the turn direction or descent

-In adequate elevator back pressure during glide entry resulting in an overly steep glide

-Failure to slow the airplane to approximate glide speed prior to lowering pitch attitude

-Attempting to establish/maintain a normal glide solely by reference to flight instruments

-Inability to sense changes in airspeed through sound and feel

-Inability to stabilize the glide (chasing the airspeed indicator)

-Attempting to "stretch" the glide by applying back elevator pressure

-Skidding or slipping during gliding turns due to inadequate appreciation of the difference in rudder forces as compared to turns with power

-Failure to lower pitch attitude during gliding turn entry resulting in a decrease in airspeed

-Excessive rudder pressure during recovery from gliding turns

-Inadequate pitch control during recovery from straight glide

-Cross-controlling during gliding turns near the ground

-Failure to maintain constant bank angle during gliding turns

Slow flight

-Failure to adequately clear the area

-Inadequate back elevator pressure as power is reduced, resulting in altitude loss

-Excessive back elevator pressure as power is reduced, resulting in a climb followed by a rapid reduction in airspeed

-Insufficient right rudder to compensate for left yaw

-Fixation on the flight instruments

-Failure to anticipate changes in angle of attack as flaps are extended or retracted

-Inadequate power management

-Inability to adequately divide attention between airplane control and orientation

-Failure to properly trim the airplane

-Failure to respond to a stall warning

Intentional stalls

-Failure to adequately clear the area

-Over-reliance on the airspeed indicator and slip/skid indicator while excluding other cues

-Inadvertent accelerated stall by pulling too fast on the controls during a power-off or power-on stall entry

-Inability to recognize an impending stall condition

-Failure to take timely action to prevent a full stall during the conduct of impending stalls

-Failure to maintain a constant bank angle during turning stalls

-Failure to maintain proper coordination with the rudder throughout the stall and recovery

-Recovering before reaching the critical angle of attack when practicing the full stall maneuver

-Not disconnecting the wing leveler or auto pilot, if equipped, prior to reducing angle of attack

-Recovery is attempted without recognizing the importance of pitch control and angle of attack

-Not maintaining a nose down control input until the stall warning is eliminated

-Pilot attempts to level the wings before reducing angle of attack

-Pilot attempts to recover with power before reducing angle of attack

-Failure to roll wings level after angle of attack reduction and stall warning is eliminated

-Inadvertent secondary stall during recovery

-Excessive forward elevator pressure during recovery resulting in low or negative G load

-Excessive airspeed build up during recovery

-Losing situational awareness and failing to return to desired flight path or follow ATC instructions after recovery

Intentional spins

-Failure to apply full rudder pressure (to the stops) in the desired spin direction during spin entry

-Failure to apply and maintain full up elevator pressure during spin entry, resulting in a spiral

-Failure to achieve a fully stalled condition prior to spin entry

-Failure to apply full rudder (to the stops) briskly against the spin during recovery

-Failure to apply sufficient forward elevator during recovery

-Waiting for rotation to stop before applying forward elevator

-Failure to neutralize the rudder after rotation stops, possibly resulting in a secondary spin

-Slow and overly cautious control movements during recovery

-Excessive back elevator pressure after rotation stops, possibly resulting in secondary style

-Insufficient back elevator pressure during recovery resulting in excessive airspeed

Upset recoveries

-Incorrect assessment of what kind of upset the airplane is in

-Failure to disconnect the wing leveler or auto pilot

-Failure to unload the plane, if necessary

-Failure to roll in the correct direction

-Inappropriate management of the airspeed during the recovery

Spiral dives

-Failure to reduce power first

-Mistakenly adding power

-Attempting to pull out of a dive without rolling wings level

-Simultaneously pulling out of dive while rolling wings level

-Not unloading the G's prior to rolling level

-Not adding power once climb is established

Normal takeoffs and departure climbs

-Failure to review AFM/POH and performance charts prior to takeoff

-Failure to adequately clear the area prior to taxiing into position on the active runway

-Abrupt use of the throttle

-Failure to check engine instruments for signs of malfunction after applying takeoff power

-Failure to anticipate the airplanes left turning tendency on initial acceleration

-Overcorrecting for left turning tendency

-Relying solely on the airspeed indicator rather than developing an understanding of visual references and tracking clues of airplane airspeed and controllability during acceleration and lift-off

-Failure to attain proper lift-off attitude

-Inadequate compensation for torque/P-factor during initial climb resulting in a sideslip

-Over control of elevators during initial climb-out and lack of elevator trimming

-Limiting scan to areas directly ahead of the airplane (pitch attitude and direction), causing a wing (usually the left) to drop immediately after lift off

-Failure to attain/maintain best rate-of-climb airspeed (Vy) or desired climb airspeed

-Failure to employ the principles of attitude flying during climb out, resulting in "chasing" the airspeed indicator

Crosswind takeoffs

-Failure to review AFM/POH performance and charts prior to takeoff

-Failure to adequately clear the area prior to taxiing onto the active runway

-Using less than full aileron pressure into the wind initially on the takeoff roll

-Mechanical use of aileron control rather than judging lateral position of airplane on the runway from visual clues and applying sufficient aileron to keep airplane centered laterally on runway

-Side-skipping due to improper aileron application

-Inadequate rudder control to maintain airplane parallel to centerline and pointed straight ahead in alignment with visual references

-Excessive aileron input in the lateral stage of the takeoff roll resulting in a steep bank into the wind at lift-off

-Inadequate drift correction after lift-off

Short-field takeoffs and maximum performance climbs

-Failure to review AFM/POH and performance charts prior to takeoff

-Failure to adequately clear the area

-Failure to utilize all available runway/takeoff area

-Failure to have the airplane properly trimmed prior to takeoff

-Premature lift off resulting in high drag

-Holding the airplane on the ground unnecessarily with excessive forward elevator pressure

-Inadequate rotation resulting in excessive speed after lift off

-Inability to attain/maintain Vx

-Fixation on the airspeed indicator during initial climb

-Premature retraction of landing gear and/or wing flaps

Soft/rough field takeoff and climbs

-Failure to review AFM/POH and performance charts prior to takeoff

-Failure to adequately clear the area

-Insufficient back elevator pressure during initial takeoff roll resulting in an adequate angle of attack

-Failure to cross check engine instruments for indications of proper operation after applying power

-Poor directional control

-Climbing too high after lift off and not leveling off low enough to maintain ground effect altitude

-Allowing the airplane to "mush" or settle resulting in inadvertent touchdown after lift off

-Attempting to climb out of ground effect area before attaining sufficient climb speed

-Failure to anticipate an increase in pitch attitude as the airplane climbs out of ground effect

Rectangular courses

-Failure to adequately clear the area above, below, and on either side of the airplane for safety hazards, initially and throughout the maneuver

-Failure to establish a constant, level altitude prior to entering the maneuver

-Failure to maintain altitude during the maneuver

-Failure to properly assess wind direction

-Failure to establish the appropriate wind correction angle

-Failure to apply coordinated aileron and rudder pressure, resulting in slips and skids

-Failure to manipulate the flight controls in a smooth and continuous manner

-Failure to properly divide attention between controlling the airplane and maintaining proper orientation with the ground references

-Failure to execute turns with accurate timing

Turns around a point

-Failure to adequately clear the area above, below, and on either side of the airplane for safety hazards, initially and throughout the maneuver

-Failure to establish a constant, level altitude prior to entering the maneuver

-Failure to maintain altitude during the maneuver

-Failure to properly assess wind direction

-Failure to properly execute constant radius turns

-Failure to manipulate the flight controls in a smooth and continuous manner

-Failure to establish the appropriate wind correction angle

-Failure to apply coordinated aileron and rudder pressure, resulting in slips or skids

S-turns

-Failure to adequately clear the area above, below, and on either side of the airplane for safety hazards, initially and throughout the maneuver

-Failure to establish a constant, level altitude prior to entering the maneuver

-Failure to maintain altitude during the maneuver

-Failure to properly assess wind direction

-Failure to manipulate the flight controls in a smooth and continuous manner when transitioning into turns

-Failure to establish the appropriate wind correction angle

-Failure to apply coordinated aileron and rudder pressure, resulting in slips or skids

Elementary eights

-Failure to adequately clear the area above, below, and on either side of the airplane for safety hazards, initially and throughout the maneuver

-Poor selection of ground references

-Failure to establish a constant, level altitude prior to entering the maneuver

-Failure to maintain adequate altitude control during the maneuver

-Failure to properly assess wind direction

-Failure to properly execute constant radius turns

-Failure to manipulate the flight controls in a smooth and continuous manner

-Failure to establish the appropriate wind correction angles

-Failure to apply coordinated aileron and rudder pressure, resulting in slips or skids

-Failure to maintain orientation as the maneuver progresses

Eights on Pylons

-Failure to adequately clear the area above, below, and on either side of the airplane for safety hazards, initially and throughout the maneuver

-Poor selection of ground references

-Failure to establish a constant, level altitude prior to entering the maneuver

-Failure to maintain adequate altitude control during the maneuver

-Failure to properly assess wind direction

-Failure to properly execute constant radius turns

-Failure to manipulate the flight controls in a smooth and continuous manner

-Failure to establish the appropriate wind correction angles

-Failure to apply coordinated aileron and rudder pressure, resulting in slips or skids

-Failure to maintain orientation as the maneuver progresses

Normal approaches and landings

-Inadequate wind drift correction on the base leg

-Overshooting or undershooting the turn onto final approach resulting into steep or too shallow a turn onto final approach

-Flat or skidding turns from base leg to final approach as a result of overshooting/inadequate wind drift correction

-Poor coordination during turn from base to final approach

-Failure to complete the landing checklist in a timely manner

-Unstable approach

-Failure to adequately compensate for flap extension

-Poor trim technique on final approach

-Attempting to maintain altitude or reach the runway using elevator alone

-Focusing too close to the airplane resulting in a too high round out

-Focusing too far from the airplane resulting in a too low round out

-Touching down prior to attaining proper landing attitude

-Failure to hold sufficient back elevator pressure after touchdown

-Excessive braking after touchdown

-Loss of aircraft control during touchdown and roll out

Go-arounds (rejected landings)

-Failure to recognize a condition that warrants a rejected landing

-Indecision

-Delay in initiating a go-around

-Failure to apply maximum allowable power in a timely manner

-Abrupt power application

-Improper pitch attitude

-Failure to configure the airplane appropriately

-Attempting to climb out of ground effect prematurely

-Failure to adequately compensate for torque/P-factor

-Loss of aircraft control

Crosswind approaches and landings

-Attempting to land in crosswinds that exceed the airplanes maximum demonstrated crosswind component

-Inadequate compensation for Windrift on the turn from base leg to final approach, resulting in undershooting or overshooting

-Inadequate compensation for wind drift on final approach

-Unstable approach

-Failure to compensate for increased drag during sideslip resulting in excessive sink rate and/or too low an airspeed

-Touchdown while drifting

-Excessive airspeed on touchdown

-Failure to apply appropriate flight control inputs during roll out

-Failure to maintain direction control on rollout

-Excessive braking

-Loss of aircraft control

Short-field approaches and landings

-Failure to allow enough room on final to set up the approach, necessitating an overly steep approach and high sink rate

-Unstable approach

-Undue delay in initiating glidepath corrections

-Too low an airspeed on final resulting in inability to flare properly and landing hard

-Too high an airspeed resulting in floating on round out

-Prematurely reducing power to idle on round out resulting in hard landing

-Touchdown with excessive airspeed

-Excessive and/or unnecessary braking after touchdown

-Failure to maintain directional control

-Failure to recognize and abort a poor approach that cannot be completed safely

Soft-field approaches and landings

-Excessive descent rate on final approach

-Excessive airspeed on final approach

-Unstable approach

-Round out too high above the runway surface

-Poor power management during round out and touchdown

-Hard touchdown

-Inadequate control of the airplane weight transfer from wings to wheels after touchdown

-Allowing the nose wheel to "fall" to the runway after touchdown rather than controlling it's descent

Power-off accuracy approaches

-Downwind leg is too far from the runway/landing area

-Overextension of downwind leg resulting from a tailwind

-Inadequate compensation for wind drift on base leg

-Skidding turns in an effort to increase gliding distance

-Failure to lower landing gear in retractable gear airplanes

-Attempting to "stretch" the glide during an undershoot

-Premature flap extension/landing gear extension

-Use of throttle to increase the glide instead of merely clearing the engine

-Forcing the airplane onto the runway in order to avoid overshooting the designated landing spot

Steep turns

-Not clearing the area

-Inadequate pitch control on entry or rollout

-Gaining altitude or losing altitude

-Failure to maintain constant bank angle

-Poor flight control coordination

-Ineffective use of trim

-Ineffective use of power

-Inadequate airspeed control

-Becoming disoriented

-Performing by reference to the flight instrument rather than visual references

-Failure to scan for other traffic during the maneuver

-Attempts to start recovery prematurely

-Failure to stop the turn on designated heading

Steep spirals

-Not clearing the area

-Inadequate pitch control on entry or roll out

-Gaining altitude

-Not correcting the bank angle to compensate for wind

-Poor flight control coordination

-Ineffective use of trim

-Inadequate airspeed control

-Becoming disoriented

-Performing by reference to the flight instrument rather than visual references

-Not scanning for other traffic during the maneuver

-Not completing the turn on designated heading or reference

Chandelles

-Not clearing the area

-Initial bank is too shallow resulting in a stall

-Initial bank is too steep resulting in failure to gain maximum performance

-Allowing the bank angle to increase after initial establishment

-Not starting the recovery at the 90° point in the turn

-Allowing the pitch attitude to increase as the bank is rolled out during the second 90° of turn

-Leveling the wings prior to the 180° point being reached

-Pitch attitude is low on recovery resulting in airspeed well above stall speed

-Application of flight control pressures is not smooth

-Poor flight control coordination

-Stalling at any point during the maneuver

-Execution of a steep turn instead of a climbing maneuver

-Not scanning for other traffic during the maneuver

-Performing by reference to the flight instrument rather than visual references

Lazy eights

-Not clearing the area

-Maneuver is not symmetrical across each 180°

-Inadequate or improper selection or use of 45°, 90°, 135° references

-Ineffective planning

-Gain or loss of altitude at each 180° point

-Poor control at the top of each climb segment resulting in the pitch rapidly falling through the horizon

-Airspeed or bank angle standards not met

-Control roughness

-Poor flight control coordination

-Stalling at any point during the maneuver

-Execution of a steep turn instead of a climbing maneuver

-Not scanning for other traffic during the maneuver

-Performing by reference to the fight instrument rather than visual references