Flight Training Concepts

Altitude and Time

Rate: Understanding rate is crucial for determining altitude gained over time.
- Best rate of climb yields the maximum altitude gain in the shortest period of time.
- Best rate of climb speed ranges between 68 to 73 knots.
- For practical exercises, use 70 knots as the standard climbing speed.

Best Angle of Climb: Aims to gain the greatest altitude over the shortest horizontal distance.
- Currently, this speed is not emphasized until progressing to solo flights and circuit training.
- Best angle of climb speed at sea level ranges between 59 and 61 knots.
- For exercises, use 60 knots for practical purposes.

Discussed factors affecting climbing performance:
- Asymmetric Thrust: Causes yaw during climb due to uneven thrust from propeller blades.
- Down-going blade has a higher angle of attack, resulting in greater thrust on one side, causing yaw to left.
- Attitude: Nose-high attitude can lead to high power settings but low speed.

Factors affecting performance include time, fuel, distance, and temperature.
- Temperature variations affect performance at different elevations.
- Higher altitudes lead to decreased performance due to lower air density.
- For example, at 10,000 feet, the aircraft struggles to climb effectively, hitting performance ceilings around 14,000 feet.
Understanding Density:
- The performance of aircraft is influenced by temperature, air density, and altitude.
- Warm air is less dense than cold air, adversely affecting lift.
- The increase of weight requires more power to overcome gravity.
- Wind contamination (snow, frost, ice) can also impact airflow.

Visibility & Safety:
- Conduct a proper lookout for other aircraft, monitoring blind spots during climbs.
- Avoid prolonged climbs at high temperatures without cooling procedures to prevent engine overheating.
Climbing Procedures:
- Follow the “red door” mnemonic:
- Rich Mixture: Set mixture prior to climb.
- Attitude: Pitch nose up, aiming for 70 knots.
- Power: Adjust power setting to achieve desired climb.
- Trim: Utilize trim for consistent flight attitude and ease of control.
- Right Rudder: Apply corrective rudder pressure to counteract yaw.

Two types of descents:
- Power-Off Descents: Engine idle for increased descent rate.
- Power-On Descents: Shallower rate, better for passenger comfort with warmer engines.

Air density and weight affect rate of descent.
Turbulence may require speed adjustments during descent.
Monitor potential shock cooling of engines; intermittently adding power during long descents can mitigate rapid cooling.

Red Line Airspeeds:
- Acceptable maximum speed is 160 knots.
- Maximum engine RPM should not exceed 2700 RPM.

Procedures follow a similar mnemonic to climbs:
- Red Door: Ensure mixture rich, check carb heat.
- Power: Reduce power setting first.
- Attitude: Set a proper descending attitude.
- Trim: Adjust trim accordingly.

Turns are fundamental flight maneuvers requiring coordination of ailerons, rudder, and elevators.
- Categories of turns:
- Gentle Turns: Bank angle of 0-15 degrees.
- Medium Turns: Bank angle from 15-30 degrees.
- Steep Turns: Bank angle exceeding 30 degrees, generally practiced at 45 degrees.

During straight and level flight, lift balances weight.
In a turn, the vertical component of lift must compensate for the load factor increase.
Load Factor: Increases with steeper banks, affecting stall speed and control requirements.

During turns, there’s a natural tendency for the nose of the aircraft to yaw opposite of the turn due to increased drag on the rising wing.
- Use rudder input in combination with aileron input to maintain coordinated turns and reduce adverse yaw.

Continue to ensure visibility (i.e. clear check) during maneuvering and adjust procedures accordingly for climb/descent as needed.