In this lesson you will practice various types of descents. This lesson may be combined with exercise 7 and 9.
Planned Activities
• Exercises 4-8, 30 in the Flight Training Manual
Reference Material
• FTM (Flight Training Manual)
• Aircraft Information Manual/Pilot Operating Handbook (POH)
• These Ground Instruction Notes
Preparation
• Review the radio communications procedures handout.
• Review exercises 4-8 in the FTM and read exercise 9.
• Be able to answer the following questions:
1) Why is rudder required in a climb? What causes this?
2) What are the different types of climbs and the related speed for our aircraft? (Sec 4 POH)
3) What factors affect the aircraft’s climb performance?
4) How will flaps affect your rate of descent? What are some benefits of flaps?
5) What are the flap extension speeds of our aircraft? (Limitations section of POH)
6) What is an enroute descent?
• Write down your questions
Tips/Rules of Thumb/Theory
• Right rudder input is required whenever adding power
• During glide descents, if the reference point is not moving, you will glide to that spot. If it is moving up you will be short of that spot, if down you will glide beyond that spot.
• When conducting a power off descent in cold temperatures, you need to “clear” the engine every 500’ or in extreme cold, leave some power on.
• Your focus should be outside the aircraft, not inside! Reference the horizon and keep a good lookout constantly.
• Power on descents are normally used for an enroute descent.
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