Notes on learning to fly

2022-09-13 — Training in a Piper Cherokee

I'll skip the basic introductions of what the basic controls of an airplane are, its instruments, and so on. PHAK is a better source for this. These are some of my learnings, and I'll do my best to edit and add to them for clarity and correctness, but I can't guarantee everything will be accurate.

Controlling the airplane

Use control pressures, rather than movements.

• Roll: The position in which you'll need to hold the yoke varies with airspeed and the desired action; for example in a steeply banked, constant-rate turn you may have to hold aileron opposite the direction of the turn to keep the angle of bank from increasing.
• Pitch: Moving abruptly from one position to another causes the wing to load or unload more than might be needed, which can cause oscillation on the pitch axis. For example, in stall recovery, pushing the nose forward aggressively will cause a rapid descent. If followed by a similarly rapid application of back pressure, a secondary stall can occur.
• Yaw: Left-turning tendencies must be corrected by considerable right rudder; in a standard left traffic pattern at high power, deliberately pressing the left rudder is not required nor desirable. It is enough to relax the right rudder pressure somewhat.
• The throttle has a nonlinear response curve. 50% power does not mean 50% throttle position and so on. It also varies considerably from airplane to airplane.

Slow flight procedures and coordination

Slow flight in the Cherokee 140

1. Reduce power to 1500 RPM
2. Compensate nose-down tendency with slight back pressure (let airspeed bleed off)
3. Add flaps
4. Increase power (if level flight is desired)
5. Add trim (2 full rolls or so)

Rudder technique: when is it most important?

• Right rudder counteracts left-turning tendencies on takeoff
• Making corrections in slow flight, when ailerons are less effective
• Spin recovery (hold opposite the turn)

General technique

• Avoid overcontrolling the yoke
• Trim is for relieving control pressures, not for primary pitch adjustment

V speeds

Cherokee 140 - always reference your POH

• Best rate of climb (V_Y): 75 kts
• Best angle of climb (V_X): 66 kts
• Turbulent air maneuvering speed (V_A): 114 kts
• Maximum speed with flaps extended (V_FE): 101 kts
• Final approach speed with 40˚ flaps: 59 kts
• Maximum demonstrated crosswind velocty: 17 kts
• Enroute climb: 87 kts
• Initial approach speed at maximum gross weight: 70 kts

Some procedures

Pre-maneuvering (HASEL)

• H: Height above ground
• A: Airspeed
• S: Seat belts
• E: Engine gauges
• L: Look out

Go-around (PAC)

• P: Power (FULL)
• A: Attitude (avoid excessively nose high)
• C: Configuration (once positive rate of climb achieved)

Crosswind landings

• Wings low (sideslip):
  • Aileron into wind
  • Oppsosite rudder (expose the fuselage to oncoming relative wind, causing high drag)
  • Upwind main gear may touch first, then downwind
• Crab: Yaw into the wind.

Stall recovery (PAC restated)

• Full power
• Forward pressure, relax AOA
• Establish positive rate of climb
• Clean up configuration

Notes on technique

• Keep turns 90˚ in the pattern, don't round them out
• Remember to retract flaps on go-around, after positive rate
• Do not overtrim for final approach speed, since it reduces control authority in case of a go-around (trim stall hazard)
• Don't rest your hand on the trim wheel
• Keep hand on throttle in critical phases of flight
• Do not apply excess elevator pressures on final approach, as this accelerates/decelerates the aircraft excessively. Never stretch a glide by pulling.

More checklist acronyms

Passenger briefing (SAFETY)

• S: Seat belts
• A: Air vents
• F: Fire extinguisher
• E: Exits
• T: Traffic
• Y: Your questions

Unexpected power loss (ABCD)

• A: Airspeed (best glide, 65-70 kts)
• B: Best place to land
• C: Checklist for emergency restart procedure
• D: Declare emergency (121.5, squawk 7700)

Engine restart checklist

• Carb heat: ON
• Mixture: RICH
• Fuel pump: ON
• Fuel primer: IN & LOCKED
• Fuel selector: FULLEST TANK, consider switching
• Mags: BOTH, then START
• Master: OFF if no restart & landing field made

Transitioning between phases of flight

1. Always have hand on throttle when transitioning and in critical phases of flight.
2. Pitch, Power, Trim is for leveling off from cruise. Otherwise, PAC for entry to slow flight.

Landings

The flare is a continuous maneuver; more and more backpressure gets applied, even through the landing roll.

Although flying parallel to the runway (holding it off) is the goal, so is reducing speed.

• Putting it together: When power is already to idle, the only way to do this is by increasing angle of attack and loading the wing.

Should you never bank steeply in the pattern?

Relatively steep turns in the pattern are not inherently dangerous if the wing is not heavily loaded. It is lack of coordination (especially a skid) or unintentional stalls that kill.