Paul Moggach wrote:

Any early notion that you turn or control the direction
of the aircraft with the use of rudder alone is just
not right and will plant the seeds for the stall/spin
scenario later.

Actually, I had problems getting students to steer with rudder.

A few students had a difficult time "uncoordinating" so they could
properly control the glider while on the ground. As the glider slowed
down during the landing roll and the wing tip started down, they would
use the ailerons to level the glider (no problem) AND the rudder (big
problem as we'd go shooting off the runway) to "coordinate" with the
ailerons.

Only a couple students had this problem in excess, but it made me
rethink the concept of "coordination". I decided the important thing was
to make what you saw outside the glider look right:

* controlling the bank angle with the ailerons
* controlling the pitch angle with the elevator
* controlling the yaw with the rudder

I stressed "getting the view out the window" correct by using the
appropriate controls. This seemed to make it easier for students to
"coordinate" in free flight, to follow the tow plane as desired (such as
boxing the wake), and to keep the wings level even when steering with
the rudder while rolling on the ground.

Of course, for this method to work, the student has to know what things
should look like during the flight, but that's what we are teaching them
anyway. The difference, perhaps more conceptual than practical, is they
don't have to learn you "coordinate" in flight and you "don't
coordinate" on the ground (and when boxing the wake, and when slipping,
and when spinning, etc). In other words, I think "coordination" is often
over-emphasized, and the student learns to do the right thing in spite
of this emphasis.

Also it is important for the first
6-8 flights that the student not have their hand on
the stick during the takeoff and landing.

Now, this bothers me. By 8 flights, my students were flying the takeoff
and landing. The takeoff was generally "OK", the landing wasn't pretty,
but little intervention was required to make it safe for the pilots and
plane. They were no where near ready for solo, of course, or for
anything but easy weather conditions, but they knew what things should
look like out the window in front of them.

During the
initial and final phases of flight the aircraft requires
large movements on the controls. A high per centage
of students that are are exposed to these movements
early in their flight training become 'stick mixers'
on aerotow.

All students seemed to do this at first, even though they had not been
exposed to the initial and final phases of flight. I'd just tell them to
hold the controls steady, and when they saw the glider settle down and
tow by itself, it usually didn't happen again. Another effective
demonstration was to wiggle the controls around rapidly as they do, and
to show them how the glider can't possibly react that quickly. No more
stick mixers after those demonstrations.

--
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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA