Barry wrote:
: However, it's been my experience, first as an instrument student then as a
: CFII, that learning the primary/supporting method often leads to jerky,
: overcontrolled flight. The problem is that the word "primary" is misleading.
: Students tend to overemphasize the "primary" instrument and don't catch trends
: early enough. For example, in straight and level flight, the altimeter is
: "primary" for altitude, but it's really the least important instrument for
: precise pitch control. A small pitch deviation, due to turbulence or
: inadvertent control input, shows up first on the attitude indicator, then on
: the VSI, and lastly on the altimeter. If a student concentrates too much on
: the altimeter, by the time he sees a need for correction the plane can already
: be in a pretty major climb or descent. This is similar to what happens to a
: primary student who does steep turns staring at the altimeter instead of
: looking outside at the position of the nose on the horizon. It's very easy to
: get into a mode where he's chasing the altimeter, pulling the nose way up and
: down, instead of catching deviations early using the outside pitch reference
: and the VSI.

: This is also similar to the problems a lot of students have while tracking the
: localizer. They stare at the CDI needle and try to center it by reacting to
: its movement, and end up chasing it back and forth.

: As yet another example, although the airspeed indicator is "primary" for pitch
: in a full-power climb, trying to use it for pitch control often leads to
: oscillations as the student chases the lagging indication. This is
: something I see a lot with VFR pilots on climb out, or in a simulated
: engine-out glide. They try to chase the airspeed and are always a couple of
: seconds behind, pulling the nose up and pushing it down instead of just
: setting a pitch attitude, trimming away the control pressure, and then
: checking the airspeed to see if the pitch needs a small correction.

: Barry

Thus my original comment on the most "integrated" (mathematically) instrument.
Those are usually the primary instruments for non-transitioning flight.

-Cory



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