Greatful for this group

A few nights ago I stumbled into a conversation on FB Tail Draggers Unit. The question was as simple as it gets: Airspeed, controlled by power or pitch? I know simple, but there so many that were sure the answer was power or a combination of power and pitch. Some thought power controlled speed and pitch controls glide slope. Even a pilot with 25K flew the "big stuff in 3rd world countries without autopilot". This guy also flew T-6's (a heavy underpowered aircraft) in a demo team! Thank God for glider pilots that know the basics. And thank you to all the true geniuses that contribute to this group! Next time I get into an airliner I hope my pilot trained in gliders.

On Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 9:11:02 AM UTC-6, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
A few nights ago I stumbled into a conversation on FB Tail Draggers Unit. The question was as simple as it gets: Airspeed, controlled by power or pitch? I know simple, but there so many that were sure the answer was power or a combination of power and pitch. Some thought power controlled speed and pitch controls glide slope. Even a pilot with 25K flew the "big stuff in 3rd world countries without autopilot". This guy also flew T-6's (a heavy underpowered aircraft) in a demo team! Thank God for glider pilots that know the basics. And thank you to all the true geniuses that contribute to this group! Next time I get into an airliner I hope my pilot trained in gliders.

If I get the chance, I ask the pilots, usually while departing from the cheap seats when there's more time to linger. I'll also ask them while waiting for the hotel shuttles. Some have or say they have been thinking about it.

On Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 8:11:02 AM UTC-7, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
A few nights ago I stumbled into a conversation on FB Tail Draggers Unit. The question was as simple as it gets: Airspeed, controlled by power or pitch? I know simple, but there so many that were sure the answer was power or a combination of power and pitch. Some thought power controlled speed and pitch controls glide slope. Even a pilot with 25K flew the "big stuff in 3rd world countries without autopilot". This guy also flew T-6's (a heavy underpowered aircraft) in a demo team! Thank God for glider pilots that know the basics. And thank you to all the true geniuses that contribute to this group! Next time I get into an airliner I hope my pilot trained in gliders.

Before departure, I generally go into the cockpit of airliners and ask what they fly for fun.
Last time got the wrong answer, neither currently owned an aircraft.
A few flights ago the B777 FO's first job in aviation was giving rides in a Blanik. Slept better on that one.
Jim

Most power(only) pilots are NPCs.

ATP, multiple type ratings, CFI-A, CFI-R, and Comm Glider (added three years ago.) Former traffic reporter, cargo, instructor, occasional jump pilot, and helicopter instructor, and corporate pilot (jets and helo.)

When I got my glider rating three years ago I had spent 15 years and 12000+ hours as a Captain on the Airbus and had about three hours of GA flying total in that time.

While the glider rating was a great boost to my level of enjoyment, it was all of the hours early in my aviation life that solidified my skills. I don’t think being current in GA makes a bit of difference in modern airliners. Saving your own butt enough times is the crucible that makes good pilots in all areas of aviation.

Paul A.

On Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 11:11:02 AM UTC-4, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
A few nights ago I stumbled into a conversation on FB Tail Draggers Unit. The question was as simple as it gets: Airspeed, controlled by power or pitch?

I still remember being asked that question by the DPE that gave me my power CFI check ride back in the late 70"s. I had been prepped by someone that new this guy wanted to hear "power", so I said "power". He was very ecstatic that I gave the "right answer" and said of course, just try sitting on the end of the runway and move the elevator all you want and you won't go anywhere. I wanted to (and did) pass my check ride so I never mentioned gliders :-)

While conducting Airplane Commercial SEL Checkrides recently, we were down to the Power Off 180* Accuracy Landing. There was a strong headwind on Base Leg, and two separate applicants slowed to Best Glide Speed when they noticed the significant headwind. Needless to say it made their glide path worse instead of better. I thought to myself that a glider pilot would’ve sped up...

On Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 11:43:21 AM UTC-4, wrote:
Most power(only) pilots are NPCs.

:7|

T8

On Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 3:27:02 PM UTC-7, Richard Wilkening wrote:
While conducting Airplane Commercial SEL Checkrides recently, we were down to the Power Off 180* Accuracy Landing. There was a strong headwind on Base Leg, and two separate applicants slowed to Best Glide Speed when they noticed the significant headwind. Needless to say it made their glide path worse instead of better. I thought to myself that a glider pilot would’ve sped up...

Until they changed the min crossing altitude of the Julian VOR, on wave days, we routinely lost pilots or in one case while I was flying a glider in the same area an instructor and student. Pretty sure they got into serious down air, pulled back to best climb speed in their CE 172. I find the young airplane only guys I know are frightening in what they do not know. Don't know how to read clouds, don't understand wind flow in the terrain....

Well, the "right answer" is probably not as clear cut as that. For example, the French "blue book" (the official glider training handbook in France) has stated for years that on final, you have to adjust the glide slope by changing the pitch of the airplane and you have to control the airspeed with the airbrakes. That is the exact opposite of what had been taught by the former editions of the book, and there was a storm of protest from most of the "old school" instructors when this was introduced.

The last issue I possess (issue 10) still uses wordings that stress the primary use of pitch to get to the right slope for the final approach, while using the brakes to keep the approach speed constant.

During a flight instructor course at Saint-Auban, we had to be able to apply this method. It works, but is certainly less intuitive than the classic approach. The main problem is that in every other fase of the flight, we don't normally use the airbrakes and are thus accustomed to control the speed by altering the pitch. It seems stupid to change that habit on finals.

That's probably why even in France, most instructors seem to go back to the classic approach when teaching in their club. So do I...