Articles

In this second part of our series on instrument flying (with apologies for the long delay from the first article!), we’ll be looking at how to fly some basic manoeuvres using both the full and the limited panel. Straight and Level To fly straight and level we need five elements: Constant altitude Constant airspeed Constant direction Wings level Aircraft in balance In visual conditions we identify each of these elements using outside references -

Our desktop flight simulators, for all their shortcomings, are quite good platforms for picking up and practicing the basics of instrument flight and navigation. In this short series of articles we will look at the basics of the instrument scan, flying basic manoeuvres on instruments, radio navigation procedures, instrument departures and approaches, and en-route IFR operations. The Instrument Panel The full panel is made up of the 'basic six' flight instruments. These in turn can be d

“I hate trim.” We were on our way back to the airfield after completing our fourth training session. My student, connected to me using Peter Memmott’s excellent JoinFS software, was flying. Bill, as we’ll call him, was a fairly taciturn chap who was quite knowledgeable but found keeping the aeroplane straight and level hard work. To an experienced pilot trimming the aeroplane comes almost as naturally as breathing and not doing so is probably the one thing most likely to impede being able t

Fortunately, numerous systems and procedures have been developed to help combat the threat posed by icing. As already discussed, the ‘clean aircraft policy’ is designed to ensure that aircraft do not attempt to get airborne with any form of contamination on the critical surfaces. To acheive this, ground-based de-icing and anti-icing may be employed.   De-icing is a process whereby ice which has already accumulated on a surface is removed, on the ground usually by means of hot water, or

By Simon Kelsey Contributing Editor For those on the ground, the recent cold snap here in the UK meant major disruption with roads, railways and offices grinding to a halt. For any snowed-in simmers, though, it provided a veritable feast of challenging conditions. With temperatures plummeting below freezing, blustery winds, snow, freezing rain and poor visibility, cold weather operations provide a unique challenge to aircraft operation. With icing effects in the spotlight for various

By Simon Kelsey Contributing Editor   How long is eight seconds?   Count it out and it doesn’t seem long at all. A Microsoft study recently suggested that the average attention span of a modern human is eight seconds; down from twelve seventeen years ago. It’s probably taken you about eight seconds to read these two paragraphs.   Eight seconds is also roughly the amount of time it takes a high-bypass jet engine to spool up from idle to full thrust. Mount Etna is t

By Simon Kelsey Contributing Editor   Whoop whoop whoop. I frowned as the yellow Master Caution lights blazed in to action on the panel in front of me, a string of warning messages appearing on the Boeing 747-400’s central display screen.   We were on a late downwind for runway 02L at Singapore’s Changi Airport. Outside the Perspex flight deck windows sunset was fast approaching, the temperature nudging thirty degrees Celsius in thick, sticky tropical air, but beyond the ga

By Simon Kelsey Contributing Editor   You’ve arrived at the gate, the engines have spooled down, you’ve completed the shutdown checklist and all your virtual passengers are headed down the jet bridge. Hours noted in your logbook, perhaps, or virtual airline PIREP filed. Job done, right?   Of course, in our simulated world that can absolutely be the case, and there’s nothing wrong with that: after all, we’re doing this as a hobby and if all you want to do is shut down the PC