User Guide

Learning To Fly with Rod Machado

Things Are Turning Up

It’s time to combine climbs and descents with turns. I want you to press Ctrl+; (that’s the Ctrl key and

the semicolon key) to reset this flight. You’ll return to a condition of straight-and-level flight. Read the

following steps all the way through before trying them, since this will take some concentration.

I want you to enter a 20-degree right banking turn. Once established, you will start a climb to 4,000

feet, and then roll into straight-and-level flight. Here’s how you might do it:

1. Press Z to deactivate the autopilot.

2. Start your 20-degree bank turn.

3. Increase the pitch to a 13-degree nose-up attitude. Since you’re in a turn, you’ll need to use the

attitude indicator’s orange ball as the pitch reference.

4. Adjust the attitude slightly to give you the desired 80-knot climb airspeed, then trim to maintain

this attitude.

5. When you approach within 50 feet of 4,000 feet (that’s 3,950 on your altimeter) lower the nose

and roll out into a straight-and-level flight attitude. (In case you’re wondering, we’ll use a 50-foot

altitude lead when climbing or descending to any new altitude so as to prevent overshooting or

flying through the target altitude.)

6. Then reduce power to a cruise setting of 20 inches of MP.

7. Once the airspeed stabilizes, trim for this attitude.

8. When you’re done, press P to pause the simulation.

Ready? Give it a try.

Well, how did you do? Believe it or not, that wasn’t necessarily a simple maneuver. Remember, the

secret to going from one attitude to another (such as from straight-and-level to a climb) is to do it like

a waltz: Attitude, power, and trim. You adjust the attitude to a known value that puts your airplane in

the ballpark for a climb (13 degrees for a climb at 80 knots). Then you adjust the power (you’ll climb

with full power in this airplane). And finally, you provide enough trim to hold this attitude. Attitude,

power, and trim is the secret when making any pitch change.

Time for a Turn Down

Now that we’re at 4,000 feet, let’s descend to 2,500 feet while in a left turn at 20 degrees of bank.

And to make this a little more challenging, do it at 90 knots. Here’s how it’s done. (Don’t do it till

you’ve read through all the steps.)

1. Roll into a 20-degree left turn.

2. Reduce power to flight idle.

3. Lower the nose to an attitude that you suspect gives you an airspeed of 90 knots. Since three

degrees positive pitch gives you 80 knots, perhaps you’ll attain 90 knots at one degree positive

pitch (a slightly lower attitude). Remember, because you’re in a turn, you’ll use the attitude