User Guide

Learning To Fly with Rod Machado
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7
Slow Flight in Action
In Tutorial 3, we mentioned that thrust (produced by the engine-propeller combination) balances
drag, which acts opposite to thrust and is the air’s resistance to a moving airplane. Our present power
setting produces enough thrust to pull the airplane through the air at 110 knots at a pitch attitude of
approximately 4 degrees nose up, as seen on the attitude
indicator. Notice how the airplane looks from the side (Spot
View) as shown in Figure 1.
1. Press P to activate the simulation.
2. Reduce power to flight idle and watch what the
autopilot does to the airplane’s pitch attitude. As the
airplane slows down below 75 knots, increase power to
13 inches of MP and continue watching.
The airplane’s pitch attitude increased to 15 degrees
nose-up pitch as the airspeed decreased to
approximately 63 knots (Figure 2).
Look at the Spot Plane View. Compared to the slight
nose-up pitch attitude for straight-and-level-flight at 110
knots, it looks like your airplane is popping a wheelie.
3. Increase the power to 20 inches of MP and observe the
airplane’s reaction.
An increase in power allowed the airplane to fly faster
and at a lower pitch attitude.
4. When the airplane accelerates to 110 knots, reduce
power to 17 inches of MP and press P to pause the
simulation.
What’s going on here?
You’re in a Relationship
You’ve just witnessed an important relationship between airspeed and the angle at which the wing
meets the wind. To better understand this, I think we need to go to the movies. This is a rerun (you
did it for your homework in the last tutorial) but I want you to watch it again.
Click the Help menu, then click Homework. Under Tutorial 4, select How Wings Work and play the
video.
As you see, wings develop lift when air passes over them. The wing separates the airflow into two
streams: one stream flows above the wing; the other, below. Air flowing above the wing undergoes an
Figure 1
Figure 2