More and more these days ATC might say: “Keep your speed up on final.” This is fre-quently followed by something interesting such as like “727 overtaking.” If you cannot comply with this request, do not hesitate to tell ATC right away. But it is best to cooper-ate with this request whenever possible, for obvious reasons. ATC won’t let the separa-tion between you and that big jet get too narrow. If a jet is behind you coming in 10 or 20 knots faster and chewing up the distance in between, guess who is most likely to be or-dered to go around, you or the big jet? ATC might request a 90 left or right turn to let the jet pass before vectoring you back for the approach.
Practice constant rate descents at cruise speed, or faster, as well as at the normal de-scent speed. Some pilots automatically make high-speed final approaches whenever they fly into airports with a lot of jet traffic. This certainly makes it easier for ATC.
To set up a high-speed descent, lower the nose of the miniature airplane to the first black line below the horizon line on the attitude indicator. Reduce power 500 RPM to set up a 500-fpm descent. When stabilized, “pitch to the airspeed, power to the altitude” to maintain cruise airspeed at a 500-fpm descent. Leave flaps and landing gear up during a high-speed approach. If jets are on the approach behind you, you know the runway will be plenty long enough to slow down and extend flaps and gear when the runway is in sight and landing is assured.
113
VERTICAL S
When students file and depart IFR on every flight, they will usually have more than enough opportunity to practice climbs and descents in the real world of IFR. So there isn’t much point in practicing additional vertical maneuvers. An instructor has to avoid a natural tendency to teach mechanics of the maneuver rather than the goal of the maneuver.
The Vertical S (FIG. 9-6) and its variations, the S-1 and S-2, are excellent exercises for an instrument student to practice with a safety pilot. The Vertical S consists of climbs to 500, 400, 300, and 200 feet with reversals at the top of each climb and descents back to the original altitude before climbing to the next altitude in the series. The Vertical S can also be a series of descents as shown in FIG. 9-6.
The Vertical S-1 is a combination of the Vertical S and a standard rate turn. Make a standard rate turn each time you return to the original altitude. Alternate turns to the left and to the right.
The Vertical S-2 differs from the S-1 in that the direction of turn is reversed with each reversal of vertical direction.
PATTERN B
The Vertical S, S-1, and S-2 are recommended maneuvers in the FAA’s Instrument Fly-ing Handbook (see Appendix A, “Instrument Pilot’s Professional Library”). However, I have found that Pattern B is much more effective in teaching students how to combine the fundamentals of instrument flight: straight and level, speed changes, standard rate turns, climbs, and descents. It’s an excellent maneuver for “putting it all together.”
Climbing:
Fig. 9-6. Vertical S practice maneuver.
The turns and straight stretches in Pattern B (FIG. 9-7) are the same as those in Pat-tern A (FIG. 9-3). But B adds speed changes and includes a descent and an emergency pull-up to simulate an approach and missed approach.
Roll out on headings regardless of time passage. The turn to the final leg is a de-scending standard rate turn. Note that a prelanding checklist is included, then a little later you extend 14flaps as if commencing the final “approach.” If you are flying an airplane with retractable gear, also lower the landing gear at this point.
At the emergency pull-up, don’t forget to retract approach flaps and landing gear, if so equipped. Does something seem familiar here? Right! It’s the recovery from mini-mum controllable airspeed. The pieces indeed come together at this point. Maybe not perfectly, but the goal of 2, 2, and 20 is in sight.
PATTERN C
Don’t worry, Pattern C isn’t required! But you will feel a great sense of achievement if you can do it. It has been called a basic airwork “graduation exercise.” (FIG. 9-8.)
Change To
Fig. 9-7. Pattern B practice maneuver.
115 If you can fly C with its nonstandard climbs and descents and maintain 2, 2, and 20, you will have certainly mastered the fundamentals of attitude instrument flight. Patterns B and C are good exercises to practice with a safety pilot. Break off practice if the pat-tern work is not going well, otherwise you might unconsciously develop bad habits.
Work with an instructor on whatever is causing the problem before any bad habits have a chance to take hold.
Master Pattern C on full panel, then try it on a partial panel. It is a sure cure for over-confidence; it is also instant insanity. Some dedicated instrument students have done this.
I think they were former military pilots who had partial-panel Pattern Cs inflicted on them by sadistic military instructors. Civilian instructors, of course, would never pull a stunt like that. Flying is supposed to be fun!
Climb
1,000' Level flight, accelerate to fast cruise, 2 minute leg
Descending 450 turn,
Fig. 9-8. Pattern C practice maneuver.