Which aircraft climbs better

Point out that the relative airflow is now coming up the slope to meet the aeroplane and therefore the angle of attack is still approximately 4 degrees. Power also reduces the descent angle and increases the distance travelled over the ground, increasing the range from a given altitude. The ratio of lift to drag is a measure of the efficiency of the wing. For example, the higher the lift to drag ratio, the further the aeroplane will glide its range. If you then change this ratio by increasing the drag by extending flap or flying at an incorrect airspeed a greater forward component of weight is required to balance the drag — steepening the flight path.

A change in weight does not affect the descent angle. Show this by increasing the length of the weight vector in your diagram. The increased drag produced by the flap requires an increased FCW to maintain equilibrium and thereby steepens the descent, increases the ROD , and reduces the range.

Situational awareness should be briefly described as a three-dimensional assessment of what has been, what is, and what will be. Explain that this skill takes time to develop, but should be practised at every opportunity. Introduce the concept of threat and error management in simple and practical terms, as applicable to climbing and descending. Discuss minimum height requirements. For example, feet AGL minimum over unpopulated areas, feet AGL minimum over built-up areas but not less than that required to glide clear of the populated area.

Stipulate any club or organisation minimum safe heights. Discuss the restrictions on lookout in relation to high and low nose attitudes. Explain that there are at least two methods for ensuring the area ahead is clear: lowering the nose every feet; or making gentle S-turns. While climbing out to the training area you will use gentle S-turns. As the exercise does not involve prolonged climbs or descents — usually no more than feet — there is no need to use either method, but a good lookout must be maintained, particularly before starting the climb or descent.

Revise situational awareness in relation to aeroplane positioning, lateral and vertical limits of the training area, and VFR met minima requirements within the training area. The student has informed you of the power setting that will give the best climb performance. You need to point out that not all aeroplanes can climb on full power continuously.

If the organisation or aeroplane has an rpm limit for the prolonged climb, it should have been explained in the desired configuration above, if not then explain it here. The detrimental effects of a prolonged glide should be discussed, for example, plug fouling and excessive cylinder-head cooling.

This should lead to a discussion on the advantages of a powered descent. The use of full rich mixture to aid engine cooling and prevent detonation at power settings above 75 percent below feet should be explained. During training, it is common practice to use full rich mixture in the descent discuss mixture control in prolonged descent from altitude.

Carburettor heat is not normally used at climb power settings because of the detrimental effect of carburettor heat on engine performance, and therefore climb performance. In the descent, hot air is selected before reducing power because of the increased likelihood of carburettor icing. In the climb it is normal to see an increase in oil and cylinder head temperatures with a decrease in oil and fuel pressure. In the descent it is normal to see a decrease in oil and cylinder-head temperatures and an increase in oil and fuel pressure.

The normal readings for this aeroplane in the climb and descent should be discussed. In addition, how to prevent these readings reaching their limits in an air-cooled engine should be discussed. For example: lowering the nose attitude to climb at a higher airspeed or, if necessary, levelling off for a short period, or during descent increasing power every feet to warm the engine oil and clear the spark plugs of carbon deposits, or the use of a powered descent.

Discuss the effects of trapped gases in the middle ear and sinus in relation to their expansion with increasing and decreasing altitude. In general, a comfortable rate of descent for a fit person is feet per minute. Discuss the effects of altitude on vision with regard to empty sky myopia short-sightedness or focal resting lengths, reinforcing the need for a clean windscreen and systematic scan technique.

Also discuss the effect of the background on object detection. As a result of high power settings, noise levels will be increased and it is appropriate to discuss the effects of exposure to noise as well as how to prevent hearing damage. The air exercise concentrates on improving the coordination skills learnt in the previous lessons, by entering and maintaining the climb and descent, while maintaining the aeroplane in balance, and regaining straight and level.

It is particularly important to reinforce the need to balance power changes with rudder. Discuss the nose attitude position in relation to the horizon for the selected climb configuration. Entry to the climb is taught as PAT , reinforcing the concept that climb performance depends on power.

Since increasing power smoothly stop the resulting yaw with rudder will cause the nose to pitch up, power and attitude should be considered a coordinated movement, and no engine over-speed should occur. Check mixture rich, smoothly increase power while stopping the yaw with rudder to full power or maximum continuous; keep straight using the reference point. With elevator, select and hold the attitude for the nominated climb, maintaining wings level with aileron and balance with rudder.

Remove excessive loads by trimming back. Once performance has been confirmed, trim accurately to maintain a constant attitude. If the wings are held level and balance maintained, the aeroplane cannot turn. Therefore, the objective of entering and maintaining the climb has been achieved.

Maintaining the climb incorporates the LAI scan, with those instruments pertinent to the climb being scanned most frequently for accurate flight. If the airspeed is not correct, then the attitude is incorrect, and performance will be affected. Emphasise that the airspeed is altered by reference to attitude, and that due to inertia once a change has been made, a smaller change in the opposite direction will be required to hold the new attitude.

Anticipate the required altitude by approximately 10 percent of the rate of climb, ie, a climb of feet per minute will require an anticipation of 50 feet. With the elevator, select and hold the level attitude. The airspeed will increase only gradually, because the aeroplane must overcome inertia. For the same reason, using VS mode can lead to trouble when departing an airport at a high density altitude.

When starting down from cruise in a typical piston airplane, VS usually works best. The autopilot quickly begins a stabilized descent. You can adjust power to keep the airspeed from increasing into the yellow arc. VS mode also lets you set a comfortable descent rate in an unpressurized cabin. If you select IAS mode at cruise speed and then reduce power to begin a descent, it can take a few minutes for the descent to stabilize, and establishing at least a fpm descent may require a large power reduction unless you dial in a high indicated airspeed.

On the other hand, if you encounter turbulence, the better choice may be setting an IAS below your current turbulence penetration or maneuvering speed and reducing power to achieve a specific rate of descent.

The autopilot maintains a constant airspeed while you control level flight, descents, or even short climbs, by adjusting power. Moving the centre of gravity forward requires additional down-force developed by the tail-plane. This down-force acts on the aircraft like weight and, effectively, increases the total weight of the aircraft. Density altitude significantly affects the climb performance of an aircraft. High density altitude, the performance altitude at which the machine is operating, reduces climb performance.

Humidity, which can be factored into density altitude, also reduces performance primarily through adversely affecting engine performance. High humidity results in reduced power output and thus reduced ETHP. A humid day with high density altitude may seriously decrease our ability to climb. Use of carburetor heat reduces power output from the engine which, in turn, reduces climb performance. Flaps increase lift but also increase drag.

Use of flap on takeoff may shorten our ground run, but we pay for that advantage as soon as the wheels leave the surface. Increasing drag effectively reduces ETHP. Landing gear, if you fly a machine capable of retracting its gear, also increases drag and thus reduces available excess thrust. Angle of attack is critical to achieving climb performance. With a propeller driven aircraft, the amount of available thrust decreases with airspeed due to the decreasing angle of attack on the propeller 2.

Increased airspeed rapidly increases parasite drag produced by the airframe. To achieve maximum climb performance in terms of time, it is necessary to maintain an angle of attack resulting in best rate of climb speed, Vy.

In terms of maximum altitude in relation to distance, we must maintain an angle of attack producing our best angle of climb speed, Vx.

Turbulence and pilot skill both affect how well an aircraft maintains the correct angle of attack and thus airspeed to achieve best rate or best angle of climb. Increasing or decreasing airspeed angle of attack above or below Vy or Vx decreases climb performance. To minimise unpleasant surprises, if we do find ourselves flying in turbulent conditions, it would be an excellent plan to consider reduced performance in any calculation regarding obstacle clearance or time and distance to a given altitude.

It is important to note that Vy and Vx are not constant, in terms of IAS, as an aircraft gains altitude. The speed and angle of attack for Vy is dependent on maximum excess thrust horsepower excess power and thus decreases with altitude.