"wright1902glider" wrote in message
ups.com...
If anyone out there will admit to driving a C-172, I have a question.

C-120, Beech Sport, C-150 -- close enough?

In MS FlightSim 2003, Rod the VR flight instructor tells me that I
should be controlling my altitude with the throtle, and my airspeed
with the elevator? Does that make sense?

"Rod" is dispensing the conventional line. And that way of thinking works
well on final approch.

But, it's not like the two are independant. If you push on the wheel, you go
faster AND down, right? More power gives you speed AND climb.


In Microsoftland, I've got to constantly play with the throtle to hold
a consistant altitude. I don't recall ever seeing a pilot do that in
any plane I've ever flown in, but I could be wrong. Opinions?

That's because once altitude is reached, every spam can driver I've ever
flown with mysteriously forgets the claim that altitude is controlled by
throttle, and airspeed by pitch. They all just set the throttle to get the
desired "cruise power" and adjust the elevator trim to hold altitude. Speed
ends up being whatever speed ends up being. Watch one of them on a bumpy
day - when they hit an updraft, they will push forward on the wheel to
maintain altitude (ignoring the increase in speed) and pull back in sink. Of
course, this is exactly wrong if you want to fly efficiently (max distance
for given fuel), but that's another topic...


I know that PPG's fly this way, and with gliders, down=fast, and
up=slow. But what about powered aircraft?

Harry Frey


I take it that the air show season is over?

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
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