Pitch vs. trim in flight phases

On Sat, 17 May 2008 13:41:41 -0400, "Barry" wrote:

Well, the use of it doesn't require any training. However, as CFIs we
bang our heads against the wall because students don't trim often
enough. This is especially true in the pattern. If you let them,
students will build up a sweat holding the yoke with a death grip.

A good way to keep students from doing this is to have them fly with a pen or
pencil interwoven between the fingers. If the student squeezes too hard, it
hurts, which reminds the student to relax the grip.


It depends on whether you are trying to get a student to hold the yoke
properly or as was mentioned earlier of in another thread about a
student panicking. In the case of panic they'll bust the pencil and
bleed all over the carpet. In the case of slowly tightening their
grip as with increasing stress, they can "desensitize" the area and
leave one substantial crease in hand or fingers before they actually
feel it. In that case it usually doesn't hurt until they let go.:-))
Kinda like falling asleep with your forearm over your forehead. Man,
but it hurts to put that arm back down.

I never had a problem with the "death grip" although it wasn't until
flying instruments I started using the "two finger" approach (no pun
intended). The rougher it'd get the lighter I'd hold the yoke to the
point of just bumping the yoke with the thumb or forefinger to get a
response.


Roger (K8RI) ARRL Life Member
N833R (World's oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com