If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
Help estimating altitude without altimeter?
On Oct 27, 4:47*pm, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Oct 28, 3:13*am, Andy wrote: For the circling over the airport problem you can get some indication of altitude by looking at the path the wingtip traces on the ground from a known bank angle. *Above a certain height the path will be counter to the turning direction, below that height it will be in the same direction. Do the math to convince yourself. I guess you didn't do the math yourself :-) The height at which the change from wingtip-goes-backwards to wingtip- goes-forwards occurs is too low to be used for normal circuit entry. At 40 knots it's only 140 ft, and at 60 knots it is about 320 ft. If you want to use this to judge a 700 ft circuit entry then you'll have to be flying at 90 knots. Thanks - I didn't do the math. I usually do the math but was feeling lazy. :-( I would argue that pattern traced by the wingtip changes even if it doesn't reverse direction at higher elevations - the reverse circle gets bigger and bigger as you go higher. I generally enter the pattern at about 75-80 knots. You could certainly do a circle at 90 knots if you really needed to see the wingtip rotate the other way and had no idea how high you were - at that speed your energy would take you back up to 1000' AGL. The general point is that all the angular rates versus ground references change as you get closer to the ground and you should be aware of them. Turning flight likely gives you more cues than flying straight ahead. 9B |
#22
|
|||
|
|||
Help estimating altitude without altimeter?
On Oct 28, 2:25*am, Surfer! wrote:
In message , ZZ writesTom: How many patterns have you flown since you began your training? Until you develop a clear picture in your mind of how your airfield looks at different points in the pattern, Snip I would say it's 'how the reference point looks'. *We can have a reference point anywhere, but if landing out we won't be seeing our own familiar airfield. *Is the reference point technique taught in the US? -- Surfer! Email to: ramwater at uk2 dot net The best 'reference point' is the intended landing surface. Anything else is likely to be misleading. Even telephone poles are not all the same height or spacing. There are lots of clues to height which taken together can give a pretty accurate estimate. Pilots may not even be aware of all the clues they're using, just that with increasing experience, their estimates begin to work. One old skydiver clue is that when people stop looking like ants and start looking like people, it's time to pull. That's about 2000' AGL and not a bad height to be over the landing area looking for wind and obstacles. |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
Help estimating altitude without altimeter?
On Oct 28, 1:08*pm, bildan wrote:
On Oct 28, 2:25*am, Surfer! wrote: In message , ZZ writesTom: How many patterns have you flown since you began your training? Until you develop a clear picture in your mind of how your airfield looks at different points in the pattern, Snip I would say it's 'how the reference point looks'. *We can have a reference point anywhere, but if landing out we won't be seeing our own familiar airfield. *Is the reference point technique taught in the US? -- Surfer! Email to: ramwater at uk2 dot net The best 'reference point' is the intended landing surface. *Anything else is likely to be misleading. *Even telephone poles are not all the same height or spacing. There are lots of clues to height which taken together can give a pretty accurate estimate. *Pilots may not even be aware of all the clues they're using, just that with increasing experience, their estimates begin to work. One old skydiver clue is that when people stop looking like ants and start looking like people, it's time to pull. *That's about 2000' AGL and not a bad height to be over the landing area looking for wind and obstacles. Anyone try using the wing vs. runway relationship? In the Skyhawk I was taught to keep the runway 1/2 to 2/3 up the strut, correcting for wind. I know that this would lead to flying an ever closer pattern as you descend, but could it not be used to get you in the groove up to abeam the touchdown point? Then it would be a matter of TLAR from there to touchdown. I offer this as a question, not a suggestion. I've done very little flying away from the home field, and I live in a very flat state. |
#24
|
|||
|
|||
Help estimating altitude without altimeter?
The reference "point" assuming that you can see it, is the the runway or
more specifically, the TDZ. Paul ZZ Surfer! wrote: In message , ZZ writes Tom: How many patterns have you flown since you began your training? Until you develop a clear picture in your mind of how your airfield looks at different points in the pattern, Snip I would say it's 'how the reference point looks'. We can have a reference point anywhere, but if landing out we won't be seeing our own familiar airfield. Is the reference point technique taught in the US? |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
Help estimating altitude without altimeter?
If you can only see whole woods or forests you are quite high. If you
can see individual trees you are getting a bit low. If you can see the branches you are very low, If you can see the leaves...don't even ask! If you can see your reference point, estimate your distance away from it and judge the angle (should be about 15 degrees), you should be able to land accurately with a bit of practice, without reference to the altimeter. Remember that the altimeter is pretty useless when outlanding at a field of unknown elevation. Derek Copeland (UK gliding instructor) On Oct 29, 2:52*am, ZZ wrote: The reference "point" assuming that you can see it, is the the runway or more specifically, the TDZ. Paul ZZ Surfer! wrote: In message , ZZ writes Tom: How many patterns have you flown since you began your training? Until you develop a clear picture in your mind of how your airfield looks at different points in the pattern, Snip I would say it's 'how the reference point looks'. *We can have a reference point anywhere, but if landing out we won't be seeing our own familiar airfield. *Is the reference point technique taught in the US?- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
Help estimating altitude without altimeter?
I knew that my original comment was going to start fist fights. But it's
winter in the northern hemisphere and we need something to do. We have a student pilot who says that he is having trouble estimating his altitude in the pattern. So instead shall we will advise him to estimate angles? What this pilot really lacks is experience. What I contend is that INITIALLY forcing him to see many "ideal" patterns, i.e. repetition, is an important step in learning what a "normal" pattern looks like and when the pattern is poorly flown, he will then recognize it right away. Certainly, angles are part of what is being learned but quantifying the angle is not required to learn. Of course lift/sink, wind, low arrivals at the field, rope breaks, rock-offs, last minute runway changes and buffoonery from the guy in the pattern in front of him will force him to modify his pattern. My students are trained to fly all of these problems without altimeter reference. But initially, I begin by giving them a solid grounding in what "normal" LOOKS LIKE. As for our student who is trying to estimate his altitude, keep flying. It will come all together. Paul Corbett ZZ delboy wrote: If you can only see whole woods or forests you are quite high. If you can see individual trees you are getting a bit low. If you can see the branches you are very low, If you can see the leaves...don't even ask! If you can see your reference point, estimate your distance away from it and judge the angle (should be about 15 degrees), you should be able to land accurately with a bit of practice, without reference to the altimeter. Remember that the altimeter is pretty useless when outlanding at a field of unknown elevation. Derek Copeland (UK gliding instructor) On Oct 29, 2:52 am, ZZ wrote: The reference "point" assuming that you can see it, is the the runway or more specifically, the TDZ. Paul ZZ Surfer! wrote: In message , ZZ writes Tom: How many patterns have you flown since you began your training? Until you develop a clear picture in your mind of how your airfield looks at different points in the pattern, Snip I would say it's 'how the reference point looks'. We can have a reference point anywhere, but if landing out we won't be seeing our own familiar airfield. Is the reference point technique taught in the US?- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - |
#27
|
|||
|
|||
Help estimating altitude without altimeter?
If you can estimate the distance and judge the angle, this fixes the
height - this is simple trigonometry. In the UK we teach an exercise called the zig-zag circuit where the instructor demonstrates a circuit starting at the right high key distance, height and angle to the reference point, but allows the gider to drift in so the low key point is reached at about the right height, but much too close in. Thus the student can see that the angle looks much too steep (the impression given is that you are much too high, but you are not). Then you move back out until the angle looks right and complete the circuit normally. I do not disagree with ZZ that regular experience of what a circuit should look like is a necessary part of training. Also learning to judge what items on the ground, such as trees, vehicles and houses look like from different heights. Derek Copeland P.S This is posted from Google Groups, as I can't seem to access r.a.s. directly from gp.net. Is there a problem with my email address or UK postings Andy? |
#28
|
|||
|
|||
Help estimating altitude without altimeter?
On Oct 27, 11:07*pm, ZZ wrote:
Tom: How many patterns have you flown since you began your training? Until you develop a clear picture in your mind of how your airfield looks at different points in the pattern, you are experimenting and this will work eventually. I have found a way to accelerate this process a bit. I have my students fly their patterns at precise altitudes at specific points in the pattern. And I insist on precise airpeed control as well.. This accomplishes two things..precise pattern flying...the same picture every time and this "groove becomes epoxied into their brain more quickly. Then, when I take their altimeter away and change runways, they have no problems repeating the maneuver properly. Now I am all too familiar with the argument against this technique i.e. what are they going to do if they are landing at a field without the familiar landmarks? It's that profile to the runway that they are really learning by repeating the same profile time after time. I have about 31 patterns (including my solo flights). What you describe is exactly how I was taught to do my patterns. I enter the pattern at 1000' AGL, then I am at 800' AGL when I pass my aim point (this will be the my flare point not TD point), make my turn to base at 600' AGL, and my turn to final at 400' AGL. Once I get into the down wind leg at the correct altitude the rest is no problem without the altimeter. It's estimating when to enter the pattern without altimeter which I find difficult. I'll try to pay more attention to how things look at that point and hopefully it'll get easier. -tom |
#29
|
|||
|
|||
Help estimating altitude without altimeter?
Anyone try using the wing vs. runway relationship? In the Skyhawk I was taught to keep the runway 1/2 to 2/3 up the strut, correcting for wind. I know that this would lead to flying an ever closer pattern as you descend, but could it not be used to get you in the groove up to abeam the touchdown point? Then it would be a matter of TLAR from there to touchdown. I offer this as a question, not a suggestion. I've done very little flying away from the home field, and I live in a very flat state. This is sort of how I ultimately did it... when my aimpoint was at 9 o'clock, it appeared about 1/3 of the way down from the wing tip, just under the air brake. This was about 800'. -tom |
#30
|
|||
|
|||
Help estimating altitude without altimeter?
On Oct 30, 10:47*am, tstock wrote:
On Oct 27, 11:07*pm, ZZ wrote: Tom: How many patterns have you flown since you began your training? Until you develop a clear picture in your mind of how your airfield looks at different points in the pattern, you are experimenting and this will work eventually. I have found a way to accelerate this process a bit. I have my students fly their patterns at precise altitudes at specific points in the pattern. And I insist on precise airpeed control as well... This accomplishes two things..precise pattern flying...the same picture every time and this "groove becomes epoxied into their brain more quickly. Then, when I take their altimeter away and change runways, they have no problems repeating the maneuver properly. Now I am all too familiar with the argument against this technique i.e. what are they going to do if they are landing at a field without the familiar landmarks? It's that profile to the runway that they are really learning by repeating the same profile time after time. I have about 31 patterns (including my solo flights). *What you describe is exactly how I was taught to do my patterns. *I enter the pattern at 1000' AGL, then I am at 800' AGL when I pass my aim point (this will be the my flare point not TD point), make my turn to base at 600' AGL, and my turn to final at 400' AGL. Once I get into the down wind leg at the correct altitude the rest is no problem without the altimeter. *It's estimating when to enter the pattern without altimeter which I find difficult. I'll try to pay more attention to how things look at that point and hopefully it'll get easier. -tom Hey, fst learner! I actually can't tell you what altitude I do the turns at, because I never look at the altimeter once past the aimpoint on downwind leg (at 600 feet). When I was first learning to fly we used the Tom Knauff textbook, which had as the last entry on the landing checklist "ignore altimeter". I fly and teach the pattern judgement mainly based on seeing the desired final approach glideslope while you are on downwind leg. It's fairly easy to turn base so you hit that slope, plus you have your mind two legs ahead of where the airplane is instead of a leg or two behind. -- Matt |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Looking for TSO Altimeter | Rob Turk | Home Built | 0 | June 9th 07 03:52 PM |
Altimeter off | kevmor | Instrument Flight Rules | 11 | March 26th 07 12:11 PM |
Vector altitude for ILS below GS intercept altitude? | M | Instrument Flight Rules | 23 | May 20th 06 07:41 PM |
GPS altitude vs altimeter altitude | Chris W | Piloting | 37 | April 19th 06 10:45 AM |
Pressure Altitude or Density Altitude | john smith | Piloting | 3 | July 22nd 04 10:48 AM |