Unusual Attitudes Instrument Flying

Objective 3. Aeroplane Management 4. Human Factors

To recognise, and recover to straight and level from a nose-high or nose-low unusual attitude. • Smooth positive control movements • Human orientation system has limitations
• Instrument failure rare
• Trust the instruments

1. Considerations 5. Air Exercise

• Unusual attitude can be entered due high workload, fixation, leans • Smooth control movements whenever speed above VA
• Trust the instruments
• Recover to straight and level first Attitude Recognition Recovery
• Then regain altitude and heading
• Change – check – hold – adjust – trim Nose High • Low or i airspeed • Full power and level wings
• Must identify the position of the horizon • h altitude • Push forward on c/c until airspeed/altimeter stops
• h rate of climb • Check
Limited Panel • i engine RPM • Hold
1. Check airspeed–stop further increase or decrease • At normal cruise speed reduce power
2. Adjust power to compensate • Adjust
3. Roll wings level • Trim
Change If altitude h – i backpressure (push)
Nose Low • High or h airspeed • i power and level wings
If altitude i – h backpressure (pull)
• i altitude • Ease out of dive, check airspeed
Until 100s pointer stops moving
• h rate of descent • When altimeter stops
Check • •
h engine RPM Check
Hold • Set cruise power
Adjust • Hold
• Adjust
Trim (but you shouldn’t need to)
• Trim

Spiral Dive • High or h airspeed • Close throttle and level wings

• i altitude • Ease out of dive, check airspeed
• High angle of bank • When altimeter stops
• High rate of descent • Check
• High or h G-loads • Set cruise power
• h engine RPM • Hold
• Adjust
• Trim

• When straight and level regained, return to original reference altitude and heading

2. Airmanship
• Enough height for recovery
• SRS–A/S, Alt, then the rest
• Limiting speeds–VA, VNO, VNE, and rpm limit