At one with the plane and the four stages...

[9 lives]

I consider the different aircraft types I fly from time to time, and my competence of flying them. I feel at one with (not "in" - "with") my C 150, after 28 years and 3000+ hours of owning it. My unconscious brain flies that plane most of the time - my conscious brain watches and listens for traffic, and monitors conditions, as those are always new.

Other types I fly require me to interact with the aircraft (usually look at the ball as a minimum) to assure that I'm flying it the way I would like to. I'm not completely at one with those aircraft - yet. Though I can be a passenger in that type, and witness "art" in flying, so I know that pilot is at one with it - it can be done!

I think about the other things I do, during which I'm at one with what I'm doing... walking would be a good example. Happily, simple walking no longer challenges me. I just look, and I go. My body acts as a whole, with one purpose, and it just happens. Unconscious competence. If I'm walking on an uneven, or uncertain surface, that could reduce the effort to conscious competence, as I choose my footing, or compensate for ground which I suddenly determine to be soft. My whole body will still act to achieve the result, but I'll have to give it some thought.

So, back to flying, and the theme here, I opine that the best outcome in flying will result from the body being, as much as possible, at one with the aircraft first. Hands and feet working together, with seat of the pants and other senses, to simply accomplish good aircraft handling as the priority. That does not mean that you can ignore traffic, and monitoring the condition of the aircraft, they are always important.

But it does mean that you're keeping attuned to the aircraft's action relative to your mind's expectations. Make your expectations very high for precision of maneuvering, and position in space, and check back to see if you've continued to maintain that. Did your feet keep the ball in the middle, based on seat of the pants feedback, or, are you looking at the ball, to find it a ball and a half out? Is the plane tracking the extended centerline on final, or is the wind blowing you all over? Can your hands feel the changes in pitch control force, as you approach the stall in the flare, such that just the right amount of back pressure is applied to assure a gentle touchdown? Open your mind to sensing these cues, and having your body respond unconsciously to compensate for them.

The pilots I admire, have achieved unconscious competence (Four stages of competence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_competence)) in the aircraft they fly. They are at one with the plane. That takes care of the "aviate" part, then they assure "navigate" and "communicate" by more conscious effort.

[BroomstickPilot]

Hi Step Turn,

I think the situation you describe will be familiar to us all, but I'm not sure what aspect of this you wish us to comment on.

Please elucidate further so we may know how to respond.

BP.

[9 lives]

I read many posts which lead me to think that newer pilots see flying as a numbers, mechanical thing. Though we use numbers, pilots must remember to allow themselves to be at one with the plane too. Like a person, you can "talk" to a plane, but if you listen to it also, the relationship is even better!

Though posts on this thread are, of course, pleasing, the near 400 views it received are even more pleasing. I still believe that there are many new pilots who take what they read here, and consider it, without commenting. If those new pilots can be inspired to find their greatest skills, that's the best.

I see airliners being flown by the numbers, because that's what's being taught. Then I see an aircraft flown well. I landed as a passenger in Amsterdam, in a KLM 747-400 last week. The landing was amazingly smooth, and precise. I went to the cockpit to complement the pilots, after the gate arrival. In a moment, I recognized two pilots who were at one with that plane, and took pride in a job well done - my kind of pilots!

I've been inspired before, I was inspired again. I hope others can be too....

[nick14]

You shouldn't judge a pilot on the quality of his landings especially in a large jet. In my opinion competence is only proven when you can handle the unforeseen.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

we are, of necessity, taught to 'fly by numbers'. "Such and such power setting HERE, 1st stage flap HERE, trim for THIS speed, turn final HERE at THIS speed, re-trim for THIS speed" etc. Oh, and "stall speed" when there ain't any such a thing.

But how else could it be done?

Thing is, once you are fledged and away on your own you start to learn how this flying lark is really done. And hopefully you do what needs to be done to have the aeroplane exactly where you want it, at the speed and height you want it. And you understand angle of attack and the stall AoA.

Eventually you might reach the nirvana Step describes, where the aeroplane is a part of you and you are unaware of the control inputs required to make it do what you want it to do - you just 'think' it and it happens. I only ever reached that stage with the Chipmunk, which I flew for 3 decades. 3 years in the Yak52 was nowhere near enough to achieve it in that aeroplane. I don't think C172s (the only other type I have a great deal of hours on) is 'that' sort of aeroplane. It'll always be one you 'drive' rather than 'strap on and become part of'.

[pulse1]

Before the introduction of computers, I used to help out the CAACU as a flight observer on their Doves. Before the days of the computer these were used to train ATC students at the College at Hurn.

One day I had to fly with a rather ancient pilot who initially had problems starting one engine until he discovered that he had forgotten to switch on the mags. However, once we got airborne it was an absolute pleasure just sitting there while he flew the aeroplane in such a relaxed fashion. Normally I would be champing at the bit to be allowed to fly it myself, and some pilots were happy to let me, but in this case I didn't want to.

One exercise involved doing continuous tight turns directly over the radar head while calling the student for a service. I normally didn't like doing these turns but, in this case, the turns were so balanced it was very comfortable and impressive. I do not think I have ever flown with another pilot whose handling was as noticeably good as that. I understood that he was a long retired BOAC pilot.

[9 lives]

C172s ........ It'll always be one you 'drive' rather than 'strap on and become part of'.

Yes, they are certainly "driven" while on three wheels, though they might get closer to being flown, the fewer wheels are in contact with the ground ;).

I absolutely agree that a pilot can be "at one" with a type of aircraft, and quite new to many others. By the time you get to be "at one" with the next type, you're getting rusty with the first! Many decades ago, I was just beginning to be at one with the right seat of a Piper Cheyenne, then I had to fly out a 150, 'hadn't flown one in years. I had to "remember" the "speed" at which one "rotates" a C 150. It was a pretty embarrassing bit of airmanship!

I've never flown a Chipmunk but, I've heard wonderful things about their handling. If you can be "at one" with a really nice handling plane, that's great. What about being at one with a plane you can only drive? Is there more hands and feet skill involved in keeping the ball in the middle, of a plane in which you must use the rudder?

The KLM pilot who kissed on the 747 last week, did so after a last minute runway change, from a curved mid final. Not a hint of slip or skid at any point, and the right mains kissed on a moment before the lefts, in the crosswind. When the unforseen was presented to the pilot, his being at one with the 747 made his transition seamless.

I opine that a pilot cannot be unconsciously competent, and ready for the unforseen, until they are at least somewhat "at one" with the plane they are flying.

[thing]

You are describing mechanical empathy. I like to think I try to have it. I guess it all comes down to flying the wing, being good to the engine, probably many more things as well. I agree with SSD in that we are taught to fly by numbers and would also agree that there probably isn't another way. However if I fly a new type the first chance I get I will take it up to a safe altitude and see what it will do in all phases of flight and try and get a feel for what it looks like, sounds like and how the controls feel in those different phases. I don't want to be behind the aircraft if I can help it.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Part of reaching the 'at one' state for me is the aeroplane must give the pilot unconscious feedback through the controls. The Chipmunk does this - I swear you can 'feel' through the stick the CP moving forward on the wing after a 'back of the drag curve' hoink into the air off a muddy field while accelerating in ground effect.

The Chippy also demands you use your feet to obviate adverse yaw; those Frise ailerons on Cessnas etc might reduce the need for rudder when rolling the aeroplane into and out of turns but they sure screw up the 'feel' and feedback. And while the Chippy's rudder pedals tell your feet what the air is doing around that control surface, all I feel through a 172's rudder pedals is the springs in the nosewheel steering circuit! All that washout spoils the roll response as well; but the elevator is nice! The co-ordination of ailerons, rudder, and elevator is wrong, though. The compromised feedback in a 172's controls means for me it's unlikely ever to be an 'at one' aeroplane.

If an aeroplane has nice handling, unencumbered friction-free finger-light flying controls, pure and well co-ordinated control response with no bodges like Frise ailerons, it stands a good chance of becoming an 'at one with' machine, given time.

The Yak 52 ticks those boxes as well, and given time, for me, that could qualify too.

[skyhighfallguy]

A lot has been said about the plane.

It is up to the pilot and not the plane in becoming one.

A favorite trumpet player of mine was asked what kind of horn he used. He was a bit saddened by the question. It implied that the HORN was responsible for the music. But it was the musician. He could have played anything and been at one with the horn.

So too in flying. It doesn't matter which plane or the feedback of controls or anything like it. IT IS THE PILOT and most likely a frame of mind. To fully discuss this would be futile on this forum.

But a friend of mine said it best. A person who is NOT at one with the plane gets into it and flies it. Someone who IS AT ONE straps the plane on.

[9 lives]

It is up to the pilot and not the plane in becoming one.

Exactly!

When I was a machine shop apprentice, I used to like the fancy German Deckel machines, it made me think I knew what I was doing. The old timer would use any of the machines, including the lesser precision oriental ones, and make art. It was the machinist, not the machine.

I've noticed that some people more than others listen and feel, and succeed better as a result. They listen to and feel with other people, pets, the road in their car, and planes, and the things they do seem to work out well. Other people either have not learned to listen and feel yet, or just don't apply themselves, and end up not in harmony.

Although planes don't really have a mind of their own, they do have inertias and natural frequencies. Learning to sense these, and work with them, instead of across them moves a pilot much closer to being at one with the plane.

I was briefly trained to carry a load on a 200 foot "long line", under a helicopter - that's when you really begin to experience the need to be in harmony with natural frequencies! That load sure can get swaying if you are out of phase with it! I can change my piloting, but I cannot change inertia, and natural frequencies!

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

It's both. An expert can't turn a piece of metal to an accuracy of a gnat's hair if the lathe is only good to the nearest 1/8 inch.

A neophyte can't do it on the best of lathes.

[9 lives]

An expert can't turn a piece of metal to an accuracy of a gnat's hair if the lathe is only good to the nearest 1/8 inch.

It's true! (But the expert might "tune up" the lathe a little first!) ;)

A neophyte can't do it on the best of lathes.

Is unconditionally true! If only we had a forum here for "horror stories from the tool room", I could write pages! :eek:

[CISTRS]

I have flown many types, but the ones that I have strapped on my body and just flown are:


Fournier RF4 / RF5.
Pilatus B4 Glider.
Kirby Prefect Glider

It's always a thrill to take a first flight in a single seater...

[India Four Two]

Step Turn,

Thanks for starting this thread. It is very interesting to see other pilot's stories of "being at one with the plane". My story comes from glider towing. I have nearly 1000 tows in my logbook - not a lot considering the number of years I've been doing it and of course, not a lot of hours, bearing in mind that the average tow from takeoff to touchdown is about 10 minutes. However, doing about six flights per hour sharpens up your skills very rapidly.

From the gliding club's point of view, they have sold a 2000' tow for a fixed price. If the tow pilot can minimize the time that the tow takes, then the club has less cost and therefore makes more profit. So the challenge for the tow pilot is to optimize the tow in terms of minimizing track miles and maximizing the rate of climb.

My ideal tow (in a Scout) goes like this - after takeoff, climb straight ahead to 300' and then turn cross-wind. At about 500', fly into a strong thermal. As soon as I've flown through the thermal, make a turn to the right, quite tight if I know the glider pilot and aim to fly into the thermal again at about 1000'. Continue turning in the thermal until the glider pulls off at 2000'.

I turn left, throttle back to 2200rpm, put down full flap and accelerate to 80 mph. Fly level for cooling for one minute or until the CHT had dropped to XXX degrees (I forget the number). During that time, I track towards the beginning of a very wide left downwind leg. Then throttle back to 1500rpm and begin a full-flap descent at 80 mph, watching for gliders flying below on the downwind leg.

Assuming no conflict and reaching 1000', start a continuous base-final turn, aiming to be wings level on final at about 200' and about 200 yards out. Close the throttle, cross the fence at 100', drop the rope, side-slip down into the flare and land.

An ideal flight like that could take as little as six minutes and on good soaring days, happened more often than you would think. It was very satisfying when it did happen and I definitely felt "at one with the plane". One day when things were going extremely well, I had a distinct feeling that I was watching myself fly the aircraft along a well-defined groove in the circuit.

Of course, I didn't tell my AME about my out-of-body experience and if he's reading this, it's just a story! :ok:

[Big Pistons Forever]

My at one with the airplane AHH HA moment happened very early in my flying career (late 1970's). I helped an elderly gentleman wash his C 172. After we finished he offered me a ride.

Very early in the flight I started wondering how he could fly the airplane seemingly without moving the controls and how the instruments never seem to move in level flight. The flight ended with an approach that started with the throttle slowly closed downwind abeam the numbers and a very gentle continuous turn to a short final and the barest squeek from the tyres as we touchdown on the numbers.

This simple flight showed me what mastery of an airplane was like. I have gotten close to his level of smoothness a few times, but never for a whole flight.

It turned out the pilot had got his license in 1930 and had over 30 K hours and a "been there done that " resume that very few other pilots could equal, although you would never know it from talking to him as like many, but not all the old timers, he did not blow his own horn.

[glum]

I apologise to the 152 I'm learning in on frequent occasions, does this count?:eek:

[Pilot DAR]

I apologise to the 152 I'm learning in on frequent occasions, does this count?:eek:

Oh very much! They know! I've certainly had to apologize to a few, and even kiss a couple of scratches better...

Once you have learned to apologize to the plane, the first step of being at one with it has been accomplished. You care! Well done! :D