'Partial Panel', why not 'NO Panel'
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'Partial Panel', why not 'NO Panel'
I was just looking at a cold-war jet that had most of its instruments removed, and felt that was a pity... But, at a push, just how un-flyable is an aircraft with no instruments?
Whilst under instruction in a glider, my instructor would tell me to keep my eyes 'outside the cockpit'. I could even trim by feel of the position of the trim lever. Admittedly the air-sound on the Perspex, was a bit of a give-away for an airspeed check, and the position of the nose on the horizon was another good indication.
Maybe instead of Partial-Panel, a full No-Panel circuit could be flown in an SEP airplane. It would rely on you knowing the settings by feel, and the engine revs by sound. Also to pay attention to the trim index, instead of just adding a few nobbles... (I realise some gliders have spring loaded trimmers, which could pose more of a problem.)
Whilst under instruction in a glider, my instructor would tell me to keep my eyes 'outside the cockpit'. I could even trim by feel of the position of the trim lever. Admittedly the air-sound on the Perspex, was a bit of a give-away for an airspeed check, and the position of the nose on the horizon was another good indication.
Maybe instead of Partial-Panel, a full No-Panel circuit could be flown in an SEP airplane. It would rely on you knowing the settings by feel, and the engine revs by sound. Also to pay attention to the trim index, instead of just adding a few nobbles... (I realise some gliders have spring loaded trimmers, which could pose more of a problem.)
Join Date: Oct 1999
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No problem at all in VMC.
Impossible in IMC.
I once flew a Stampe from the front seat. It had a stick and throttle, but all the instruments were paper cut-outs!
You might want an oil temp / pressure gauge for reassurance, however.
Impossible in IMC.
I once flew a Stampe from the front seat. It had a stick and throttle, but all the instruments were paper cut-outs!
You might want an oil temp / pressure gauge for reassurance, however.
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As part of my glider bronze C checks I was required to do a complete flight with an instructor with no instruments at all.
He did prompt me on the speeds during the winch launch for safety.
As I recall I few around for about 0.75 hours prior to doing the landing which was on a different part of the airfield from normal.
He did prompt me on the speeds during the winch launch for safety.
As I recall I few around for about 0.75 hours prior to doing the landing which was on a different part of the airfield from normal.
I have heard there are people who can keep right-side up in IMC with no panel . I doubt it's possible in turbulence, but I'd be interested to know how they do it, if they truly can.
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I have heard there are people who can keep right-side up in IMC with no panel . I doubt it's possible in turbulence, but I'd be interested to know how they do it, if they truly can.
It can only be done in a 'spirally stable' aeroplane, and other than free-flight models, I don't think there are any.
Some gliders are spirally stable with the airbrakes open. At my club, we teach a 'benign spiral' using the airbrakes, as a means of making an emergency descent through cloud.
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I can confirm that it is possible in certain circumstances via my own experience. With no panel and no outside references at all, you are definitely screwed if you're not in something spirally stable or unbreakable (such as an Sbach or one or two other unlimited aero types).
After allowing myself to accept a delayed takeoff slot I found myself caught out at dusk with no GPS, a fast setting sun and the surprise of the instrument lighting switch doing absolutely nothing. The landing light switch also got no result. Just to really line up the holes in the Swiss cheese, I had left the torch that normally lives in my flight bag at home along with my mobile phone.
I made a PAN call and got vectors to my home field that started out as '180 degrees' and descended into 'left a bit.. right a bit' as I could no longer make out the compass. It was properly dark by the time I got home and some trucks were sent out to light the field with their headlights. At night in VFR in the South of England there are plenty of ground lights to tell you which way is up, and if you're familiar with your aeroplane then you'll be able to maintain your speed, height(this is the tricky one though) and heading, however when it comes to landing, all these references start to go as you descend and they go beyond the horizon. I made my final turn with no inside references and only one or two pin-pricks of light outside. I simply trimmed full aft to give what I knew would be 70mph and banked the aeroplane and let it turn itself. I then captured the truck lights and then landed, feeling my way onto the almost completely unlit runway with only one truck's lights at the far end to judge attitude and altitude by(The PAPIs were also off). Luckily it was a long runway so I didn't have the pressure of getting it down in a hurry, and it was grass, which was fortunate considering I was flying a taildragger. Had the idea of landing with so little visual information been too much I was prepared to divert to somewhere with lights.
I'm sure there will be many along in a minute to tell me what a clot I was to get into that situation, but I'll be the first to say I learned a lot about flying that day and it still influences my decision making process now.
After allowing myself to accept a delayed takeoff slot I found myself caught out at dusk with no GPS, a fast setting sun and the surprise of the instrument lighting switch doing absolutely nothing. The landing light switch also got no result. Just to really line up the holes in the Swiss cheese, I had left the torch that normally lives in my flight bag at home along with my mobile phone.
I made a PAN call and got vectors to my home field that started out as '180 degrees' and descended into 'left a bit.. right a bit' as I could no longer make out the compass. It was properly dark by the time I got home and some trucks were sent out to light the field with their headlights. At night in VFR in the South of England there are plenty of ground lights to tell you which way is up, and if you're familiar with your aeroplane then you'll be able to maintain your speed, height(this is the tricky one though) and heading, however when it comes to landing, all these references start to go as you descend and they go beyond the horizon. I made my final turn with no inside references and only one or two pin-pricks of light outside. I simply trimmed full aft to give what I knew would be 70mph and banked the aeroplane and let it turn itself. I then captured the truck lights and then landed, feeling my way onto the almost completely unlit runway with only one truck's lights at the far end to judge attitude and altitude by(The PAPIs were also off). Luckily it was a long runway so I didn't have the pressure of getting it down in a hurry, and it was grass, which was fortunate considering I was flying a taildragger. Had the idea of landing with so little visual information been too much I was prepared to divert to somewhere with lights.
I'm sure there will be many along in a minute to tell me what a clot I was to get into that situation, but I'll be the first to say I learned a lot about flying that day and it still influences my decision making process now.
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WITH an INSTRUCTOR !!!!
Long time ago, I got my PPL, and 2 weeks later I bought a second hand Jodel D-120.
The world was too small. And I went navigating. I wanted to go places.
I had a very good Instructor, and soon he said; "Come lets go flying."
Suddenly, at 2000 ft, he put a brown bag over my head; "Continue, straight ahead."
Next day, I started shopping for the basic instruments to keep me out of trouble, because even VFR, sooner or later they"ll keep you alive.
I flew that little Jodel all over Europe, and I lived to write this.
Again; ONLY do this test WITH an INSTRUCTOR on board!!!!
The world was too small. And I went navigating. I wanted to go places.
I had a very good Instructor, and soon he said; "Come lets go flying."
Suddenly, at 2000 ft, he put a brown bag over my head; "Continue, straight ahead."
Next day, I started shopping for the basic instruments to keep me out of trouble, because even VFR, sooner or later they"ll keep you alive.
I flew that little Jodel all over Europe, and I lived to write this.
Again; ONLY do this test WITH an INSTRUCTOR on board!!!!
