Originally Posted by
Captain Nomad
Awol57,
Fair explanation and I understand an instructor must follow the protocols of his/her school/employer. Glad to hear that sideslips were still covered so that the skill can still be obtained in the early stages. Would agree that if the average trainee needs to sideslip on a normal approach in a 'normal GA trainer' their ability to rescue the already dodgy approach is probably suspect
However it can help with a glide approach that has been left a bit too high for a bit too long!
The reason I was taught to sideslip in early 70's flying school in the UK was not for landing at the airfield, but for engine failure landing in ANY field. The average paddock in the UK is much smaller than in Oz, so you needed to be able to put it down firm and short.
The CFI used to make us go to crop-height to prove we were definitely going to "get in". This accompanied by a running commentary "You're never going to get in sonny, you're never going to get in.... I don't know how you managed to get in there sonny, who the hell taught you to side-slip like that?"
Happy days!