Hi Gentlemen:
Originally Posted by Fellow Aviator
I notice from your profile that you have a vast amount of experience from a long and diversified career; military, instructing, airline etc. I value your opinion, however I don't agree with all you said.
Originally Posted by misd-agin
I disagree to some extent. Different a/c designs take completely different power settings. Some use FF as primary power on approach, some use N1, and others use EPR. I think a reasonable starting point makes sense for new pilots. After that I tell them "this gets you close, after that you're still a pilot".
First, thank you both for the kind words of support. Second, I expected that there would be some “I-don’t-completely-agree-with-you” comments … as I typically have a habit of speaking my mind … and
IF I truly advocate the differences between pilots (at least as much as the similarities that exist), and I believe I do, I also
have to expect (and acknowledge) those differences, and, therefore, the disagreements you have … and that’s fine. There certainly is more than just ONE way to “fly;” and, technique plays a huge part in aviation … and it also does in the application of either of the examples I want to describe, below.
I guess I come from what has become known as “the
old school” of piloting. That generally says the reason for pilot controls being in the cockpit in the first place is to allow the pilot to control the airplane. OK, maybe that’s a bit harsh. However, those controls are there to allow the pilot to
continuously control the airplane. Perhaps I should explain the difference between how I use the words “continuous” and “continual.” The word “continuous” implies an
uninterrupted flow of something; whereas the word “continual” implies a flow of something that is often
interrupted and re-initiated in a cyclic manner. While it’s probably not the best analogy going, I think of “flying” in one or the other of these ways. Either the pilot continuously controls the airplane (pitch, bank, power, and trim) without interruption; or, the pilot sets specific values of these parameters, observes the results, and makes adjustments in those values.
In the first example, in my opinion, the pilot is continuously controlling the airplane. The pilot makes an input and evaluates the responding airplane as the input is made. Necessary adjustments to the input are made
while the airplane is responding, and is continuously (uninterruptedly) adjusted in response to continuous (uninterrupted) evaluation of the success of the currently applied adjustment. Yeah, I know, that may
sound like double-talk, but, give it a chance – I think you’ll see what I’m saying.
However, in the second example, again, in my opinion, the pilot observes the situation, makes a decision about where to position the controls, does so, and waits for the airplane to respond. At that point, the pilot observes the situation, makes a decision about where to position the controls, does so, and waits for the airplane to respond. This cycle is continually repeated; start, stop, start, stop, etc.
To me, this second way is a very “mechanical” way of flying an airplane. Can it be done? Sure! George does it all the time. But, its really hard to separate “continually” and “continuously” simply by observing George’s inputs; and that’s
because George does it so many times a second. However, George doesn’t
learn and he doesn’t
anticipate. Whereas, I believe YOU can, and should, do BOTH.
If I was looking to hire a pilot and, as part of that hiring process I was asked to watch a pilot fly a simulator session, I’m afraid I’d be more likely to be more interested in the pilot who took control of the airplane and made it do what he (or she) wanted it to do; rather than the pilot who established some parameter (pitch, bank, power, and/or trim) and waited to see what the airplane was going to do with that input.
As I’ve heard here many times before, the phrase “horses for courses” may apply – then, again, it may not. And, since in my history, the bosses I’ve had seemed to have liked (and, I guess, still do) what I’ve done, and am doing, and why, I am probably going to keep doing what I’ve been doing. But, of course, I wish all the best for both of you and continue to plead … please be careful!