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Old 7th Apr 2011, 10:22
  #19 (permalink)  
Fuji Abound
 
Join Date: May 2001
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Aerobatics training should start with a solid introduction to unusual attitudes - perhaps two or three sessions. These should include a review of steep turns (properly steep turns), spiral dives and recoveries and wing overs. This will start to get your brain use to the aircraft behaving in a very different way and hopefully will make the rest of the process far more enjoyable.

From there a start should be made on the basic manouevers including aileron, barrel rolls, loops and stall turns (hammerheads) gradually giving more attention to working within a defined area (box) and using line features to keep the manouevers tight and pretty. Most aircraft suffer from insufficient power (well I guess they all do ) so it is a good time to instill the importance of conserving energy and as the lessons progress starting to link the manouevers together.

I think there are different views on how early proper spin training should be introduced. It was introduced to me towards the end of stage 2 (above) which in hindsight I think made a very good fit. Spinning can be unpleasant until you have developed a better awareness of what the aircraft is doing once in an "unusual" attitude and hard until you have some G tolerance.

By this stage you will have a pretty good idea whether aeros are for you and whether you enjoy and have confidence in the whole experience. It is a good time to go off and play solo together with starting to work on some of the more advanced manouevers. As you progress so much will depend on the aircraft. Many aircraft will struggle and be close to the limit of their capability.

Good luck.
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