Instrument Scan

[TMPFICH]

Dear All,

Looking for some help here as I just can't understand what has gone wrong.

I'm 9 and a bit hours through my IMC and really enjoying it, getting quiet a buzz when it all works out, taking the hood off and the runways infront of you (Almost). Then all of a sudden I'm stumped. My big problem has come since I started NDB tracking, I've covered SRA's, ILS's, Base turns and tracking to from up down left and right of VOR's. Now all of a sudden I can't even fly straight and level with the hood on. I've spent hours on RANT (which in my opinion is excellent) and got the tracking to and from NDB's in my head firmly but my scan has gone to pot. I can't hold a reference heading or a height.!!!!!

I have two ideas of my own as to why this is happening.

1, I just need a break, work is busy and trying to squeeze lots of flying in too.

2, The ADF is in the furthest bar one position on the pannel to the right. Every time I look at it I'm either climbing, turning.... etc.

Is No. 2 just an excuse or should I stop being soft and get back up there and work at it.

Any tips help advise would be greatly appreciated.

H

[mad_jock]

Go back to basics

PAT the CAT you daft ****

Power Att Trim Check Att Trim.

Then after its trimmed leave the bugga alone. Take your hands off when your flying and doing something else ie radio etc.

You will be fannying around putting inputs in when the machine is quite happy flying the profile you have set it on.

Lighter grip and let the machine do its stuff. And let it stabilse don't chase airspeed, set your att and config and it WILL work. IF after a time you see a trend then alter power but not until everything settles.

MJ

[GT]

Hi,

First thing that entered my head when I read your post was that perhaps you're now looking at the nav. instruments (particularly the RBI/RMI from what you've said) too much.

Remember, they're part of the scan - they're performance instruments - don't linger on them.

Also, when looking at the nav. (or com.) instruments try not to move your head, just your eyes. Try to keep your main gaze straight ahead of you, at the flight instruments. Granted, this is easier said than done and the fact that your ADF indicator is on the far side of the cockpit does not help, but you cannot take your eyes off of the AH for more than a couple of seconds (in my opinion!). Hope this helps. Best of luck.

Regards, GT.

[Tinstaafl]

The standard ADF's RBI display also requires an additional layer of integration on your part ie you have to convert a relative bearing + heading into the equivalent VOR display: displacement from a desired track.

Even an RMI takes a little more concentration than a CDI or (better) HSI.

Every unit of your brain 'ability' that is used for something other than flying & controlling the a/c will detract from your 'normal' ability to do so.

[DOC.400]

Quite normal for a lot of people -don't get bogged down in the IMC -chuck the plane around VFR for a while and RELAX.........

DOC

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Tmpfich:

First off there is nothing unusual about having low performance periods during the learning process.

Go up and fly VFR, trim the airplane to fly hands off.

Practise looking at you radios and instruments and at the same time remove your hand from the wheel, stick while you are doing this.

Then get back to me here on Pprune and let me know what happened.

Do not get fixitated on a " SCAN " as there is no such thing, with practice you learn to see and read many instruments at the same time.

The " scan" and all the fancy descriptions of performance instruments and control instruments is just gobbeldy gook word salading thought up by some moron looking for more buzz words to make flight training look real cool.

So you just relax, trim it out and let it fly itself for the few seconds you are wandering around the cockpit with your eyes.

Cat Driver:

...........................
:D The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no.:D

[TMPFICH]

Thanks all for your comments, they have all struck a cord in one way or another.

Mad_Jock Trim it and leave it alone, good point and one task I know I have not been achieving due to the +/- 300ft roller coster ride for 50 mins.

Tinstaafl, GT & Chuck Now that you come to mention it I seem to remember paying a great deal of time on the RBI waiting something to happen to the needle relative to the position I wanted it in, not concentrating on the AI and glancing at the RBI.

DOC.400 Kind of hoped someone would say that, so I've not flown this week despite some glorious weather. Got a trip planned for Monday so off for some G/H on my own.

Chuck I'll let you know..

Thanks again for all your comments chaps.

Mad_Jock, met you at PK southside last summer, Glad to know you are still plugging away at it. Best of luck:D

[big pistons forever]

I find alot of folks having problems with instrument flying have moved too fast through basic instrument flying skills to IFR procedures. It may be cheaper in the long run to go backwards and just do an hour of pure instrument flying exercises to absolutely nail down your control skills. Just don't use the CFI scan AI- Hobbs, DI- Hobbs, Altimeter- Hobbs .....:D :D :D

[Tinstaafl]

You forgot a vital part of the Instructor scan. It should read:

AI - DI - AI -Hobbs - AI - Altimeter - AI - Stare vacantly out the window - AI... :D :D