light aircraft cowlling reference

[mstram]

When training in light aircraft my instructor's used the visual reference of the cowling/nose against the horizon for climbs / landing flare.

This seems to work out well, with the nose on the horizon Vy is the approximate result when climbing out with power. With power off, it creates a good rate of speed reduction in the flare.

Is the cowling / horizon / speed relationship just a coincidence ? ... or is this by design ?

Mike

[ft]

Thrust - constant in direction and magnitude with a set pitch angle and power (ignoring the comparably slight impact of airspeed on thrust generated).

Weight - constant in direction and magnitude

The aircraft will accelerate or decelerate until the drag equals the thrust (drag parallell to the thrust is a reasonable simplification making it a whole lot more comprehensible)

The aircraft will accelerate vertically until it either stalls or finds a climb angle which makes the lift equal the weight at the current airspeed (again making the simplification of having the lift parallell to the weight).

So yes, within reasonable limits such as staying off the backside of the power curve, it is to be expected. Perhaps not as much by design as by physics. :)

Cheers,
Fred