Flight Training - November/December 2022 - 6

ALWAYS LEARNING BY SARAH DEENER
Editor SARAH DEENER is
5-foot-1 and doesn't need a
seat cushion in a Cessna 152.
All aircraft designs are compromises.
When it comes to ergonomics, manufacturers
design for the middle of the bell
curve-which means, in the case of aircraft
designed during the general aviation boom
of the 1960s and 1970s, an FAA-standard
170-pound man. Those of us who are
shorter or taller, bigger or smaller need to
get creative.
Short renters like me rely on seat cushions
to improve rudder pedal authority
and visibility over the panel, and owners
may have the additional option of installing
rudder pedal extensions. The useful
load, legroom, or cockpit dimensions of
light sport aircraft and other smaller aircraft
might put them off limits for larger or
taller pilots, but ask around and you'll find
trainers with the capacity you need.
BELL CURVE
It must have been the fourth time my instructor had reminded
me, this time with a hint of agitation in his voice: Don't use the
brakes to turn.
Now I was agitated. Taxiing should be the easy part, and I couldn't even do that
right? Why did something that seemed so basic to my CFI prove so difficult for me?
Then he offered advice that led to an epiphany and one of the most useful purchases
in my flying career: " Keep your heels on the floor. "
Standard advice for airplanes with toe brakes like the Cessna 172 I was flying,
leaving your heels on the floor keeps your feet off the brakes and allows you to apply
smooth pressure on the rudder pedals. The thing is, I couldn't do it. And not in a
conceptual or muscle-memory way-I physically could not reach the floor with my
toes stretched out to the rudder pedals. Nor could I fully deflect the pedals, so while
turning I was sliding my toe awkwardly from bottom to top to pull the nose around
with differential braking. It dawned on me that this wasn't how it was supposed to
be. I bought a seat cushion with a back.
My taxiing improved. My sight picture improved. My landings improved. My legs
didn't ache after lessons. I could see over the panel and keep my feet on the floor.
Then, I bought a fuel gauge for checking the fuel level during preflight-because
my instructor, well over 6 feet tall, kept asking me to check if the tanks were filled
to the tabs. (To this day I haven't set eyes on " the tabs " in the tanks of a Cessna.)
Now, I wear firm-soled shoes to fly, and carry an extra cushion for aircraft designed
for especially long-legged pilots. Carrying extra gear isn't always convenient, but it
makes me a more comfortable and better pilot.
6
FLIGHT TRAINING NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022
A DIFFERENT AIRPLANE,
OR A FEW ACCESSORIES
IN YOUR FLIGHT BAG, CAN
MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN
YOUR COMFORT, SAFETY,
AND READINESS TO LEARN.
The search for the right fit isn't limited
to your physical size. Pilots with mobility
issues may prefer stepping into a highwing
airplane over climbing onto a low
wing. Those who can't work the rudder
pedals may opt for an Ercoupe or another
model modified with hand controls.
Trouble climbing up to check the fuel on a
Cessna? Consider a folding stool. Can't tow
your Bonanza over the lip of the hangar by
hand? Invest in a motorized tug.
Many of these solutions cost money,
of course. But you're not bound to accept
the circumstances of your first flight
lesson. A different airplane, or a few
accessories in your flight bag, can make a
big difference in your comfort, safety, and
readiness to learn. (See " The Stuff You
Keep " on p. 18 for more suggestions for
gear that can help make your training go
more smoothly.) As much as flight training
is a mental exercise, it's also a physical
endeavor. It's important to approach each
lesson in the right headspace-but it's just
as important to have your eyes over the
panel and your feet on the floor. FT
Flight Training - November/December 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - November/December 2022
