AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 32
LICENSETOLEARN
BY ROD MACHADO
The flying equation
A
lbert Einstein gave us E=MC2, one of the most venerable of physics equations. It’s an equation that allows us to understand the relationship
opposite the relative wind). Most pilots make this comparison by looking directly over the airplane’s nose. Others do it by looking out their left window to observe the airplane’s motion relative to the wing’s chord line. The airplane’s attitude can provide a practical estimate of the angle of attack, but only when you’re aware of the direction your airplane is moving. Understanding this concept allows you to avoid selecting an attitude that might cause the wings to exceed their critical angle of attack. Using between mass and energy. Aviation also has its venattitude to estimate your angle of attack becomes erable equations, and one of my favorites involves no less reliable when it’s harder to identify the airplane’s Longtime flight instructor Rod math at all. This equation expresses the relationship actual motion through the air. This is most likely to Machado has happen during steep descending turns to landing. between attitude, power, and performance. It’s to be been an aviation taken seriously, but not literally. It reads: Attitude + Steep descending turns involve increasing elevaspeaker since Power = Performance (A+P=P). tor back-pressure, which produces a relatively quick 1976. This is the equation I use on every flight. Every increase in angle of attack and an increase in load one! When the two variables of attitude and power factor. Since the airplane is turning, the background are exchanged for specifics, I can estimate my airplane’s perfor- scenery constantly changes instead of moving steadily toward mance with a high degree of precision. Pushing the throttle fully you. This makes it more difficult to assess the airplane’s motion forward at sea level on a cool day and raising the nose to climb through the air, so an accurate estimate of the angle of attack attitude allows me to anticipate good climb performance (good is more difficult to make. Complicating matters, the nose is for that specific airplane, of course). Turning base, reducing pointed below the horizon in these turns. Unfortunately, many power to flight idle, and selecting a specific nose-down attitude pilots have difficulty understanding how the wings can exceed allows me to predict the airspeed I’ll achieve during the descent. their critical angle of attack when the airplane is in a nose-low The equation doesn’t lie, as long as long as you are aware of two attitude. High G loading in a descending turn is where this is traps that can alter one or more of its variables. likely to happen. Avoiding trap number two means recognizing that a sudden For instance, some pilots misinterpret A+P=P to read: Attitude + Throttle Position = Performance. Unfortunately, the only thing increase in apparent weight (load factor) implies that you’re that this equation predicts is that some pilot might have a reason closer to a stall than the nose-low attitude might suggest. Given those caveats, is A+P=P still useful? You bet it is. Abrato use the word deductible at some future time. That’s because for normally aspirated engines, as density altitude increases, ham Lincoln once said that nearly every major decision he the position of the throttle (full forward, half forward, et cetera) made was influenced by the Declaration of Independence. In a becomes a less accurate indicator of power production. structurally similar way, every maneuver I make in an airplane . Move the throttle to its full forward position while flying at is guided by the equation A+P=P Every single one. 5,000 feet msl on a standard day, and your engine might produce No, I’m not sitting there manipulating the controls while 75 percent of its maximum rated power. Do the same thing at mumbling, “A plus P equals P In the back of my mind A+P=P is .” a higher altitude and/or warmer conditions and you’ll get less simply the strategy used for flying my airplane. power even with the throttle pushed to its full forward posiFortunately, this equation involves no math, which is good tion. That’s why Attitude + Power = Performance is only useful because five out of four people have trouble with math. It when you consider how environmental conditions influence does, however, involve two generalizations—without the abilpower production. At high density altitudes, you can raise the ity to generalize, there can be no wisdom. Simply be aware nose to climb attitude and move the throttle fully forward, but that the throttle position doesn’t necessarily represent engine don’t anticipate sea-level climb perforpower—and that attitude becomes a mance. If you understand that, you will less reliable indicator of angle of attack successfully avoid trap number one. when accompanied by an increase in Trap number two involves mistaking load factor. Given these caveats, A+P=P attitude for angle of attack. Attitude is AOPA Aviation Summit becomes a useful tool for anyone who not angle of attack, though it can be a Rod Machado will enter tain and flies. good approximation as long as you can educate pilots at AOPA Aviation Summit, compare it to the airplane’s direction September 22 through 24, in Hartford, Visit the author’s blog (www.rod of motion (i.e., the movement directly Connecticut. www.aopa.org/summit machado.com). 32 • SEPTEMBER
2011
AOPA PILOT •
http://www.rodmachado.com
http://www.rodmachado.com
http://www.aopa.org/summit
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011
Contents
President’s Position
Hangar Talk
AOPA Media
AOPA Action
Letters
Waypoints
Proficient Pilot
Safety Pilot
License to Learn
Pilot Counsel
Fly Wel
Pilot Briefing
Rally GA: ‘Why Crawl When You Can Fly?’
Above New York
GA Remembers 9/11: Adjusting to a Changing World
B–29 Superfortress: The Lady Has A History
Aerostar 601P: Family Rocket
Saving Airports: Keeping GA at Reno/Tahoe
Renter No More
2012 Tougher Than a Tornado Husky Sweepstakes: This Dog Will Hunt
Going Live
Dogfight: Experimental Versus Standard
Never Again
Fly-Outs
Fly by Wire
Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - President’s Position
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Hangar Talk
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - AOPA Media
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - AOPA Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 20
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Letters
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 24
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Waypoints
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Proficient Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Safety Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - License to Learn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Pilot Counsel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Fly Wel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Pilot Briefing
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 40
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Rally GA: ‘Why Crawl When You Can Fly?’
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Above New York
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - GA Remembers 9/11: Adjusting to a Changing World
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - B–29 Superfortress: The Lady Has A History
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Aerostar 601P: Family Rocket
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Saving Airports: Keeping GA at Reno/Tahoe
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Renter No More
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 2012 Tougher Than a Tornado Husky Sweepstakes: This Dog Will Hunt
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 92
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Going Live
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - I1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - I2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Dogfight: Experimental Versus Standard
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 100
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Never Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 104
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Fly-Outs
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Fly by Wire
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 108
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - Cover4
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