There was someone who never gave me any good advice except just one time.\u00a0 On that occasion, she admonished me to never tell a student that something was easy.<\/h2>\n\u201cIt may be easy for YOU,\u201d she warned, \u201cbut it may not be easy for them and your description of it as \u201ceasy\u201d will only serve to annoy them.\u201d<\/h2>\nFor once she was right. \u00a0It was a rare event\u2026 she also tried to fly my Cub through the hangar at Madras\u2026 but that\u2019s a different story.<\/h2>\n![\"practicing](\"https:\/\/tailwheelersjournal.com\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/IMG_1322-1024x682.jpg\" "\\"practicing")
I\u2019m often tempted to tell someone that a particular operation is easy but find myself remembering that advice and so I stifle myself.\u00a0 I had an experience the other day that was a good example.\u00a0 We were introducing my favorite technique of entering the forward slip in the turn from base to final.\u00a0 I realized that this maneuver is \u201ceasy\u201d in terms of how I teach it.\u00a0 It may be difficult, however, in the actual execution.\u00a0 And THAT is one of the great truths in flight instruction:\u00a0 Many pilot operations really are easy in description.\u00a0 It\u2019s the execution of them that is difficult until we practice.<\/h2>\nThe forward slip is certainly one of them.\u00a0 But, like so many things, we often make something that is relatively simple, very complex and difficult when we approach it the wrong way.\u00a0 Let me give you an example that really sticks in my mind.\u00a0 I was giving flight instruction to a rated pilot.\u00a0 We were in the pattern for Sunriver\u2019s runway one-eight.\u00a0 That\u2019s a right hand pattern. As my student turned the corner to right base, it was obvious that he was high.\u00a0 As I usually do, I said, \u201care you high or low?\u201d\u00a0 He replied that he was high, so I immediately said, \u201cI\u2019d go ahead and put flaps on, but you\u2019re going to need to enter a slip as well.\u00a0 This is the time to do it while you\u2019re turning from base to final. “<\/h2>\nThe guy was in the turn from right base to right final.\u00a0 His right wing was already down.\u00a0 All he had to do was apply left rudder and continue to use aileron to manage the turn.\u00a0 Easy, right?\u00a0 But, like most pilots, he was accustomed to lowering his LEFT wing in a forward slip and that\u2019s exactly what he attempted to do.\u00a0 I\u2019ve since figured out that the maneuver he attempted is actually what the aerobatic folks refer to as an \u201coutside\u201d maneuver and not really something you should attempt in a decrepit old Cessna 140.\u00a0 I had instructed him to do something that in theory was very easy.\u00a0 But in his execution he had turned it into something that only someone of Patty Wagstaff\u2019s abilities should attempt.<\/h2>\nThe forward slip is an important descent-steepening maneuver that every competent pilot should be able to perform with EITHER wing down.\u00a0 Most pilots don\u2019t enter it until on final.\u00a0 Since they are not turning, they can lower either wing and since they sit on the left side of side by side airplanes, they always lower the left wing.\u00a0 They don\u2019t know how to do it any other way.\u00a0 Here\u2019s how I teach it.\u00a0 It\u2019s the EASY way.<\/h2>\n(My attorney advises me to tell you this:\u00a0 \u00a0If you haven\u2019t had spin training, don\u2019t do this.\u00a0 Just continue to fly a stabilized approach and forget about the forward slip.\u00a0 Take up Bridge.)<\/h2>\nFirst of all, if we wait until we\u2019re on final, it may be too late for the slip to put us back on the appropriate glide slope.\u00a0 The forward slip usually needs to be entered sooner and that\u2019s why it\u2019s easy.\u00a0 We take advantage of the fact that we are already in a turn.\u00a0 In that turn from base to final, we\u2019re in the ideal position to judge whether we are high or low AND we have already performed half of the forward slip entry\u2026 we\u2019ve put a wing down in order to be in that turn.\u00a0 So all we have to do is apply opposite rudder.\u00a0 Bingo, you\u2019re in a slip.\u00a0 Now let\u2019s perfect it.\u00a0 When we put that rudder in, a couple of undesirable things will happen:\u00a0 The rudder input will cause our bank to lesson unless we apply more aileron.\u00a0 That rudder input will also cause our course in the turn to change.\u00a0 That\u2019s EASY to fix.\u00a0 Just remember that in a landing approach, rudder controls heading and aileron controls course.\u00a0 In this case, we really don\u2019t care about heading.\u00a0 In the words of one of my favorite instructors, \u201cit is what it is\u201d.\u00a0 What\u2019s important is COURSE.\u00a0 We need to maintain that circular course that will take us around the turn from base to final AND that will intercept the center line AND keep us on it.\u00a0 Aileron will do that.\u00a0 By remembering what these two control surfaces do, the pilot makes the maneuver EASY.<\/h2>\nTo practice the forward slip entry, simply go to altitude, preferably over countryside with lots of section lines.\u00a0 Those lines will allow you to fly an accurate course line. \u00a0Use a low cruise power setting. When practicing slips, it\u2019s not necessary to be in a descent which will cause you to have to climb again.\u00a0 The use of power will help conserve altitude and allow you to practice on and on and on.\u00a0\u00a0 Align yourself with a set of lines and then start a turn.\u00a0 By watching the section lines, it\u2019ll be easy to see when you\u2019re halfway through that ninety degree turn.\u00a0 At that point apply opposite rudder.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be timid.\u00a0 Get on it.\u00a0 Use aileron to maintain the bank AND the turn.\u00a0 Stop the turn when you\u2019ve completed ninety degrees of turn and maintain that forward slip.\u00a0 Don\u2019t pay any attention to altitude\u2026 you\u2019ll probably lose some since the airplane is so dirty.\u00a0 Now that you\u2019ve done one slip entry in a turn, simply kick out of the slip for a moment and then start a turn the other direction and practice another slip entry in that direction.\u00a0 If you master these alternating forward slips, you\u2019ll be \u201cslip-proficient\u201d.<\/h2>\nI find that most of the pilots who come to me for instruction know how to forward slip.\u00a0 They just can\u2019t do it both ways and they can\u2019t enter it from a turn.\u00a0 That\u2019s where education and practice come in.<\/h2>\nNow, just one more little piece of what serves as intelligence from the right seat:\u00a0 Most pilots kick out of the forward slip when at \u201cthe bottom of the hill\u201d, when they start the round out to flare for landing.\u00a0 That\u2019s understandable\u2026 they don\u2019t want to risk touching down while in a slip.\u00a0 BUT\u2026 they are usually a little fast when they reach that point and by kicking out of the slip, they clean the plane up and cause it to float even further.\u00a0 Perhaps they need to consider leaving the plane in a slip which will cause it to decelerate even sooner.\u00a0 After all, the forward slip performs its job of steepening the glide without increasing the speed because it presents the side of the plane to the relative wind which creates drag.\u00a0 That condition will also serve the pilot if he would like to slow the plane down during the roundout and flare.\u00a0 I\u2019ve only had one student inadvertently touch down while in the forward slip and it wasn\u2019t that big a deal because we were on grass.<\/h2>\nIf you get good at slips, not only will you be able to better control the accuracy of your approaches, but you will also become even more proficient in the use of stick and rudder and that\u2019s what it\u2019s all about, isn\u2019t it?<\/h2>\nHappy Swooping!<\/h2>\n
For once she was right. \u00a0It was a rare event\u2026 she also tried to fly my Cub through the hangar at Madras\u2026 but that\u2019s a different story.<\/h2>\nI\u2019m often tempted to tell someone that a particular operation is easy but find myself remembering that advice and so I stifle myself.\u00a0 I had an experience the other day that was a good example.\u00a0 We were introducing my favorite technique of entering the forward slip in the turn from base to final.\u00a0 I realized that this maneuver is \u201ceasy\u201d in terms of how I teach it.\u00a0 It may be difficult, however, in the actual execution.\u00a0 And THAT is one of the great truths in flight instruction:\u00a0 Many pilot operations really are easy in description.\u00a0 It\u2019s the execution of them that is difficult until we practice.<\/h2>\nThe forward slip is certainly one of them.\u00a0 But, like so many things, we often make something that is relatively simple, very complex and difficult when we approach it the wrong way.\u00a0 Let me give you an example that really sticks in my mind.\u00a0 I was giving flight instruction to a rated pilot.\u00a0 We were in the pattern for Sunriver\u2019s runway one-eight.\u00a0 That\u2019s a right hand pattern. As my student turned the corner to right base, it was obvious that he was high.\u00a0 As I usually do, I said, \u201care you high or low?\u201d\u00a0 He replied that he was high, so I immediately said, \u201cI\u2019d go ahead and put flaps on, but you\u2019re going to need to enter a slip as well.\u00a0 This is the time to do it while you\u2019re turning from base to final. “<\/h2>\nThe guy was in the turn from right base to right final.\u00a0 His right wing was already down.\u00a0 All he had to do was apply left rudder and continue to use aileron to manage the turn.\u00a0 Easy, right?\u00a0 But, like most pilots, he was accustomed to lowering his LEFT wing in a forward slip and that\u2019s exactly what he attempted to do.\u00a0 I\u2019ve since figured out that the maneuver he attempted is actually what the aerobatic folks refer to as an \u201coutside\u201d maneuver and not really something you should attempt in a decrepit old Cessna 140.\u00a0 I had instructed him to do something that in theory was very easy.\u00a0 But in his execution he had turned it into something that only someone of Patty Wagstaff\u2019s abilities should attempt.<\/h2>\nThe forward slip is an important descent-steepening maneuver that every competent pilot should be able to perform with EITHER wing down.\u00a0 Most pilots don\u2019t enter it until on final.\u00a0 Since they are not turning, they can lower either wing and since they sit on the left side of side by side airplanes, they always lower the left wing.\u00a0 They don\u2019t know how to do it any other way.\u00a0 Here\u2019s how I teach it.\u00a0 It\u2019s the EASY way.<\/h2>\n(My attorney advises me to tell you this:\u00a0 \u00a0If you haven\u2019t had spin training, don\u2019t do this.\u00a0 Just continue to fly a stabilized approach and forget about the forward slip.\u00a0 Take up Bridge.)<\/h2>\nFirst of all, if we wait until we\u2019re on final, it may be too late for the slip to put us back on the appropriate glide slope.\u00a0 The forward slip usually needs to be entered sooner and that\u2019s why it\u2019s easy.\u00a0 We take advantage of the fact that we are already in a turn.\u00a0 In that turn from base to final, we\u2019re in the ideal position to judge whether we are high or low AND we have already performed half of the forward slip entry\u2026 we\u2019ve put a wing down in order to be in that turn.\u00a0 So all we have to do is apply opposite rudder.\u00a0 Bingo, you\u2019re in a slip.\u00a0 Now let\u2019s perfect it.\u00a0 When we put that rudder in, a couple of undesirable things will happen:\u00a0 The rudder input will cause our bank to lesson unless we apply more aileron.\u00a0 That rudder input will also cause our course in the turn to change.\u00a0 That\u2019s EASY to fix.\u00a0 Just remember that in a landing approach, rudder controls heading and aileron controls course.\u00a0 In this case, we really don\u2019t care about heading.\u00a0 In the words of one of my favorite instructors, \u201cit is what it is\u201d.\u00a0 What\u2019s important is COURSE.\u00a0 We need to maintain that circular course that will take us around the turn from base to final AND that will intercept the center line AND keep us on it.\u00a0 Aileron will do that.\u00a0 By remembering what these two control surfaces do, the pilot makes the maneuver EASY.<\/h2>\nTo practice the forward slip entry, simply go to altitude, preferably over countryside with lots of section lines.\u00a0 Those lines will allow you to fly an accurate course line. \u00a0Use a low cruise power setting. When practicing slips, it\u2019s not necessary to be in a descent which will cause you to have to climb again.\u00a0 The use of power will help conserve altitude and allow you to practice on and on and on.\u00a0\u00a0 Align yourself with a set of lines and then start a turn.\u00a0 By watching the section lines, it\u2019ll be easy to see when you\u2019re halfway through that ninety degree turn.\u00a0 At that point apply opposite rudder.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be timid.\u00a0 Get on it.\u00a0 Use aileron to maintain the bank AND the turn.\u00a0 Stop the turn when you\u2019ve completed ninety degrees of turn and maintain that forward slip.\u00a0 Don\u2019t pay any attention to altitude\u2026 you\u2019ll probably lose some since the airplane is so dirty.\u00a0 Now that you\u2019ve done one slip entry in a turn, simply kick out of the slip for a moment and then start a turn the other direction and practice another slip entry in that direction.\u00a0 If you master these alternating forward slips, you\u2019ll be \u201cslip-proficient\u201d.<\/h2>\nI find that most of the pilots who come to me for instruction know how to forward slip.\u00a0 They just can\u2019t do it both ways and they can\u2019t enter it from a turn.\u00a0 That\u2019s where education and practice come in.<\/h2>\nNow, just one more little piece of what serves as intelligence from the right seat:\u00a0 Most pilots kick out of the forward slip when at \u201cthe bottom of the hill\u201d, when they start the round out to flare for landing.\u00a0 That\u2019s understandable\u2026 they don\u2019t want to risk touching down while in a slip.\u00a0 BUT\u2026 they are usually a little fast when they reach that point and by kicking out of the slip, they clean the plane up and cause it to float even further.\u00a0 Perhaps they need to consider leaving the plane in a slip which will cause it to decelerate even sooner.\u00a0 After all, the forward slip performs its job of steepening the glide without increasing the speed because it presents the side of the plane to the relative wind which creates drag.\u00a0 That condition will also serve the pilot if he would like to slow the plane down during the roundout and flare.\u00a0 I\u2019ve only had one student inadvertently touch down while in the forward slip and it wasn\u2019t that big a deal because we were on grass.<\/h2>\nIf you get good at slips, not only will you be able to better control the accuracy of your approaches, but you will also become even more proficient in the use of stick and rudder and that\u2019s what it\u2019s all about, isn\u2019t it?<\/h2>\nHappy Swooping!<\/h2>\n
I\u2019m often tempted to tell someone that a particular operation is easy but find myself remembering that advice and so I stifle myself.\u00a0 I had an experience the other day that was a good example.\u00a0 We were introducing my favorite technique of entering the forward slip in the turn from base to final.\u00a0 I realized that this maneuver is \u201ceasy\u201d in terms of how I teach it.\u00a0 It may be difficult, however, in the actual execution.\u00a0 And THAT is one of the great truths in flight instruction:\u00a0 Many pilot operations really are easy in description.\u00a0 It\u2019s the execution of them that is difficult until we practice.<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/tailwheelersjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Signature.jpg\" "\\"Signature\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"