LESSON: Eights on Pylons

OBJECTIVE:

To develop the students understanding of Eights on pylons

ELEMENTS:

Elements of Eights on Pylons

  • How to determine approximate pivotal altitude
  • How to select suitable pylons with consideration given to emergency landing areas
  • Orientation, division of attention, and planning
  • Configuration and airspeed prior to entry
  • Relationship of ground-speed change to the performance of the maneuver
  • Pilot’s "line-of-sight" reference to the pylon
  • Entry technique
  • Technique for maintaining "line-of-sight" on the pylon
  • Timing of turn entries and rollouts
  • How to correct for wind drift between pylons
  • Coordination of flight controls

Common errors related to Eights on Pylons

  • Faulty entry technique
  • Poor planning, orientation, or division of attention
  • Uncoordinated flight control application
  • Use of an "line-of-sight" reference
  • Application of rudder alone to maintain "line-of-sight" reference to the pylon
  • Improper timing of turn entries and rollouts
  • Improper correction for wind drift between pylons
  • Selection of pylons where there is no suitable emergency landing area within gliding distance

SCHEDULE:

  • 20 minutes total

EQUIPMENT:

  • Appropriate textbooks
  • Chalkboard & chalk
  • Model aircraft
  • Appropriate slides/Visual Aids

INSTRUCTORS ACTIONS:

  • Discuss lesson objective
  • Introduce the concept of Eights on pylons
  • Describe how to successfully perform Eights on pylons
  • Discuss common errors related to Eights on pylons
  • Ask pertinent questions to determine students understanding
  • Assign appropriate study material

STUDENTS ACTIONS:

  • Listen, take notes, ask questions
  • Respond to instructors questions
  • Leave with a framework understanding of the subject

COMPLETEION STANDARDS:

The student should demonstrate adequate understanding of Eights on pylons by:

  • Exhibiting knowledge of the elements related to Eights on pylons
  • Determining the wind direction and speed
  • Selecting the reference point with an emergency landing area within gliding distance
  • Planing the maneuver so as to enter at 600 to 1000 feet AGL, at an appropriate distance from the reference point, with the airplane headed downwind and the first turn is to the left
  • Applying adequate wind-drift correction to track a constant radius circle around the selected reference point with a bank of approximately 45 at the steepest point in the turn
  • Diving attention between aircraft control and the ground track and maintaining coordinated flight
  • Completing two turns, exiting at the point of entry at the same altitude and airspeed at which the maneuver was started
  • Maintaining altitude,  100 feet; maintaining airspeed  10 knots

Introduction

Attention/Motivation

Eights on pylons are an excellent and essential maneuver for fine tuning your wind drift correction procedures and skills

Overview

This lesson describes the procedure for performing Eights on pylons and discusses some common errors encountered while performing them

DEVELOPMENT

Description:Fly a figure eight while pivoting around two pylons

Objective: To develop the ability to maneuver the airplane accurately while dividing your attention between the flight path and the selected points on the ground

Procedure:

  1. Determine wind direction and speed
  • WX Reports, ATIS, AWOS
  • Ground references: Flags, smoke/dust, lake swells
  • Performing a wind drift circle
  1. Select pylons
  • Consideration given to emergency landing areas
  • Easily identifiable: Preferably round and doesn’t blend with the surroundings
  • Perpendicular to the wind
  • Should be about ½ mile apart
  • Enough time to allow 3-5 seconds of straight and level flight between pylons
  1. Determine pivotal altitude
  • Ground speed determines pivotal altitude
  • Higher the ground-speed, higher the pivotal altitude
  • lower the ground-speed, lower the pivotal altitude
  • Typically 800 – 900 feet AGL
  • Pivotal altitude = (Ground speed)² / 11.3

Pivotal altitude = (95)² / 11.3

Pivotal altitude = 9025/11.3

Pivotal altitude = 798.67

  1. Clear the area
  • Clearing turns
  • 122.75, announce: area, altitude, maneuvers
  1. Entry technique
  • Enter directly downwind (Highest ground-speed and steepest turn first) perpendicular to the points
  • Power should be set to 18" and 2300 RPM
  • Start by turning to the left
  • Aircraft should be approximately ¼ mile from the 1’st pylon
  • Airspeed should be at maneuvering speed (95 knots)
  • Clean configuration
  1. Turn around the first pylon
  • Roll in to the turn with coordinated aileron and rudder
  • Add back pressure
  • At 45 angle from your entry position look for a prominent landmark off the nose and right wing
  • Distance from the pylon will determine bank angle, closer you are the steeper the bank angle
  1. Acquire "line-of-sight" reference to the pylon
  • Parallel the lateral axis of the airplane
  • This is the pivot point and it does not change
  1. Adjust pivotal altitude around the first pylon
  • Turning into the wind ground-speed starts to slow
  • If pivotal altitude is too high the pylon will move in front of the reference point
  • If pivotal altitude is too low the pylon will move behind the reference point
  • Must descend to achieve the correct pivotal altitude
  • Decrease bank angle
  • Coming back around the ground-speed will increase
  • Increase the pivotal altitude and decrease the angle of bank
  • Keep a constant scan between reference point, flight instruments, & surroundings
  1. Rollout on your landmark that you identified during the entry
  • Roll out on the landmark that was off the right wing during the entry
  • Coordinated aileron and rudder, relieving back pressure
  • Fly straight and level for 3 – 5 seconds
  1. Turn around the second pylon
  • Roll in to the turn with coordinated aileron and rudder
  • Add back pressure
  • Distance from the pylon will determine bank angle, closer you are the steeper the bank angle
  1. Acquire "line-of-sight" reference to the pylon
  • Parallel the lateral axis of the airplane
  • This is the pivot point and it does not change
  1. Adjust pivotal altitude around the first pylon
  • Turning into the wind ground-speed starts to slow
  • If pivotal altitude is too high the pylon will move in front of the reference point
  • If pivotal altitude is too low the pylon will move behind the reference point
  • Must descend to achieve the correct pivotal altitude
  • Decrease bank angle
  • Coming back around the ground-speed will increase
  • Increase the pivotal altitude and decrease the angle of bank
  • Keep a constant scan between reference point, flight instruments, & surroundings
  1. Rollout on your landmark that you identified during the entry
  • Roll out on the landmark that was off the nose during entry
  • Coordinated aileron and rudder, relieving back pressure

Common errors related to Eights on pylons

Faulty entry technique

  • Not entering downwind
  • Excessive airspeed
  • Too close or too far from the point
  • Not using the steepest angle of bank initially
  • Not identifying landmarks for use during the rollout

Poor planning, orientation, or division of attention

  • Results in either the Amoebae, Hail and Farewell, or the Roller-coaster
  • Not changing bank angle and crabbing to anticipate and correct for wind drift
  • Not picking a visible landmark, and as a result loosing sight of it
  • Incorrectly anticipating wind direction and speed
  • Focusing exclusively on the pylon: Not having a good scan, inside and out

Uncoordinated flight control application

  • Slipping or skidding turn
  • Use the turn coordinator

Use of an "line-of-sight" reference

  • Make sure it is parallel to the lateral axis of the airplane

Application of rudder alone to maintain "line-of-sight" reference to the pylon

  • This is the most common way to cheat during eights on pylons
  • If the pylon is ahead or behind the reference line do not use rudder to move the wing
  • Adjust the pivotal altitude

Improper timing of turn entries and rollouts

  • This causes the airplane to get to close or to far from the pylon
  • Make sure you identified landmarks as you start the maneuver

Improper correction for wind drift between pylons

  • This also leads to the airplane getting to far from the pylon
  • Always crab into the wind

Selection of pylons where there is no suitable emergency landing area within gliding distance

  • Choose a relatively flat area with few obstructions (Houses, buildings, trees)

CONCLUSION

  • Fly a figure eight while pivoting around two pylons
  • Must vary bank angle and pivotal altitude to keep the pylon on the reference point
  • Wind direction and speed determines ground speed, which determines pivotal altitude
  • While performing the maneuver keep a constant scan between the pylons, rollout landmarks, flight instruments, and surrounding airspace
  • Don’t cheat with the rudder
  • Choose a suitable location to perform the maneuver