Fist on the glareshield?
05-26-2014 | 08:23 PM
#11
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Gets Weekends Off
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From: Chris's Closet
Interesting responses, thanks...is this a military thing or is this something I missed in civilian flight training? I got enough info from the Captain to know he was AF, guess I assumed it was a technique taught by the military.
05-26-2014 | 09:00 PM
#12
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"Sight picture" is the formal phrase for it. Essentially your finding the difference between the horizon (actual) and the top of your fingers, fist, dash, whatever; in a specified configuration (climbs, descents, approaches, straight and level).
An interesting (and very useful) concept, but as most here have mentioned there are some varying factors. For example: a fist on the dash for one person might be 3 fingers on the dash for another.
This is a commonly used teaching technique for basic VFR flying (civilian not sure what the military teaches). The idea is to get the student to look outside and fly the plane with reference to the outside world as opposed to focusing on the instruments and chasing airspeed, vertical speed, etc.
An interesting (and very useful) concept, but as most here have mentioned there are some varying factors. For example: a fist on the dash for one person might be 3 fingers on the dash for another.
This is a commonly used teaching technique for basic VFR flying (civilian not sure what the military teaches). The idea is to get the student to look outside and fly the plane with reference to the outside world as opposed to focusing on the instruments and chasing airspeed, vertical speed, etc.
05-27-2014 | 05:03 AM
#13
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From: 767A (Ret)
Some T-37 IPs used a "grease pencil" dot on the windscreen for the same purpose. It was also a reference for maneuvers (keep the dot on a section line for entering a loop or on "lead" for a rejoin, make it circle a particular cloud for a barrel roll, etc.)
05-28-2014 | 04:42 AM
#16
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From: Rebuilding the career
Back in my 727 night cargo days I knew many flight engineers that would occasionally employ the "head on the table" technique. I believe it was used for a different purpose, but it must have been effective because it seemed to be very popular.
05-28-2014 | 01:31 PM
#19
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From: Fairly local
I had a nav in C-130s that would brief, "On takeoff, you're going to hear two thumps. The first one is the nose gear in the up-lock, the second one is my head hitting the desk. If you hear one thump, you have a gear problem."
