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18 U.S. CIVIL AERONAUTICS AUTHORITY The student will then be shown and allowed to move the controls, and their functions and actions explained to him. THE CONTROLS - THEIR ACTION AND USE It should be explained that these controls will have a natural "live pressure" while in flight and that they will remain in neutral position of their own accord. With this in mind, the student should be cautioned never to think of movement of the controls, but of exerting pressure on them against this live pressure or resistance. Movement of the controls means nothing; it is the duration and force of the pressure exerted on them that maneuvers the aircraft. In explaining the functions of the controls, the following should be emphasized, as it will correct the fallacy that the controls at times change functions; that is, the elevators become the rudder and the rudder the elevators during certain maneuvers. With regard to the pilot, these controls never change in the results produced and the pilot should always be considered the axis of movement of the aircraft, in other words, the reference point from which the movements of the aircraft are judged and described. The following then will always be true regardless of the position of the airplane with relation to the earth: 1. When the elevators are raised, or backward pressure applied to the stick, the nose comes toward the pilot. 2. When the elevators are depressed, or forward pressure applied to the stick, the nose moves away from the pilot. 3. When the stick is pressed to the right the right wing is depressed or pushed away from the pilot. 4. When the stick is pressed to the left the left wing is depressed or pushed away from the pilot. 5. When a wing is low it is pulled toward the pilot by exerting side pressure on the stick in the desired direction or by merely pushing the high wing down. 6. When the rudder bar is pressed to the left the nose is pushed to the left of the pilot. 7. When the rudder bar is pressed to the right the nose is pushed to the right of the pilot. These explanations will prevent the student from thinking in terms of "up" and "down," which is only a relative state to the pilot, and will make his understanding of the functions of the controls much easier, particularly in steep turns and the more advanced maneuvers. The student will consequently be able to instantly determine and apply the proper control to make the nose go in any direction that is desired. The underlying reason for this explanation is to simplify for the student a concept of the control functions and uses, and to eliminate the common tendency of considering the direction of gravity as the axis of control movement. The fallacy of reversal of controls is too common even among experienced pilots. In many cases it prevents proper analysis of control action. If it is remembered that the controls always function in
