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FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL     95

permit the road or objective to be observed throughout the turn, which is a necessity for the beginner in estimating his path to it. 
     When the student begins to grasp the idea and show proficiency in execution, the banks should be steepened gradually to take in steep turns, and practice on these should be required until errors in technique are minor and a fair degree of early planning is shown. 
     The measure of the student's progress is the smallness in the degree of change required from the original bank and the point in the turn where the change necessary is determined and applied, as well as the accuracy with which it is estimated. In other words the earlier this change is made, the smaller the degree of change required, and the fewer the changes necessary because of errors of estimation, the more the student has absorbed. 
     As usual, errors of coordination must be corrected and a constant altitude maintained. Flying technique must not suffer because of the division of the student's attention. Improvement in technique must be required along with the acquisition of the ability to divide the attention and plan the flight path. 

THE SQUARE OR RECTANGULAR COURSE

     The purpose of all elementary maneuvers is to prepare the student for solo and to build the foundation for sound technique and safety. The more practice a student can obtain under simulated conditions, the time element being taken into consideration, the easier it will be to teach him take-offs and landings, since he will have a better background to absorb the additional instruction necessary and can devote his attention to the major issue. Experience has shown that landing instruction is readily absorbed under these condition and, instead of being a major problem, is merely an extension of principles already learned and just another maneuver. 
     Before instruction in landings is undertaken, the student should have some practice that will simulate the conditions to be encountered in a trip around the field. He must learn to fly a straight course and how to judge where to turn, as well as many other complications involving traffic. 
     Flying a rectangular course will give the student an opportunity to learn how to fly a definite ground course and at the same time maintain his altitude, and give him the ease necessary to permit him to fly in traffic. Flying a rectangular course not only simulates a trip around the airport but also further assists the student in learning:
1. Practical application of the turn. 
2. Division of attention between flight path, ground objects, and the handling of the aircraft. 
3. Timing of the start and finish of a turn with regard to a definite ground object and a definite required course. 
4. The establishment of a track on the ground and determining the angle of "crab" necessary to make it good. 
    A field should be selected well away from traffic, the sides of which are not over a mile in length nor less than 1/4 mile. The shape should be square or rectangular within these limits. 
     The altitude flown should be approximately 500 feet, or the altitude required for traffic around the airport.