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FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL

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the student's limited range of judgment and estimation of altitude and distance. he will have developed some perception of these at the altitudes used during his circuits of the field
  At first the student's area of vision will probably be limited to one side of the airplane, but as he gains more experience with instruction he will be able to evaluate and select a field from the entire 180o in front of and to the sides of his position. 
  As previously stated, successful accomplishment of forced landings from low altitudes depends on the speed and accuracy of the initial estimate of the situation. This speed and manner of reaction is a personal quality of the individual and, while both are subject to development, there are definite inherent traits that are required. 
  Unless the reactions are sound and within normal reaction time limits, ability to maneuver is valueless, since no amount of this ability can make up for the loss of altitude or position due to initial delay or bad judgment. 
  Practical demonstrations must be given by the instructor with forced landing practice, as with all other maneuvers, to clarify situations and present a clear picture of what is desired. 
  As available altitude increases, the forced landing becomes easier for the advanced student or experienced pilot, since this addition altitude:
  1. Increases the choice of fields.
  2. Allows more time to arrive at a decision and offers the possibility of a better decision. 
  3. Permits more opportunity for maneuvering and the execution of a better and easier approach. 
  Forced landings from a thousand feet or more are more difficult for the primary student since he has not developed the perceptions and judgment that make then easy for the advanced student or experienced pilot. This is due to the following:
  1. Most of his power-off work has been from much lower altitudes. 
  2. Drift is less apparent, requiring the ability to differentiate between its effect and the effects of maneuvering the aircraft on the flight path over the ground, together with the ability to estimate the effect of drift on the results of any maneuvering. 
  3. Altitude affects the appearance of the terrain and tends to make all fields look flat. Even experienced pilots sometimes have trouble in judging the surface of a field from altitudes of above a thousand feet. when the student gets down to an altitude where he can judge the field he is usually definitely committed to land in it and has to continue regardless of its suitability. 
  The same factors which make the high-altitude forced landing easier for the experienced pilot may make it difficult for the student because-
  1. With a greater choice of fields he may be inclined to delay making up his mind. 
  2. With sufficient altitude in which to maneuver, errors of maneuvering and estimation of glide will develop, since no experience has been had in where and how to make allowances for such probable errors. 
  Many students who have advanced to 180's and 360's, when given high altitude forced landings will attempt to maneuver the airplane