Viewing page 131 of 206

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

plane headed toward some point on the windward side of the next pylon. The exact heading can only be determined by trial and error. As a preliminary from which to work, recovery should be made with the airplane headed toward the second pylon, and from the position at which arrival is made at the second pylon  through straight flight alone an estimate of the amount of increase or decrease in the drift allowance can be made and corrected on subsequent trials until the proper allowance is determined.
When fair proficiency is attained in the maneuver when started with a medium initial bank, it should be given with a steep starting bank and proficiently attained before going on to eights on pylons.

EIGHTS ON PYLONS OR PYLON EIGHTS

The value of this type of eight, both shallow and steep, cannot be overemphasized. They are the last and most difficult of the conventional eights and are probably unsurpassed for teaching and developing subconscious control of the airplane with regard to altitude, perfectly coordinated maneuvering, excellent planning, and accurate execution with the attention constantly diverted to outside factors.
No student or pilot who can execute excellent eights on pylons need have any fears or doubts as to his ability to capably and accurately handle the airplane in ordinary maneuvers while his attention is directed to the solving of some outside problem. It is the maneuver that firmly fixes the technique of the normal maneuvers of piloting in the reflexes. 
The practice of this type of eight should never be completely discontinued. No matter how competent the pilot, an occasional review period will be beneficial.
The selection of the correct altitude is one of the important factors in the execution of these eights. 
The speed, the radius of the turn, and the altitude of the airplane all affect its ability to pivot around a fixed object on the ground, which is the objective of the maneuver. (See fig. 14.)
The following is the proper method of determining the correct altitude for eights on pylons.
At a low altitude it can be demonstrated that no matter what the degree of bank of the airplane, the lower wing tip of the airplane appears to move forward over the ground. If this process is repeated at progressively higher altitudes the same action will be noted until the proper altitude is reached. At this altitude the wing tip will appear to pivot "on" the point selected. This is the pivotal altitude and the one to be used for eights on pylons. If the altitude is then again increased, it will be noted that the lower wing lip appears to move backward over the ground no matter what degree of bank is being used, shallow, medium, or steep.
Below this pivotal altitude the pylon can only be held by skidding. As the altitude is decreased the amount of skidding necessary to hold the pylon must be increased.
Above the pivotal altitude the pylon can be held only by slipping. The greater the increase in altitude above this point the greater the amount of slipping necessary to hold the pylon.