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X-Plane Assignment 1

15 points

Nathan Tyler Rose

Last edited 41 days ago by Jacob Daniel Sieber.

Overview

Generated by Coda AI

This assignment requires students to answer questions about interpreting METAR information, runway usage, and the effects of headwind and crosswind during flight. They must set up a flight simulator, then record and upload screen recordings of two stabilized circuits with headwind and four with crosswind at varying speeds for runway 28. Tips for flying in these conditions are provided. Deliverables include a completed PDF of the document uploaded to Brightspace, along with the recordings from specified tasks, which should be titled appropriately and uploaded to the same platform.

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Tasks

Task 0 - Questions

Answer the following questions. Some questions can be answered after completing the assignment.

General

KLAF 100213Z AUTO 27005KT 10SM SCT027 OVC031 18/15 A2982 RMK AO2 T01830150

When reading the winds in the METAR above, what is the wind direction and speed?

The wind direction is 270 degrees (west), and the speed is 5 knots in the above metar.

If you are standing with your back to the west, on which side of your body will you feel the wind given in the above METAR?

If one stands with their back to the west, they will feel the wind on their backs.

Which runway at KLAF should we use?

We should use runway 28 in a perfect world with the above winds, but we could also use 23 if necessary because of the light wind speed.

Headwind

When flying into a headwind (relative to calm conditions), what considerations do I need to make for:

Turn to base: one will need to turn further than 90 degrees from downwind to base if there is a headwind on final because they will have to crab into the wind to maintain proper ground track on base. If they do not do this, they will be pushed away from the runway by the wind.

Turn to final: one will need to understand that they may sink faster than anticipated, and so they may need to add power and or pitch up to keep from sinking since the airspeed will be relatively unchanged and the ground speed will relatively decrease.

Is landing with a headwind easier than in calm conditions? Why?

Landing with a headwind is typically easier in calm conditions because the groundspeed is decreased for the same airspeed. This means that the aircraft will be landing with less forward energy, and it is possible that the pilot will have an easier time landing exactly where they want.

In a short paragraph, compare landing with a 5 kts vs 20 kts headwind. Be sure to discuss airspeed, ground speed, descent angle, power input, and landing roll distance.

Landings with a 5 knot headwind vs a 20 knot headwind are different flavors of the same candy, but some flight characteristics will change. airspeed should be approximately the same between the two, and the only time it would not be is if the operator elected to maintain a higher speed for gusting conditions (which are assumed not to take place here). Ground speed will be faster on the 5 knot headwind than the 20 knot headwind, and ground speed depends on how much one has to “fight the wind” while flying at the prescribed airspeed. The descent angle should be approximately the same between the two, but if uncorrected from one to another, the descent angle has a chance of becoming much steeper with the higher headwind. On similar descent angles, power input should be more on the higher headwind to maintain glide path while fighting the wind. Landing roll distance should be less with the higher headwind because the aircraft will be landing with less groundspeed than the other scenario. Both situations should be handled with care.

Crosswind

Define these techniques:

Side Slip: this technique is performed by rolling the ailerons into the wind and yawing the rudder away from the wind, creating good longitudinal alignment of the aircraft with the runway. The roll keeps the aircraft from being drifted by the wind off of runway centerline, and the rudder yaws the longitudinal axis of the aircraft to be aligned with centerline. This is typically done in the flare.

Crab: this technique is when one positions the aircraft such that the heading is into the wind but the ground track is along some predetermined line such as the extended centerline of a runway. This is often completed on final approach.

When flying into a left-quartering crosswind and using the crab method:

Which single control input (and direction) do I use to align the aircraft's nose with the centerline?

One would use right rudder (right on the left stick) to align the nose with centerline.

What happens to the aircraft if all other control inputs are null? Include direction.

If the aircraft is aligned with centerline with all null (straight and level) flight controls, the aircraft would drift right with the wind and be pushed right off centerline. If the rudder is applied from the previous part of this question, the same right push would occur.

What control (and direction) will counteract the movement described above?

One would need to apply left aileron (left on the right stick) to counteract the right push described above. This provides a roll and horizontal lift to the left which maintains ground track to be aligned with the extended runway centerline.

In crosswind flight training, your instructor will ask if it's a “sticks in” or a “sticks out” kind of day. What the heck does that mean?!

A sticks in day refers to the application of right rudder and left aileron in the flare, and this would be used to adjust for a left crosswind. A sticks out day refers to the application of left rudder and right aileron in the flare, and this would be used to adjust for a right crosswind. Saying those phrases puts the pilot in the correct mindset for proper crosswind correction depending on the conditions, and it can help them to avoid spatial disorientation.