Airspeeds and Altitudes

[cloudbreakcory]

In your private pilot training the common mantra is "pitch for airspeed and power for altitude." Why does that change when you are on an ILS approach to, "power for airspeed, pitch for altitude"??

 

[midlifeflyer]

In your private pilot training the common mantra is "pitch for airspeed and power for altitude." Why does that change when you are on an ILS approach to, "power for airspeed, pitch for altitude"??

Because both "mantras" are training techniques, not gospel. (The argument that one of them =is= gospel is sure to come; it usually does).

The ultimate "mantra" is "pitch + power = performance". In other words, there is a pitch and power combination will produce a certain airspeed and climb/descent rate.

Some CFIs teach "pitch for airspeed and power for altitude" at the primary level as a way of transitioning the thought process from two dimension to three.

Some CFIs teach "power for airspeed, pitch for altitude" in instrument training because on an ILS its usually easier to correct small glideslope deviations with a small amount of pressure on the yoke than a ham-hand on a throttle.

 

[nosehair]

Midlife flyer is right - both mantras are training techniques. The ultimate pilot must learn that the coordinated use of pitch and power must be mastered to accomplish control of altitude and airspeed.
HOWEVER...having said that, MOST people cannot wrap their minds and hands around that concept at first, so, in keeping with good training technique, you break it down into a manageble task. I teach the mantra of "Power to airspeed, Pitch to altitude" right away, right from the first day.
"See the nose going down?...pull back a little on the yoke/stick...see the nose going up?...push forward a little on the yoke/stick."....Don't you do that? I do. Pitching to the altitude all the way.
"See how we are descending to low on final?...pull up a little...see how that makes the airspeed go down?...add a little power."
I know some die-hards will scream that the student will pitch up without adding power on final and get too slow. That is why the opposite mantra exists. But I have been practicing the pitch to altitude approach with new students for many, many years now, and never have had a student pitch up without adding appropriate power. And then later when he starts instrument training, I don't have to break him of the ingrained habit of pitching up off of the glideslope when the airspeed jumps up due to turbulance. "Elevator to the glideslope, and throttle to the airspeed." Yep.

 

[Low and Fast]

pitching for airspeed......

This topic came up the other day among our crew of Instructors and we determined that we mostly only teach our students to pitch for airspeed and power for altitude while learning Slow Flight. All other times we are teaching them to power for airspeed for the most part.