full scale cowling reference

[MikeSt]

When training in light aircraft many instructors use the visual reference of the cowling/nose against the horizon for climbs / landing flare.

This seems to work out well, with the nose on the horizon, Vy is the approximate result when climbing out with power. With power off, it creates a good rate of speed reduction in the flare.

Is the cowling / horizon / speed relationship just a coincidence ? ... or is this by design ?

Mike

[Ollie]

It's just a coincidence. The pitch attitude would be different for different height pilots flying the same plane. The pitch attitude would be different for different planes. The 747 nose, for example, slopes away so steeply that the plane would stall if the pilot sighted over the nose to the horizon. It wouldn't work at all for the Ryan Spirit of St Louis where the pilot had no forward view from the cockpit.

[MikeSt]

Originally posted by Ollie
It's just a coincidence. The pitch attitude would be different for different height pilots flying the same plane. The pitch attitude would be different for different planes. The 747 nose, for example, slopes away so steeply that the plane would stall if the pilot sighted over the nose to the horizon. It wouldn't work at all for the Ryan Spirit of St Louis where the pilot had no forward view from the cockpit.

That's why I specified light aircraft :)

Mike

[Ollie]

Mike,

Would you care to estimate the difference in viewing angle over the nose of a J3 Cub of a 5' 6" tall pilot vs a 6' 6'' tall pilot?

[Ben Diss]

Ollie- It's gonna depend on high each pilot has their seat adjusted.

[Ollie]

If the seat is sufficiently adjustable in height then it can be made to work with almost any light plane. You just have to adjust the seat height while shifting your attention between the true horizon and the artificial horizon.

[Snitch7]

It's my experience in the real life world that the vis ref thing is specific to help brand new pilots while training and is different for every aircraft type - the view is completely different from C172 to C188 to B737. And the cowling / horizon ref that instructors get you to use is YOURS - ie. you adjust the seat on the ground to where you're happy and always pick the same everytime you go flying. Then you take note of what the view outside looks like at the basic stages of flight - takeoff, climb cruise turns descent and landing. Those attitides plus powersetting are burnt into your brain and takes all guesswork out of basic handling when you're learning.
Larger aircraft have two sight balls so that you adjust the seat left/right and up/down to line the balls up. This ensures that every pilot's line of sight is the same which is important in low vis conditions (fog) during autolands. Having said that the Boeings I get to fly (far to often) have no sight balls so I need to adjust the seat to my own preference before each flight.