Lucky Charm. That was the name of the first horse I ever rode. It was a group trail ride, where the horses are calm, well-trained, and perfect for an inexperienced rider. The day started out great, with my horse following the one in front of it on a leisurely trip along the Appalachian Trail. Then my horse caught sight of the barn and apparently decided a trip home for dinner was a much better idea than taking an 8-year-old on a ride through the woods. While Lucky Charm made a sharp beeline for the barn, I did the only thing I could think of—hang on and yell for help. It never crossed my mind to take the reins in hand and lead the horse where I wanted him to go.
Climbing atop a horse without taking the reins may sound absurd, but this type of passive behavior is quite common in airplanes, especially with student pilots who are not yet comfortable with this particular flying animal. But, like horses, airplanes sometimes have a mind of their own and will drive you to the farm should you fail to command the airplane to do what you want it to do.
The FAA defines a pilot in command as the person who “has final authority and responsibility for the operation and safety of the flight.” That may seem like a tall order, especially if airplanes are new to you. Even more experienced pilots have trouble when trying to get comfortable with a new type of aircraft or skill such as instrument flying. It turns out that taking control is not something that comes naturally to all of us. In fact, there are rules for this sort of thing—a cowboy code, if you will.
1. Avoid giving your horse too much rein. If you allow your horse to set the pace, it will probably be too fast for your comfort level. You must control his energy by reining him in a bit if you wish to stay in control. Likewise, energy management in airplanes is a critical skill for any PIC. If you start to feel overwhelmed by the pace the flight is taking, the simplest way to get things under control again is to slow the aircraft down. Reduce the throttle and get out any drag at your disposal, including flaps, gear, speed brakes, or a controllable-pitch propeller. Doing so will make your aircraft much more manageable.
2. Adjust your position in the saddle. Is the saddle too small? Stirrups too short? It may seem like a minor thing, but it is important to check for proper seat position every time you go flying. If you change positions, particularly the height of the seat, you will not get a consistent sight picture on landing. Also, if you are of smaller stature, it’s a good idea to bring a cushion along when you fly, assuring that you have good authority over the rudder pedals and can see clearly over the instrument panel.
3. Establish your authority immediately. Don’t be afraid to take the airplane out and get a feel for all the maneuvers it is approved for. You don’t have to do snap rolls on the first flight, but it would certainly be prudent to run through a slow flight and stall series so that your comfort level can be established quickly. You also should run through any unfamiliar emergency procedures particular to the airplane, hence eliminating all the unknowns that could take away your sense of control in the cockpit.
4. Know your horse’s quirks. Before you hop on a new horse, wouldn’t it be wise to talk to a cowboy who is familiar with it to find out if there is anything you need to watch out for? The same goes for your airplane. All airplanes have their quirks—even the ones that are in perfect working order. For example, different years of the Piper PA-32 series had varying designs of fuel tanks and selectors. The older models have four fuel tanks to manage, while the newer versions have only two. If you were to hop in an older model without understanding this particular nuance, it could be a dangerous mistake.
5. Every cowboy must ride alone sooner or later. One reason pilots are sometimes slow in taking PIC authority is because they grow complacent when flying with a person who has more experience. The student/instructor dynamic is an especially complicated one because duties are gradually being shifted to the student as he or she learns new skills. If you find that you are having trouble truly feeling like master of the aircraft, it may be time to build some solo hours. Sometimes, the greatest confidence booster is just plain old experience. When you fly by yourself and are forced to make PIC decisions without any assistance from a more experienced pilot, you will gradually develop a comfort level in the airplane that can only come with time.
6. Horses can sense fear. When you get on a horse and are tense, you can be sure that nervous energy will make for a less-than-pleasant experience. Fear can be equally detrimental in the cockpit, where it causes pilots to lose focus and make mistakes with things that normally would be second nature. Remember, most training aircraft are far more stable than one might think, and are made to withstand a variety of flight conditions without harm to either the occupants or the airframe. You probably won’t be the first student to botch that stall recovery, nor will you be the last. So don’t let the fear of a spin, for example, keep you from getting truly comfortable maneuvering at slow speeds in your aircraft. If there is any maneuver you do not feel completely capable of doing on your own, voice your discomfort. That way your instructor can continue to practice the maneuver with you until all fear is gone.
7. Consider why your horse is acting up. Is it hungry? Is there a problem with its shoes? If your airplane is making strange noises or flying differently, stop to think about what the reasons could be before you indiscriminately start flipping switches. Part of becoming PIC is understanding the systems of your aircraft so that you are able to diagnose common problems in the air and take the right action. Someone who is truly master of his airplane understands that engine roughness could mean different things depending on whether the engine is carbureted or fuel injected, for example.
8. Change your riding style to suit the horse. You simply don’t control a young stallion the same way you would an older mare. If you fly a high-wing Cessna, a low-wing Piper, and a turbocharged multiengine airplane, you cannot use the same technique with all if you hope to be successful. The lighter aircraft will require more finesse, while the heavier multiengine needs a firmer touch on the controls and a more proactive approach to the trim in order to maintain acceptable standards of altitude and airspeed. You also should alter your landing technique in the heavier aircraft, as the landing speed is higher and the landing roll likely much longer. You simply cannot afford to float a larger aircraft onto the pavement and eat up valuable runway distance.
9. A cowboy is not afraid to make tough calls, and he never pushes his horse past its limits. As a new pilot, you may be tempted to stretch the limitations a bit in order to get in the air. Weight and balance is a particularly vulnerable area because it seems logical that being overweight by just a few pounds couldn’t really affect the flying characteristics of the aircraft. But where do you draw the line? Ten pounds? Fifty pounds? Remember that if you exceed the limitations by even one pound—or one inch on the center of gravity—you become a test pilot. You can no longer be certain of fuel burn, climb rates, or stall recovery characteristics.
10. Finally, if the ride becomes dangerous, don’t hesitate to do an emergency dismount. A wise cowboy knows when he’s riding too much horse and will head back to the barn before he harms himself or the animal he’s responsible for. A good PIC exhibits similar caution when choosing whether to fly or keep his feet on the ground. A low IFR day may seem like a great way to get your feet wet in a new aircraft, but remember, you never want to put yourself in a position where the flight will demand more than you are capable of handling. It may be more beneficial to stay in the hangar and review those systems, rather than getting in over your head and having a bad experience in the aircraft.
Good cowboys and PICs are not made overnight. Eventually you will start to feel more comfortable, and one day soon, you will look up and realize that no matter what happens in the airplane, you are fully capable of handling it. That’s the day you can truly call yourself pilot in command.
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