Entering a climb or descent on instruments
Climb and descent entries use opposite pitch/power orders, not the visual-flying "move both together" habit.
| Maneuver | Target | First | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climb | Constant airspeed, from cruise | Pitch: raise nose to climb attitude on attitude indicator | Power: advance to climb setting only after nose-up attitude set and airspeed nears target climb speed. Trim once stable |
| Climb | Set rate and speed | Set climb attitude | Adjust power to predetermined setting. Cross-check VSI vs attitude indicator to hold target rate. Fine-tune with power |
| Descent | Constant airspeed, from cruise | Power: reduce, hold cruise attitude | Pitch: lower nose to descent attitude only once airspeed decays to target descent speed |
| Descent | Set rate, cruise speed held | Power: reduce | Lower nose to hold cruise airspeed and control yaw. Adjust attitude/power to tune rate |
Cross-check through entry:
- Scan attitude and airspeed together until airspeed stabilizes at target.
- High or low airspeed: small pitch correction.
- Scan heading indicator throughout: no visual cue shows heading drift.
Climb yaw: high power, low airspeed bring yaw tendency. Hold straight with rudder through entry.
Trap: climb order (pitch, then power) used for descent entry, or descent order (power, then pitch) used for climb entry. Entries are mirror images, not one sequence.
References
- TP 1102 (Aeroplane Flight Training Manual), Instrument Flying: Climbing, Entry
- TP 1102 (Aeroplane Flight Training Manual), Instrument Flying: Descending, Entry