Straight-and-level flight and changing airspeed

Straight-and-level flight: steady direction, wings laterally level, constant altitude, with restrained, prompt, small corrections on all three controls.

• Use rudder pressure to prevent yaw.
• Banked aircraft turns toward lower wing.

To reduce airspeed (level flight):

1. Throttle back smoothly to estimated setting.
2. Anticipate and prevent resulting yaw.
3. Hold altitude with back pressure (light at first, more as speed drops).
4. Keep wings level.
5. Reset power setting, trim at new airspeed.

To increase airspeed:

1. Advance throttle smoothly to estimated setting.
2. Apply forward pressure to keep altitude from increasing.
3. Keep wings level.
4. Reset power setting, trim.

Trim:

• Follows attitude and power changes.
• Control pressure felt before airspeed changes.
• Trim by pressure felt, not input just made.
• Through power change: hold pitch attitude with elevator pressure, then trim once at new airspeed.

Practice