Recruit Training Flight Lesson 4 Part 2 Basic Principles of Airmanship

Basic Principles of Airmanship Part 2 Introducing the GROB Tutor & Grob Tutor Flight Safety Brief

Aim of the Lesson To introduce the concept of Air Experience Flying; To introduce the GROB Tutor aircraft; To look at standard instruments used in the GROB Tutor; To show the Pre Flight Brief for the Tutor.

By The End of the Lesson... Describe the features of a GROB Tutor aircraft; Be able to recognise the instruments in the GROB Tutor; State the way to enter and exit the aircraft both after an AEF flight and in an emergency.

The Grob Tutor The RAF has 12 flying units spread throughout the UK. These are known as Air Experience Flights (AEF) and their role is to provide training to cadets. The current aircraft in use is the Grob 115E, known in the RAF as the TUTOR. It has a single 180 horse power Lycoming Engine and will carry 33 Gallons (150 litres) of fuel giving approximately 2hrs 30mins flying time.

The Grob Tutor The undercarriage is the basic tricycle type, with a steerable nose wheel and independent breaks fitted to the rear wheels. It is constructed of Carbon Reinforced Plastic, which although capable of withstanding aerodynamic forces in flight is not strong enough to support a person standing on it, so only walk on the marked areas.

Low tail plane design 3 Blade variable pitch propeller Low wing monoplane Tricycle undercarriage

Radios The Grob Tutor has both Very High Frequency and Ultra High Frequency Radios. It is very important you do not make an changes to the radios unless told to do so. Ensure you do not speak while the pilot is speaking to air traffic control. Your instructor will show you the Radio controls when you are in the aircraft.

Instruments The Grob Tutor has a small number of controls, levers, instruments, switches, dials and knobs. It is vital you DO NOT TOUCH any of these instruments unless asked specifically to do so b the aircraft captain. The key terms to remember are: Instruments – tell you that the aircraft is doing Controls – make the aircraft do what you want it to do Gauges – Show the state of some parts of the aircraft.

Tutor Control Panel

Attitude Indicator – May also be called the artificial horizon Attitude Indicator – May also be called the artificial horizon. Gives the pilot an indication of whether the aircraft is nose up, nose down, wings up or down or straight and level

Airspeed Indicator – Tell the pilot the airspeed of the aircraft Airspeed Indicator – Tell the pilot the airspeed of the aircraft. Coloured bands represent different operating speeds and will differ depending on the type of aircraft.

Altimeter – tells the pilot how high above sea level the aircraft is Altimeter – tells the pilot how high above sea level the aircraft is. This is based on the outside air pressure, so has to be set using the knob in the corner depending on the conditions

Vertical Speed Indicator – Indicates to the pilot whether the aircraft is climbing or descending and by how fast.

Turn and Slip Indicator – Used to help the pilot maintain a balanced turn. In a balanced turn the ball will remain in the centre. When slipping or skidding, the ball will move inwards / outwards. Your pilot will demonstrate this on your first flight.

Horizontal Situation Indicator – This gives the pilot information about the current heading, any track information to a location and other more advanced functions for instrument flying.

Any Questions

Flying Controls The flying controls on the Tutor are fairly standard. They consist of: The Control Column The Rudder Pedals They control the aircraft using the Ailerons, Rudder and Elevator and control movement in the Rolling, Yawing and Pitching planes.

Control Column (or Stick) Rudder Pedals

Axis of Rotation

Any Questions

Engine Gauges Engine gauges tell the pilot important information about the engine. This could be how hard the engine is working, the temperatures and pressures or how fast the engine is running. All this information is shown visually on the control panel, or on a computer screen in the more modern Tutor.

Temperature and Pressure Gauges show the pilot the operating conditions of the engine. These have to be monitored to stop them being over or under temperature or pressure.

Manifold Pressure Gauge – This gives an indication of how much power is being given to the engine.

RPM Gauge – This indicates how many revolutions per minute (RPM) the engine is running at. 4 = 4,000 RPM.

Engine Controls The engine controls can be located between the two seats and consist of the following controls: The Throttle: The throttle allows the pilot to increase of decrease the engine output. Forward for faster, back for slower. Mixture Control: Allows the pilot to control the fuel and air mix going into the engine. RPM Control: Allows the pilot to set the best RPM and hence make the propeller more efficient.

RPM Mixture Throttle

Other Controls Wheel Brakes: Small toe operated pedals mounted above the rudder pedals. The pilot can select left/right wheel brake by pushing on the left or right pedal. These are used for steering the aircraft on the ground in confined areas. Flaps: Used on the approach to land. They allow a lower approach speed and a more nose down attitude giving a better forward view. Elevator Trimmer: This allows the pilot to make fine adjustments to the elevator so that the aircraft can be flown at a selected pitch attitude without pressure on the stick.

Flap Selector Trim Wheel

Any Questions

Questions for You The Tutor is a: a. Low winged monoplane. b. Mid winged monoplane c. High winged monoplane d. Mid winged biplane

Questions for You What three engine controls does the engine have in a Tutor? a. Accelerator, choke and throttle. b. Throttle, choke and RPM. c. Throttle, RPM and mixture controls. d. Mixture, accelerator and throttle.

Questions for You How much fuel can a Tutor carry? a. 9 gallons (40 litres) b. 1.8 gallons (8 litres) c. 90 gallons (409 litres) d. 33 gallons (150 litres)

Questions for You The radios on a Tutor have two bands, they are? a. AM/FM b. VHF/LW c. UHF/VHF d. UHF/VHF

Questions for You How is the engine started on the Tutor? a. Electronic ignition b. Cranking handle c. Turning the propeller d. Electric started motor

The Pre Flight Brief - Tutor Your Pre Flight Training will begin even before you visit an AEF. On squadron, we have covered the layout of an airfield and the basic areas including Air Traffic Control. A pre flight brief will be given by all aircraft captains or designated people in the RAF. These can last several hours in the case of long missions, or just a couple of minutes. Their aim is to ensure EVERYONE knows the flight objectives and to ensure the flight can be conducted safely.

The Pre Flight Brief - Tutor During the following video you should note: The aim of the exercise; Correct fitting and operation of the helmet; Correct fitting and operation of the parachute; Correct fitting and operation of the life-preserving waistcoat; The fitting of the aircraft safety harness; Checking for loose articles; Action to be taken in event of an emergency, including abandoning the aircraft;

The Pre Flight Brief - Tutor What you can and CANNOT touch in the aircraft; Basic operation of the Radio. When you first arrive at an AEF, the brief will also contain a local talk about: The local area; The Met Forecast; Precautions on the ground; Medical aspects of flying.

Tutor Brief Video See the Squadron Website for the briefing video

Any Questions

Questions for You Which of the following is not covered in the flight briefing? a. Flying controls b. Weather conditions c. Loose article check d. Fitting and operation of parachutes

Questions for You If you are about to fly but have a cold who should you tell? a. Your parents b. Your friends c. Your Flight Commander d. Your doctor

Questions for You On a life preserver the battery operated light is activated: a. As soon as the jacket is inflated b. When the beaded handle is pulled sharply c. When it gets dark d. As soon as the jacket comes into contact with water.

Questions for You What does AEF stand for? a. Air Experience Flight b. Air Excellent Flight c. Air Extensive Flight d. Air Exciting Flight

By The End of the Lesson... Describe the features of a GROB Tutor aircraft; Be able to recognise the instruments in the GROB Tutor; State the way to enter and exit the aircraft both after an AEF flight and in an emergency.