hopeless_dreamer
Well-Known Member
Hi everyone,
I am going through a book called "Stick and Rudder" written by a guy who sounds German and whose name I have given up trying to pronounce. Although I cannot uber-emphasize how much I am enjoying reading it I am having trouble swallowing some of the things the author states about pilot training and flying fundamentals:-
1) The author says that the only thing that really needs to be understood to develop a good flying technique is Angle of Attack and that many of the other things that pilots learn (like best glide speed, flaring techniques and a lot of other stuff) is just AoA in disguise.
2) He feels that pilot training techniques are misdirected because of emphasis on the wrong things and that many students wash out due to flaws in pedagogy rather than lack of aptitude.
3) He seems to imply that an airplane flies best when left "alone" and that many inexperienced pilots die because they fight the airplane.
I am not a pilot, or a designer, but many of the people here are both experienced designers and experienced pilots, and have probably come across this book at some time in your lives, what is your opinion?
Addendum: It is possible, nay, probable that I have misunderstood the authors intent (Its Wolfgang Langewiesche, by the way) so please be gentle in you comments if I am in error.
I am going through a book called "Stick and Rudder" written by a guy who sounds German and whose name I have given up trying to pronounce. Although I cannot uber-emphasize how much I am enjoying reading it I am having trouble swallowing some of the things the author states about pilot training and flying fundamentals:-
1) The author says that the only thing that really needs to be understood to develop a good flying technique is Angle of Attack and that many of the other things that pilots learn (like best glide speed, flaring techniques and a lot of other stuff) is just AoA in disguise.
2) He feels that pilot training techniques are misdirected because of emphasis on the wrong things and that many students wash out due to flaws in pedagogy rather than lack of aptitude.
3) He seems to imply that an airplane flies best when left "alone" and that many inexperienced pilots die because they fight the airplane.
I am not a pilot, or a designer, but many of the people here are both experienced designers and experienced pilots, and have probably come across this book at some time in your lives, what is your opinion?
Addendum: It is possible, nay, probable that I have misunderstood the authors intent (Its Wolfgang Langewiesche, by the way) so please be gentle in you comments if I am in error.
