Schedules
Three Parts Continuous Improvement Basic Aircraft Advanced Aircraft Radio The Box Getting Started Basic Moves Vertical Changing Heigh Negative G Schedules
All the practicing you've done so far have been "mini-schedules", designed around improving one particular aspect of your flying.
Let's take a look at breaking down a simple schedule - the Silver - into manageable parts.
You can do this from memory but you will find it much more enjoyable and productive to get the assistance of a fellow flier. He or she will be your "caller". A good caller is worth their weight in in gold as there job is to remind you what manouevre you are required to fly next, giving you the information in the order and at the time you require it. This leaves you, the flier, completely free to concentrate on flying the current manouevre. A caller and flier are a team and what makes a good caller for one flier may just distract another.
The basic information you need to fly any schedule is what the upcoming manouevre is and where it is to start. the easiest way to explain this is to go through the Silver schedule.
| Required Manouevre | Call |
| Take Off | Take Off - Retracts |
| Procedure Turn | Upwind End - Procedure Turn |
| Downwind Figure Eight | Centreline - Downwind Figure Eight |
| Half Cuban Eight | Downwind End - Half Cuban Eight - Loop to 45° downline - half roll |
| Two Loops | Centreline - Two Loops |
| Immelman Turn | Upwind End - Half Loop - Half Roll |
| Bunt | Centreline - Outside Loop |
| Split S | Downwind End - Half Roll - Half Loop |
| Two Upwind Rolls | Centreline - Two Rolls Away |
| Stall Turn | Upwind End - Stall Turn Away |
| Two Downwind Rolls | Centreline - Two Rolls Away |
| Immelman Turn | Downwind End - Half Loop - Half Roll |
| Three Turn Spin | Centreline - Three Turn Spin |
| Half Loop | Upwind End - Half Loop - Stay Inverted |
| Inverted Pass | Inverted Pass - Five Seconds (one-pause-two-pause.....five) - Half Roll |
| Procedure Turn | Downwind End - Procedure Turn - Lose Height For Overshoot - Retracts - Call Landing |
| Overshoot | Overshoot - Call Overshoot |
| Rectangular Circuit/Land | Rectangular Circuit - Call Landing - Land |
The table above is a very rough guide to what you might want called for you. Things that you may want the caller to add are changing switch rates - if you require full rudder and elevator rates for the spin, you might want reminders of when to switch them in and out. Work with your caller to establish when he has to give you the next set of instructions so that you can set yourself up for them. It may take a good few attempts to establish a working relationship with a caller so that you both know what's going on.
Another important thing your caller can help you with - especially if he is an experienced flier - is in observing your flight. He can call the centre position for you. He can also observe your tracking for you - you may not notice that your model is slowly going off-track - his calls of "Climbing", "Moving Away", "Slow Down" etc. can be of immense assistance to you. It will also make him feel an important part of the team - not just the guy who's reading a bit of paper to you.
It is often difficult to evaluate your flying from the pilot stance. Observations from friends remaining in the pits area (who can often see much more clearly the shape of manouevres) can provide information on "egg-shaped" loops for example.
Three Parts Continuous Improvement Basic Aircraft Advanced Aircraft Radio The Box Getting Started Basic Moves Vertical Changing Heigh Negative G Schedules