Maneuvers

The maneuvers in the syllabus build the pilot’s essence and finesse.

 Not part of daily flying, they are nonetheless part of daily flying.

 Two Taylors cut this cloth; F. W., the master of efficiency, and C. G., the master of efficiency. The former, F. W., taught railroad firemen to increase the flow of coal, that is, to shovel more, by shovelling less. His acolytes seek to eliminate extra steps, and urge the world to accept pilots whose training addresses only need–to–know. The latter Taylor, C. G., designed the Piper Cub, but unable to follow the piper split away to design the more efficient Taylorcraft.

It is obvious that mastery of the tailwheel is not a skill used in transport flying, except that it is a skill used indirectly in transport flying. So it is with the maneuvers a new pilot tries to master.

Transports never circle a point on the ground, but at some point over the course of a long day a transport pilot must judge the effect of wind on the craft, and those student circles gave practice in every degree of wind.

Transport pilots do not stall, yet a stalled transport carried hundreds to Davy Jones’s locker.

Transport pilots do not land at short grass strips, but to a transport every strip is short, every landing uses the short field technique.

Transport pilots clear the 50 foot tree on every takeoff.