I was away on another business trip for a week. In the spirit of not letting this blog go to waste, here is a quick update.

Yesterday after getting home, I fired up X-Plane for a bit of relaxation and focused on practicing the Vertical Speed during Climb and Descent.

For instance, maintaining the Vertical Speed at 1000 feet per minute, and noting the two points of applying gentle pull and push pressure when changing the pitch attitude.

During a Climb or Descent, first adjust the pitch attitude, then increase or decrease engine Thrust. Once the Vertical Speed gradually stabilizes around 1000 feet per minute, just make fine adjustments using Trim. It is very rewarding to see the aircraft steadily maintain this speed without needing to push or pull the yoke.

The operation for leveling off is basically the same: push or pull the yoke in sequence to adjust the pitch angle, then adjust the Thrust. Once the Vertical Speed gradually stabilizes at 0 feet per minute, simply trim it slightly.

Although it sounds simple, stabilizing the aircraft’s attitude during actual operation isn’t an easy task. If you don’t practice for a while, your skills get rusty; you still need to review frequently.

End