Solving an Age-Old Debate: What Really Controls Altitude and Airspeed?

Abstract

Verbatim from Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons. Not paraphrased, not summarized.

Mismanagement of altitude and/or airspeed is linked to the top three causes of fatal aviation accidents: loss of control inflight (LOCI), controlled flight into terrain (CFIT), and runway excursions during approach and landing (RE). Clearly, the ability to control altitude and airspeed is a critical skill that all pilots must learn. Yet, differing opinions of how the throttle and elevator work to control altitude and speed can lead to confusion in the cockpit. Energy management is an effective approach to learn how the controls work. Unfortunately energy principles have not found their way into primary flight training. To help bridge the gap, I discuss four guiding principles of energy management: 1) energy coupling between altitude and speed, 2) energy balance, 3) energy integration of the controls, and 4) energy error management.

Author

• Merkt, Juan Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Keywords

• Aviation
• Aviation Safety and Security