Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Performance & Limitations Lesson Plan
Commercial Pilot (Airplane) • ACS Area I, Task F
The Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Performance and Limitations Lesson Plan covers the knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with operating an airplane safely within the parameters of its performance capabilities and limitations.
Introduction
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Schedule
Topic:Time:Attention/Motivator:0:05Part 1, Lesson Introduction:0:05Part 2, Performance Calculations:0:20Part 3, Aerodynamics:0:20Part 4, Performance Factors:0:15Part 5, Performance & Limitations Guided Scenario(s):0:20Part 6, Lesson Conclusion:0:05Remotivation/Closure:0:05Total Ground Time:0:00
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Attention Getter:
- Research and present a mishap case study:
- Discuss how the initial conditions developed into an incident/accident/mishap
- Relate similar personal experiences of the same type of incident/accident/mishap
- Consider incorporating a case study as a guided scenario
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Motivator:
- Aerodynamics is the branch of dynamics dealing with the motion of air and other gases, which gives us the performance we need to fly.
- Every flight is influenced by the relationship between the aircraft, the atmosphere, and the pilot's decisions.
- It begins with understanding why an airplane flies, continues with recognizing how aerodynamic forces influence aircraft behavior, and eventually leads to applying that knowledge during flight planning.
- Along the way, pilots must also consider how the atmosphere changes aircraft performance and learn to interpret performance information before and during every flight.
- Understanding why an airplane flies, how it responds to changing conditions, and what limits its performance helps pilots make informed decisions long before advancing the throttle or leaving the runway.
Materials
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Required Materials:
- Writing instrument (pen, marker, etc.).
- Writing surface (paper, whiteboard, etc.).
- Pilot Operating Handbook
- Weight & Balance Form Template
- Airman Certification Standards.
- Student jacket.
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Optional Materials:
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Reference Materials:
- Weight and Balance Supplement.
- Instructor Endorsement Log.
- Principles of Flight Supplement.
- Performance Calculations Supplement.
- Takeoff and Climb Performance Supplement.
- Takeoff and Climb Supplement.
- Descent and Landing Performance Supplement.
- Aircraft Stability Supplement.
- Cruise Performance Supplement.
- Turn Performance Supplement.
- Stall Performance Supplement.
- Glide Performance Supplement.
- Aerodynamics and Performance Supplement.
- AOPA's Online Learning Course - Essential Aerodynamics.
- Fitness for Flight Supplement.
- Weight &Amp; Balance Handbook.
- Risk Management Handbook.
- Airplane Flying Handbook.
- Pilot Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge.
- Publications and References Supplement.
Instructor Actions
- Before the lesson, review reference materials.
- Part 1, Lesson Introduction:
- Review the lesson plan, including the attention and motivator.
- Review the airman certification standards.
- Part 2, Aerodynamics:
- Principles of Flight
- Review Lift, including AOA
- Review weight
- Review thrust
- Review drag
- Review ground effect
- Describe the interaction of forces.
- Principles of Flight
- Part 3, Performance Calculations
- Review Temperature Conversion.
- Review turn performance
- Load Factor.
- Rate and radius of turns.
- Review stall performance
- Review takeoff performance.
- Review normal takeoff and climb performance
- Crosswind Component.
- Review soft-field takeoff and climb performance.
- Short-Field Takeoff and Climb.
- Review confined area takeoff and maximum performance climb
- Rate of Climb Performance.
- Review takeoff performance rules of thumb.
- Review climb performance.
- Review rate of climb.
- Review descent performance.
- Review landing performance.
- Normal landing
- Crosswind landing
- Short-field landing
- Soft-field landing
- Confined area approach and landing
- Pivotal altitude
- Temperature conversion
- Pressure Altitude
- Density Altitude
- Determining Climb Gradient
- Determining Rate-of-Climb Requirements
- Maneuvering Speed
- Rate of Turn
- Overbank Acceleration
- Minimum Safe Altitude (FL)
- Part 4, Performance Factors:
- Weight and Balance
- Review Center of Gravity
- Review effects of a foreward and aft center of gravity
- Review multiengine considerations, as applicable.
- Review aircraft stability
- Review balanced flight including maneuverability vs. controllability.
- Review static and dynamic stability
- Review lateral, vertical, and longitudinal stability
- Review left turning tendancies, including adverse yaw.
- Review pilot induced oscillations and the pilot's impact on aircraft stability.
- Review how configuration changes impact performance, including retractable landing gear, high-lift devices, spoilers/speed brakes, and propeller feathering.
- Review wing planform, including aspect ratio and wing design
- Review factors impacting descent performance and landing performance.
- Review pilot technique considerations
- Review performance limitations in PoH
- Weight and Balance
- Part 5, Guided Scenario(s):
- Review a weight & balance calculation
- Takeoff & Climb Performance
- Demonstrate a takeoff distance calculation for each type of takeoff chart provided
- Demonstrate an aborted takeoff calculation (if provided)
- Demonstrate a time/distance/fuel for a top of climb, climb gradient required, and rate of climb requirements.
- Discuss the factors which impact climb performance, including best angle/rate-of-climb
- Cruise Performance
- Demonstrate a time/distance/fuel calculation
- Discuss factors accounted for on the chart and those not explicitly mentioned which impact cruise performance
- Demonstrate a descent calculation.
- Demonstrate a landing distance calculation for each type of landing chart provided
- Review Turn Performance
- Rate and Radius of Turns
- Coordination Throughout Turns
- Aircraft Performance While Turning (Adverse Yaw [drag], Yaw against the direction of turn [lift], diving tendency, over-banking tendency, oncreased stall speed)
- Stall Performance.
- Glide Performance.
- Descent and landing Performance
- Demonstrate a landing distance calculation
- Discuss various factors accounted for on the chart and those not explicitly mentioned which impact descent and landing performance
- Conduct a weight and balance configuration
- Part 6, Lesson Conclusion:
- Discuss the possible differences between calculated performance and actual performance.
- Present the remotivation, conclude, and provide guidance for follow-on lessons.
- Review student actions required ahead of the next lesson.
- Update instructor endorsement records and the student's jacket, as required.
Guided Scenario(s)
- What happens to the AOA if while in straight-and-level flight, a pilot pushes forward on the control stick, pulls backward?
- What happens to the AOA if while in straight-and-level flight, a pilot pushes forward on the throttle? pulls backward?
- What factors can the pilot control to change the amount of lift an aircraft has? Weight? Thrust? Drag?
- The pilot is ready to taxi, applying power to start moving
- What must the pilot do with the power after the aircraft starts moving?
- What principle requires the pilot to change the power setting?
- After completing a weight and balance, the pilot realizes the aircraft is within tolerance, but the center of gravity tends aft
- How should the pilot expect stall speed to change? What if the center of gravity tends forward?
- Why does a heavy aircraft requires more takeoff distance? Can a pilot do anything to shorten this disance? If so, what? and at what cost?
- The pilot mounts a weather radar pod on the wing, what type of drag can be expected?
- The interaction between the pod and the natural form of the wing is considered what kind of drag?
- The wing it is mounted has several imperfections, rivets, etc. what kind of drag is characterized by these features?
- What sort of performance changes would be expected by such a modification?
- As an aircraft is accelerating down the runway, it is actually increasing it's drag, how is this possible?
- While in the traffic pattern, the pilot finds themselves "behind the power curve." what does this mean?
- While landing, the pilot experiences what feels like a cushion of air beneath the wings. What is this phenomena?
- When could the pilot expect to feel this cushion?
- What is causing this anomaly?
- What forces are changing when a pilot initiates a climb (or descent)?
- What is the relationship between forces as the pilot establishes steady-state climb (or descent)?
- How can a pilot increase/decrease rate and radius of turn to hit a specific reference? (relate to a car, as required).
Student Actions
- Complete the assigned readings (see content above).
- Find all limitations in POH.
- Complete or review AOPA's Online Learning Course - Essential Aerodynamics.
- Ask pertinent questions.
- Perform self-assessment, including fitness for flight and personal minimums, as appropriate.
- Make a go/no-go decision, as appropriate.
Airman Certification Standards
Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Performance and Limitations Airman Certification Standards
- Objective: To determine whether the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with operating an airplane safely within the parameters of its performance capabilities and limitations.
- References: FAA-H-8083-1 (Weight & Balance Handbook), FAA-H-8083-2 (Risk Management Handbook), FAA-H-8083-3 (Airplane Flying Handbook), FAA-H-8083-25 (Pilot Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge); POH/AFM.
Knowledge 3 ACS Elements
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CA.I.F.K2: Factors affecting performance, including:-
CA.I.F.K2a: Atmospheric conditions. -
CA.I.F.K2b: Pilot technique. -
CA.I.F.K2c: Airplane configuration. -
CA.I.F.K2d: Airport environment. -
CA.I.F.K2e: Loading and weight and balance. -
CA.I.F.K2f: [Archived].
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CA.I.F.K3:
Risk Management 3 ACS Elements
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CA.I.F.R1: -
CA.I.F.R2: -
CA.I.F.R3:
Skills 2 ACS Elements
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CA.I.F.S1: Compute the weight and balance, correct out-of-CG loading errors and determine if the weight and balance remains within limits during all phases of flight. -
CA.I.F.S2: Use the appropriate airplane performance charts, tables, and data.
Conclusion
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Re-Motivation:
- Performance and Limitations helps pilots translate aircraft data, limitations, and system knowledge into decisions that preserve safe operating margins.
- Understanding how configuration, loading, environment, and equipment condition affect performance enables pilots to identify unacceptable combinations before flight.
- Verifying calculations, monitoring actual performance, and responding early to unexpected indications connect technical knowledge with sound aeronautical decision-making.
- Further exploration of Performance and Limitations prepares commercial pilots to evaluate more complex aircraft and operating conditions with confidence.
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Closure:
- Advise students that this lesson will be used as a starting point for the next lesson
- Assign study materials for the next lesson