Nose Low Unusual Attitudes

BASIC INSTRUMENT PROCEDURES

CHAPTER ONE

Those positive recovery procedures are the subject of this Section. While unusual attitudes are

possible during any environmental condition, they are most dangerous during IMC (instrument

meteorological conditions) and at night, as such unusual attitudes require a recovery on

instruments. Instrument recoveries are therefore prescribed herein. Prompt and correct recovery

technique is critical, particularly if at low altitude. The recovery procedures are the same in the

simulator and the aircraft, although consideration should be given to the fact that the simulator

VGI tends to be more reliable. An expeditious instrument crosscheck can insure recovery

instructions are correct, even though the VGI may not be absolutely accurate.

For purposes of this instruction, there are three basic types of unusual attitudes:

Nose low

Nose high above 120 knots

Nose high below 120 knots

Each of these recoveries will be practiced during the simulator and FAM phases of T-2C training

in VT-86. In the T-2C aircraft, students will provide the verbal instructions below, derived from

T-2C NATOPS, to direct an Instructor Pilot (IP) to recover from unusual attitudes. In the 2F101

simulator, the SNFO will verbalize recovery instructions while simultaneously executing

recovery procedures. Prior to practicing unusual attitudes, the IP or Simulator Instructor (SI)

will announce "SIMULATED UNUSUAL ATTITUDES", whereupon the SNFO will complete

the STALL/AEROBATIC CHECKLIST (T-2C In-flight guide), and report it complete.

Nose Low Unusual Attitudes

A nose low unusual attitude is defined as an attitude in which the miniature aircraft is displayed

in the darker (lower) half of the VGI (Figure 1-10). A crosscheck of other instruments will

indicate an increase in airspeed and a decrease in altitude. Nose low unusual attitudes often

involve high airspeeds. Rolling pullouts must be avoided at high airspeeds to prevent

overstressing the aircraft. Altitude loss should be minimized, and students should be familiar

with the dive recovery charts in the NATOPS Flight Manual.

To effect recovery from a nose low unusual attitude, the student will recite the procedures in

BOLD below verbatim (word-for-word).

Upon the command from the IP or SI to "RECOVER"

"PCLs IDLE - SPEEDBRAKES EXTEND, ROLL RIGHT/LEFT." (the student is

instructing the IP to simultaneously reduce power, extend speed brakes, and roll in the shortest

direction to wings- level upright).

BASIC INSTRUMENT PROCEDURES 1-31