The P.A.T. Principle

T-34C CONTACT

CHAPTER FOUR

decrease in the wing's lift. The weight of the airplane now exceeds the force of lift so the

resulting flight path is downward, with the force of gravity providing the "a" portion of the

forward thrust. In effect, the airplane is actually going "downhill."

As in entering a climb, the forces acting on an airplane again go through definite changes when

transitioning from level cruising flight to a descent. When forward pressure is applied to the

elevator control or the airplane's pitch attitude is allowed to lower, the wing's angle of attack is

decreased, the lift is reduced, and the flight path starts downward. The initial reduction of the

lift, which starts the airplane downward, is momentary. When the flight path stabilizes, the angle

of attack and lift stabilize.

414.

THE P.A.T. PRINCIPLE

For corrections and to execute many maneuvers you must:

Reset power

Adjust the nose attitude

Retrim for the new attitude

The mechanics of the transitions will be performed in a specific sequence:

P ower

A ttitude

T rim

Although power and attitude change are almost simultaneous, lead with PCL movement. For

example, consider the transition to an enroute descent. Reduce power from normal cruise to the

descent power setting, scanning the nose attitude. As the power is retarded, lower the nose

towards a descending attitude. Finally, trim the aircraft.

NOTE

The power may not be exactly the descent power setting, since it

was initially reduced using peripheral vision. Power is then reset

to exactly the descent power setting after completing P.A.T.

Remember - Power, Attitude, Trim; reset Power, reset Attitude,

reset Trim.

FUNDAMENTAL FLIGHT CONCEPTS

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