Climbing & Descending

Aim:

To climb & descend with a constant airspeed & direction and level off at pre-selected altitudes.

Considerations:

Climbing

• Gyro is in equilibrium in a climb - constant speed and direction
• Rate of climb depends on power available
• Additional power available = a high rate of climb

Forces in a Climb

• Four forces in a climb - Lift, Weight, Thrust & Drag

• Thrust (T) is greater than Drag (D)
• Thrust = Drag + Rearward Component of Weight (RCW)
• Lift (L) is less than Weight (W)

Climb Performance

Power

• More power available = better climb performance