ing power). While foot controls do have an effect on altitude, they are not typically used as a control for flying straight and level. A PPC must be capable of maintaining altitude to tolerances using the controls as designed. 

Anytime the wing is banked, even very slightly, the aircraft will turn. In a PPC the pilot has no useful reference to measure bank angle like an airplane or weight shift control aircraft where the wing tips are visible in relation to the horizon. The objective of straight-and-level flight is to detect small deviations from laterally level flight as soon as they occur, neces - sitating only small corrections. Reference to the mag netic compass or GPS, if so equipped, can be made to note any change in direction; however, the visual reference of a point on the horizon with a point on the aircraft such as the front wheel or instrument panel will typically be used for sport pilot training. 

Continually observing the nose to align the heading should be avoided. The pilot must spend more time scanning for air traffic than focusing on heading. This helps divert the pilot’s attention from the aircraft’s nose, prevents a fixed stare, and automatically ex - pands the pilot’s area of vision by increasing the range necessary for the pilot’s vision to cover. 

Straight-and-level flight requires almost no applica - tion of control pressures if the aircraft is properly trimmed to fly straight and the air is smooth. Some PPCs will have a directional trim control which ad - justs the tension in a control line to make it fly straight. Each PPC manufacturer has a unique design for their particular aircraft. The pilot must not form the habit of constantly moving the controls unnecessarily. You must learn to recognize when corrections are neces - sary, and then make a measured response. Tolerances necessary for passing the PPC practical test are ±10 degrees heading and ±100 feet altitude. Students may initially start to make corrections when tolerances are exceeded but should strive to initiate a correction be - fore the tolerances are exceeded, such as starting cor rection before the tolerance is ±5 degreees heading and ±50 feet altitude. 

Since the PPC does not have an elevator to control the pitch, immediate minor adjustments should be made while flying close to the ground. In flying a low ap - proach (flying straight and level over the centerline of the runway at a low but specified distance from the ground), think of the throttle as the coarse and slow response altitude control, and application of both steering controls (flare) as the fine adjustments to al - 

titude adjustment. Throttle has a slight delay between implementation and response in increasing altitude; flare relatively quickly increases altitude but can only hold altitude changes temporarily (about 2 seconds). This would be like applying flaps on an airplane if no elevator control was available. 

While trying to maintain a constant altitude, especially when close to the ground, you can fly with about one- third flare. By holding a small flare, if you encounter downdrafts, you can immediately add a large portion of flare to lift you back to the desired altitude. If the PPC begins to climb, then you can reduce the amount of the flare to return to the desired altitude, until you can adjust your throttle position again. 

Common errors in the performance of straight-and- level flight are: 

• Attempting to use improper reference points on the aircraft to establish attitude. 

• Forgetting the location of preselected reference points on subsequent flights. 

• Attempting to establish or correct aircraft attitude using flight instruments rather than outside visual reference. 

• Overcontrol and lack of feel. 

Improper scanning and/or devoting insufficient time to outside visual reference. 

• Fixation on the nose (pitch attitude) reference point. 

• Unnecessary or inappropriate control inputs. 

Failure to make timely and measured control inputs when deviations from straight-and-level flight are detected. 

• Inadequate attention to sensory inputs in developing feel for the PPC. 

## Level Turns 

A turn is made by banking the wing in the direction of the desired turn. A specific angle of bank is selected by the pilot, control pressures applied to achieve the desired bank angle, and appropriate control pressures exerted to maintain the desired bank angle once it is established. 

Both primary controls are used in close coordination when making level turns. Their functions are as follows. 

• The steering bars bank the wings and so determine the rate of turn. 

• The throttle determines vertical speed and must be increased during a turn for the PPC to remain level. The greater the degree of turn, the greater the throttle/thrust required to remain level; this is similar to an airplane and weight-shift control aircraft. 

