Primary Flight Training: Race Track Patterns, Part II (MN-3474k) is the second short U.S. Navy training film from 1945 that discusses the basics of flying a race track pattern. The film features a Navy instructor explaining concepts to his student, and it uses footage of a Navy N2S Stearman flying the patterns while supplementing with graphics to illustrate the concepts and issues new pilots will need to understand to perform the primary maneuver of the film—the 180-degree power-on approach. The film begins with an N2S taking off (00:34), then parking at the airstrip, where the instructor and student get out. The student asks his instructor how to gauge how far the downwind leg should be from the landing line, which begins their conversation. The two discuss the 180-degree power-on approach, which is similar to the 90-degree power-off approach but requires an understanding of power and attitude to successfully perform. The discussion is interspersed with footage of flying (sometimes from the cockpit’s point-of-view (11:21)) and graphic illustrations. With the power-on approach, a plane can fly a little slower without stalling; moving the plane’s nose up or down (attitude) allows for the increase or decrease in speed. The key is to understand the relationship of attitude over power to air speed over the rate of descent. The instructor explains how to perform the maneuver, how to use the field and landing spot to gauge the plane’s situation, how to avoid stalling, and the importance of knowing the sight, sound, and feel of the plane at various speeds and attitudes rather than being purely dependent on instruments. The two men also discuss common mistakes new pilots make (altitude issues, rate of descent issues), how to land in a crosswind, and how to avoid landing errors (16:45) by making correct adjustments for drift. The film concludes with the instructor telling his student how to takeoff in a crosswind (19:53) and dealing with drift by adjusting attitude, speed, and nose direction.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
