WRITING 4 IGNACIO GÓNZALEZ CEREZO

 Flying an airplane straight-and-level is already a very complex task, but performing successfully a demanding maneuver is a whole different level of difficulty.

The maneuver I am going to write about isn’t precisely one that requires the latest aircraft systems, in fact it is one of the first ones taught to student pilots, given that it makes these future pilots aware of how the tiniest change in a planes path requires the manipulation of the three axis. This is the S turns using ground reference, it consists in choosing a straight path, road or river and flying into it perpendicularly, as soon as you are straight above it start to turn back into it trying to perform a perfect semicircle, and when you are again above your ground reference you should be perpendicular, wings-level and at the same altitude at which you started the maneuver, and repeat the process. It may not sound very demanding, but when the turn starts, if the pilot makes the mistake of only rolling the aircraft, the plane will tend to lose altitude, and the turn will be uncoordinated. This multitasking phenomenon while communicating and checking all engine gauges is definitely not easy to accomplish.