Reference: Airplane Flying Handbook Chapter 7.
Attention: The eights on pylons maneuver started in WWI. It allowed aircraft to point the wing at a target and maintain the same site picture, allowing the gunner to destroy the target. For general aviation, a more practical application would be keeping the wing out of the way for aerial photography.
Motivation:
Objective: The Student Will Have Knowledge of The Elements Related to The Eights on Pylons Maneuver and Be Able to Perform the Maneuver to ACS Standards.
Learning Objective (Index)
- Learning Objective (Index)
- Key Points
- What
- Why
- How
- Set Up Pivotal Altitude
- Choose Pylons
- Entry of The Maneuver
- Lateral Axis Forward = Back Pressure
- Lateral Axis Backward = Forward Pressure
- Flying at Pivotal Altitude
- Common Errors
- ACS Standards
- Commercial ACS
Key Points
- Reference Point Moves Forward: Forward Pressure
- Reference Point Moves Backward: Backward Pressure
- Make Small, Coordinated Corrections
What
- Eights on Pylons is an advanced maneuver in which the pilot’s attention is directed at maintaining a pivotal position on a selected pylon, with minimum attention inside the cockpit.
- The maneuver itself involves flying the airplane in a figure eight pattern around two selected points or pylons on the ground.
- No attempt is made to maintain a constant radius of turn around the pylon. Instead, the airplane is flown at an altitude and airspeed that a line parallel to the airplane’s lateral axis, and extending from the pilot’s eye, appears to pivot on each of the pylons.
Why
- The objective of this maneuver is to develop the ability to maneuver the airplane accurately while dividing attention between flight path and the selected points on the ground.
How
Set Up Pivotal Altitude
Choose Pylons
- Far from populated areas
- Far from terrain
- Close to a emergency landing area
- Pylons easy to identify
Entry of The Maneuver
Not Exceed a bank angle of 40º
Lateral Axis Forward = Back Pressure
Lateral Axis Backward = Forward Pressure
Flying at Pivotal Altitude
Common Errors
- Failure to adequately clear the surrounding area for safety hazards, initially and throughout the maneuver.
- Skidding or slipping in turns (whether trying to hold the pylon with rudder or not).
- Excessive gain or loss of altitude.
- Poor choice of pylons.
- Not entering the pylon turns into the wind.
- Failure to assume a heading when flying between pylons that will compensate sufficiently for drift. 7. Failure to time the bank so that the turn entry is completed with the pylon in position.
- Abrupt control usage.
- Inability to select pivotal altitude.
ACS Standards
Commercial ACS
- Clear the area.
- Determine the approximate pivotal altitude.
- Select suitable pylons that will permit straight-and-level flight between the pylons.
- Correctly enter the maneuver at the appropriate altitude and airspeed.
- Establish the correct bank angle for the conditions, not to exceed 40°.
- Apply corrections so that the line-of-sight reference line remains on the pylon.
- Divide attention between accurate, coordinated airplane control and outside visual references.
- Maintain pylon position using appropriate pivotal altitude, avoiding slips and skids