Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

Straight and Level Flight

CASA Recreational Pilot License (Aeroplane) — Lesson 2, Pre-flight Briefing

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Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

Briefing overview

Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

Our aim for the flight

The aim of this flight exercise is for us to achieve the following:

  • maintain straight and level flight with high, medium and low power settings
  • recognise the corresponding flight attitude for each; and
  • balance and trim the aircraft when changing power, attitude and airspeed.
Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

Waypoint 1 — I'M SAFE and PAVE

Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

I'M SAFE — Pre-flight Self-Assessment

Complete before every flight. Display this checklist in the briefing room.

Letter Factor Consider
I Illness Don't fly when unwell — degrades learning and all phases of flight
M Medication Does altitude affect it? Why am I taking it — am I unwell?
S Stress Stress occupies short-term memory and processing power
A Alcohol Affects brain function even in small amounts — combined with altitude, it is deadly
F Fatigue Affects motor and mental skills; adequate rest is essential
E Eating Balanced diet and hydration — poor nutrition degrades decision-making

Stress and fatigue reduce the amount of brain power (processing power) that you have available while flying a plane.

Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

PAVE — Risk Analysis Framework

Use PAVE to identify hazards before every flight.

Letter Category Key questions
P Pilot I'M SAFE — or am I? Also experience, currency, recent practice?
A Aircraft Airworthy? Fuelled? Weight and balance? Known defects?
V enVironment Weather, wind, terrain, airspace, time of day?
E External Pressure to complete the flight? Passengers? Schedule?

If any PAVE category flags a hazard, assess it before you fly with T-E-A-M — not after.

Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

Waypoint 2 — See and Avoid

Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

"See and Avoid" — our joint responsibility

right medium A systematic lookout scan technique diagram

We are responsible for collision avoidance — always.

Principles of 'see and avoid':

  • One of the most important cockpit tasks
  • The fovea (sharpest vision) is only ~2° wide — a static gaze misses moving aircraft
  • Our peripheral vision (outside the fovea) is best at detecting movement
  • Systematic scan: left to right, pausing to focus every 10–15°

Before every manoeuvre today: look out and clear the area

Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

The clock code

A clock-code diagram for reporting traffic positions

We use the clock code to call traffic positions:

  • Traffic positions: 12 o'clock = straight ahead, 3 = right, 9 = left
  • Aircraft above the horizon are higher than you; below are lower
Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

Waypoint 3 — Who has control?

Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

Who has control and Control Handover

Hand over / take over — say it every time:

Transfer Phrase
Instructor gives control to the student "You have control"
Student acknowledges "I have control"
Instructor takes back control "I have control"
Student releases "You have control"

Follow me through: "Place your hands and feet lightly on the controls and feel what I'm doing — I retain control."

Control technique: Smooth, small inputs — the aeroplane responds progressively. Never snatch or jab a control.

Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

Waypoint 4 — Today's Flight

Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

Today's Flight — What to Expect

Sequence:

  • Taxi
  • → take-off
  • → climb to 4500 ft towards training area
  • → straight and level exercises
  • → return
Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

Today's Flight — Straight and Level Exercises

In the training area we'll practise:

  1. Establishing straight flight — visual reference point, wings level, balance ball
  2. Establishing level flight — attitude reference, trim, altimeter cross-check
  3. Normal cruise — 2400 RPM, settle, trim
  4. Fast cruise — 2600 RPM, lower attitude slightly, trim
  5. Slow cruise — 2200 RPM, raise attitude, trim
  6. Precautionary flight — 2200 RPM, 2 stages flap, observe pitch change, re-trim

For each configuration: power → attitude → trim → cross-check. Same sequence every time.

Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

Recap and Fly

Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

Questions — then let's fly

Any questions before we head out?

Remember:

  • I'M SAFE — already checked
  • "I have control / you have control" — every transfer
  • Look out before every manoeuvre
  • Power + attitude = performance — trim for hands-off
Straight and Level Flight — Pre-flight Brief

Cleared to fly!

This is the short brief immediately before the flight — approximately 0.3 hours. The long briefing (theory) has already been completed. Purpose: review the flight sequence, confirm essential knowledge, reinforce airmanship and threat/error management. Keep it tight — the student is eager to fly.

Review what we covered in the theory session — the four forces, attitude flying, the performance formula, and the cruise configurations we'll practise. Then: risk analysis, lookout, control handover, flight sequence, and away we go.

Click Direct-To when ready to advance to the Risk Analysis waypoint.

I'M SAFE is something you can complete at home before even coming to a flight. Some stress is normal, especially when nervous, and will reduce as things become familiar. Flying hungry doesn't help either!

I'M SAFE covers the pilot category in detail; PAVE ensures you also check the aircraft, the environment, and any external pressures. Emphasise the External category — "get-there-itis" and social pressure to fly are leading factors in general aviation accidents. For this lesson, PAVE is straightforward: training aircraft, local area, no passengers — but the habit starts now. Introduce **TEAM** this week for any identified risks (such as the turbulence and freezing level last week). - **T**ransfer the risk - **E**liminate the risk - **A**ccept the risk - **M**itigate the risk

Click Direct-To when ready to advance to the See and Avoid waypoint.

Reinforce this from Lesson 1 — it must become automatic. Straight and level flight gives us the headspace to practise a thorough lookout scan. Point out that during straight and level practice we will be spending a lot of time at the same altitude in the same area — so a good lookout is especially important.

Practise calling positions with the clock code during the flight — it builds a shared language for pointing out traffic quickly.

Click Direct-To when ready to advance to the Who has control waypoint.

In today's lesson the student will spend much more time as pilot in command than in Lesson 1. Reinforce the handover phrases — there should be no ambiguity at any point about who is flying.

Click Direct-To when ready to advance to the Today's Flight waypoint.

The student should do more of the flying today during taxi and possibly some of the climb. Discuss this before going out.

Remind the student of the performance formula: Power + Attitude = Performance.

Click Direct-To when ready to advance to the Recap and Fly waypoint.

We're ready to go. Confirm who handles taxi (student or instructor).

Click Direct-To to advance to arrival.