Straight & Level
Quick, visual drills for student pilots. Based on: Power + Attitude = Performance. Plus Crosswind calc & Quiz.
1) Horizon Attitude Trainer Pitch
Drag the pitch slider. “Level” is where the nose sits a few fingers below the horizon line.
2) Four Forces Balance
When Lift ≈ Weight and Thrust ≈ Drag, you’re in equilibrium — straight & level.
3) PAT Simulator Power + Attitude = Performance
Rule-of-thumb: ~2200 RPM + “four-finger” level attitude → ~85–95 kt on a light trainer (illustrative).
4) Balance Ball Rudder
Ball left → left rudder. Ball right → right rudder.
5) LAI — Regain Straight & Level
- Lookout — clear left/right/above/below.
- Attitude — set nose picture with reference to horizon.
- Instruments — confirm on ASI/ALT/VSI; trim.
6) Power / Airspeed / Attitude — Quick Reference
| Power | Airspeed (typ.) | Attitude cue | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 RPM | ~60–70 kt | High nose | Training area / slow flight demo |
| 2200 RPM | ~85–95 kt | Four fingers below horizon | Cruise — Straight & Level |
| 2500 RPM | ~100–110 kt | Low nose | Fast cruise |
Use POH/SOP for your specific type.
7) Crosswind & Headwind Calculator Runway • Wind
Tip: crosswind component = wind × sin(angle between wind & runway). Headwind uses cosine.
8) Quick Check — 3 Questions
Handy Interactive Tool for Student Pilots
Flying “straight and level” is fundamental. According to the New Zealand CAA Flight Instructor Guide, straight-and-level flight means holding constant altitude, heading, and airspeed by maintaining a steady attitude, wings level, and balanced flight (lift = weight; thrust = drag) (aviation.govt.nz). It’s a core early lesson that builds coordination and control awareness, sets the foundation for recovery skills after disturbances, and teaches how power, pitch, and yaw interact.
Why It Matters
It reinforces key principles like the four aerodynamic forces and how they stay in balance..
The lesson emphasises using the horizon and instruments (like the artificial horizon or attitude reference) to establish and verify straight and level flight..
You’ll engage with mnemonics such as PAT (Power, Attitude, Trim) and LAI (Lookout, Attitude, Instruments) to teach students how to establish and maintain straight-and-level, and recover from deviations..
How Our Straight & Level Interactive Tool Helps Student Pilots
We created a dynamic, web-based simulator that transforms these principles into hands-on learning:
Visual Windshield View: Students see how the aircraft’s nose aligns with the horizon—too high, too low, or just right.
Four-Forces Simulator: Drag sliders for lift, weight, thrust, and drag to visualize how equilibrium (straight and level) is achieved when forces balance.
PAT & LAI Simulators: Sliders for Power and Attitude help users experiment with scenarios (matching real-world “four fingers below horizon” cues), while a stepper walks them through the LAI mnemonic.
Balance Ball Simulator: Teaches coordination and cross-control—use rudder input to center the “balance ball” just like in real flight.
Mini Quiz: Test retention with interactive questions like “In PAT, which comes first?” or “If the ball drifts right, what rudder correction is needed?”