Exercise 6 - Straight and Level Flight

Air Exercise 6 — Straight-and-Level Flight
Lesson ID: LS-AIREX-06.01 Stage: Incubation Phase: Early PTR Prerequisite: Air Exercise 5 — Attitudes and Movements Next Lesson: Air Exercise 7 — Climbing
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Objective of Air Exercise 6

The purpose of this exercise is to introduce straight-and-level flight.
Straight-and-level flight means holding the aircraft on a steady heading, with the wings level, while maintaining a constant altitude.
This sounds simple, but it is one of the most important early skills in flight training. The student must learn to use pitch, bank, yaw, power, trim, lookout, and instruments together without over-controlling the aircraft.
At this stage, the goal is not perfect precision. The goal is to begin developing the habits that make accurate flying possible.
Think of this lesson as moving from:
“I can move the controls”
to:
“I can hold the aircraft steady.”
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What Is Straight-and-Level Flight?

Straight-and-level flight means the aircraft is:
● Maintaining a constant altitude
● Maintaining a steady heading
● Flying with the wings laterally level
● Using coordinated control inputs
● Holding a stable attitude and airspeed for the selected power setting
In smooth air, the control inputs required may be very small. Sometimes the pilot may only need slight pressure rather than obvious control movement.
A beginner mistake is to “stir” the controls too much. Straight-and-level flight requires restraint.
The aircraft should be flown with smooth, small corrections.
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The Core Skill

Straight-and-level flight is achieved by using all three primary flight controls:
● Elevator to control pitch attitude
● Ailerons to keep the wings level
● Rudder to prevent yaw and maintain coordination
The throttle also matters because power changes affect both airspeed and pitch tendency.
Trim matters because it removes unnecessary control pressure once the aircraft is stable.
The real skill is not just holding the aircraft still. The skill is learning how each small change affects the whole aircraft.
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The Cruise Attitude

Straight-and-level flight is first learned by establishing the cruise attitude.
The cruise attitude is the normal visual attitude for level flight at a selected cruise power setting.
The pilot establishes this attitude by looking outside and comparing:
● The aircraft nose to the horizon
● The wing tips to the horizon
● The aircraft’s attitude to the outside visual picture
As the student gains experience, the correct attitude becomes easier to recognize.
The aircraft is not held straight and level by staring at one instrument. It is held straight and level by building a stable outside picture, then confirming that picture with the instruments.
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Small Variations Are Normal
At the beginning, small variations in heading, altitude, and airspeed are normal.
The student should not panic every time the aircraft moves slightly.
The goal is to notice changes early and correct them smoothly before they become large.
Good flying comes from:
● Recognizing small deviations
● Making small corrections
● Waiting for the aircraft response
● Avoiding overcorrection
The aircraft has inertia. It does not always respond instantly. Smooth patience matters.
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Maintaining Level Flight

To maintain level flight, use the elevator to hold the correct pitch attitude.
If the aircraft nose is allowed to rise, airspeed may decrease and the aircraft may begin climbing.
If the aircraft nose is allowed to lower, airspeed may increase and the aircraft may begin descending.
The first reference should be the outside horizon. The altimeter and vertical speed trend help confirm what is happening, but they should not replace the outside attitude picture.
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Maintaining Straight Flight

To maintain straight flight, keep the wings level and prevent yaw.
If the aircraft banks, it will tend to turn in the direction of the lower wing.
The ailerons are used to keep the wings level. The rudder is used to prevent or correct yaw.
The heading indicator helps confirm that the aircraft is maintaining direction. However, it must be set from the magnetic compass and checked periodically because it can drift over time.
A good habit is:
Wings level first. Heading accuracy follows.
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Heading Indicator and Magnetic Compass

The heading indicator is useful for maintaining a steady heading, but it is not a magnetic instrument. It must be aligned with the magnetic compass and reset as required.
The magnetic compass is the basic heading reference, but it has limitations.
The compass is most reliable when the aircraft is:
● Straight
● Level
● Unaccelerated
● Not turning
● Not being disturbed by turbulence
The magnetic compass can be difficult to read accurately during turns, acceleration, deceleration, or turbulence.
In rough air, a single compass reading may not be enough. The pilot may need to take several readings and average the result.
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Acceleration and Deceleration Errors

In the Northern Hemisphere, acceleration and deceleration can cause compass errors, especially on east or west headings.
When accelerating on an east or west heading, the compass may initially indicate a turn toward the north.
When decelerating on an east or west heading, the compass may initially indicate a turn toward the south.
As acceleration or deceleration decreases, the compass indication returns toward the actual heading.
This error is strongest on east and west headings and becomes less noticeable as the aircraft heading approaches north or south.
The beginner takeaway is simple:
Do not blindly trust the magnetic compass during speed changes.
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Turning Errors

Compass turning errors are most noticeable when turning from north or south headings.
When beginning a turn from a northerly heading, the compass may initially indicate a turn in the opposite direction. Once the turn is established, the compass begins to show the turn but may lag behind the actual heading.
When beginning a turn from a southerly heading, the compass usually indicates the correct direction, but it may lead the actual heading.
As the aircraft turns toward east or west, the turning error decreases.
The magnetic compass is valuable, but it must be understood. It does not behave like a perfectly stable dashboard direction display.
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Effect of Power

Power changes affect the aircraft.
When power is increased, the propeller slipstream and aircraft forces can create yawing tendencies. In many light aircraft with clockwise-rotating propellers, increasing power tends to yaw the aircraft left. Reducing power can create the opposite tendency.
The pilot must anticipate this and use rudder to keep the aircraft coordinated.
Power changes can also affect pitch.
When power is increased, the nose may tend to rise. If the pilot does not compensate, the aircraft may begin to climb.
When power is reduced, the nose may tend to lower. If the pilot does not compensate, the aircraft may begin to descend.
The lesson is important:
Power changes require coordinated flight-control changes.
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Attitude Plus Power Equals Performance

A common beginner misunderstanding is thinking that one control owns only one result.
The elevator does not simply “control altitude” by itself. The throttle does not simply “control speed” by itself.
The elevator controls pitch attitude. The throttle controls power.
But changes in pitch and power affect both airspeed and altitude.
This is why pilots often use the idea:
Attitude plus power equals performance.
The aircraft’s final performance depends on the combination of pitch attitude, power setting, trim, and coordination.
For a beginner, this matters because straight-and-level flight requires both elevator and throttle adjustments. The controls are connected in their effects, even if they have different primary purposes.
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Reducing Airspeed in Straight-and-Level Flight
To reduce airspeed while remaining straight and level, the pilot reduces power smoothly.
As power is reduced, the aircraft may want to yaw and the nose may tend to lower. The pilot must anticipate this.
The general technique is:
● Throttle back smoothly to the estimated power setting
● Prevent yaw with rudder
● Apply enough back pressure to maintain altitude
● Keep the wings level
● Allow the airspeed to decrease
● When the desired airspeed is reached, adjust power as required
● Trim to remove control pressure
At first, the required control pressure may be small. As the airspeed decreases, more back pressure may be required to hold altitude.
The student should learn to feel this pressure change instead of waiting for a large altitude deviation.
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Increasing Airspeed in Straight-and-Level Flight

To increase airspeed while remaining straight and level, the pilot increases power smoothly.
As power is increased, the aircraft may want to yaw and the nose may tend to rise. The pilot must anticipate this.
The general technique is:
● Advance the throttle smoothly to the estimated power setting
● Prevent yaw with rudder
● Apply enough forward pressure to maintain altitude
● Keep the wings level
● Allow the airspeed to increase
● When the desired airspeed is reached, adjust power as required
● Trim to remove control pressure
This skill matters because pilots often need to change speed while remaining at the same altitude.
Examples include:
● Maintaining spacing in the circuit
● Adjusting to approach speed
● Returning to cruise speed
● Flying safely in traffic
● Managing workload during normal operations
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Trim

Trim reduces the pressure the pilot must hold on the controls.
When airspeed changes, the control pressure required to maintain level flight also changes. Once the aircraft is stabilized at the new speed, trim should be used to remove that pressure.
Trim is also affected by power changes.
A key point for students:
Trim for the pressure you feel, not for where you think the trim wheel should be.
If you are holding continuous back pressure, trim to relieve that pressure. If you are holding continuous forward pressure, trim to relieve that pressure.
Trim does not replace flying the aircraft. First establish the attitude and power, then trim.
A good habit is:
Attitude. Power. Stabilize. Trim.
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Flying in Smooth Air Versus Rough Air

In smooth air, a well-trimmed aircraft may require very little control input to maintain straight-and-level flight.
In rough air, more physical effort and coordination may be required.
The student must learn not to fight every small bump. Correct the trend, not every twitch.
The goal is controlled, stable flight, not rigid control stiffness.
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What Can You Expect in This Exercise?

Your instructor may demonstrate and practise:
● Establishing cruise attitude
● Holding the wings level
● Maintaining a steady heading
● Maintaining a constant altitude
● Using outside references
● Confirming with instruments
● Using rudder to prevent yaw
● Making small corrections
● Increasing airspeed while staying level
● Reducing airspeed while staying level
● Anticipating power-change effects
● Using trim to remove control pressure
● Understanding compass limitations
● Comparing heading indicator and magnetic compass information
This exercise begins the practical habit of flying accurately without over-controlling.
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Common Mistakes

● Chasing the instruments instead of using the outside picture
● Over-controlling
● Ignoring small bank angles
● Forgetting that bank causes turn
● Failing to use rudder during power changes
● Letting power changes create pitch changes
● Trying to hold altitude with trim before stabilizing the aircraft
● Staring at the magnetic compass during acceleration or turns
● Forgetting to check or reset the heading indicator
● Allowing airspeed changes to become altitude changes
● Holding pressure on the controls instead of trimming
● Fighting turbulence instead of correcting trends
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Why Does This Matter?

Straight-and-level flight is the foundation for almost everything that follows.
Before a student can climb, descend, turn accurately, fly circuits, navigate, or manage emergencies, they must be able to hold the aircraft steady.
This exercise builds the pilot’s first real performance-control model:
● Attitude controls the aircraft picture
● Power changes aircraft energy
● Rudder keeps the aircraft coordinated
● Trim removes pressure
● Instruments confirm performance
● Small corrections prevent large deviations
Straight-and-level flight is not just “doing nothing.”
It is active control with restraint.
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Key Takeaways

● Straight-and-level flight means maintaining constant altitude and steady direction with wings level.
● Use outside references first, then confirm with instruments.
● The cruise attitude is the reference picture for normal level flight.
● Small variations are normal early in training.
● Smooth, small corrections are better than large corrections.
● If the aircraft banks, it will tend to turn toward the lower wing.
● Use rudder to prevent yaw, especially during power changes.
● Power changes can affect both yaw and pitch.
● Elevator controls pitch attitude; throttle controls power.
● Attitude plus power determines aircraft performance.
● Reducing airspeed requires power reduction, back pressure, rudder, and trim.
● Increasing airspeed requires power increase, forward pressure, rudder, and trim.
● The magnetic compass has acceleration, deceleration, and turning errors.
● Trim should remove control pressure after the aircraft is stabilized.
● A well-trimmed aircraft in smooth air needs minimal control input.
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Exercise Summary

Exercise Number: Air Exercise 6 

Exercise Name: Straight-and-Level Flight Student

Role: Early PTR flight student 

Goal: Learn to maintain steady altitude and heading while keeping the wings level, using smooth coordinated control inputs, appropriate power, instrument confirmation, and trim.
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Knowledge Graph Metadata

Lesson ID: LS-AIREX-06.01

Knowledge Node ID: KG-PT-AIREX-06-STRAIGHT-LEVEL

Entity Type:
Flight Training Lesson / Knowledge Graph Node

Lesson Title:
Air Exercise 6 — Straight-and-Level Flight

Short Title:
Straight and Level

Canonical Topic:
Straight-and-level flight

Alternative Topic Names:
Straight and level flight, straight-and-level flight, straight & level, level flight, cruise flight, cruise attitude, maintaining altitude and heading

Domain:
Pilot Training

Subdomain:
Basic Aircraft Handling

Jurisdiction:
Canada / Transport Canada

Training System Reference:
Transport Canada Air Exercise 6

Certification Context:
Private Pilot Licence — Aeroplane

Audience:
Student Pilot

Stage:
Incubation

Phase:
Early PTR

Training Level:
Early Execution

Primary Concept:
Aircraft attitude, power, trim, and rudder coordination during unaccelerated visual level flight

Plain-Language Definition:
Straight-and-level flight means maintaining a constant heading, altitude, and airspeed using coordinated pitch, power, trim, and rudder.

Technical Definition:
Straight-and-level flight is a stabilized flight condition where the aircraft maintains constant altitude, constant heading, and approximately constant airspeed with lift and weight balanced, thrust and drag approximately balanced, and no intentional climb, descent, or turn.

Content Role:
This knowledge node explains the core aircraft-handling skill of maintaining attitude, heading, altitude, and airspeed in visual straight-and-level flight during early private pilot training.

Learning Outcome:
By the end of this lesson, the learner should be able to maintain straight-and-level flight using outside visual references, instrument confirmation, coordinated rudder, smooth control inputs, appropriate power, and proper trim.

Core Competencies:

Maintains aircraft attitude using outside visual references
Confirms aircraft performance using flight instruments
Coordinates pitch, power, trim, and rudder
Recognizes heading, altitude, and airspeed deviations early
Makes small corrections before deviations grow
Maintains lookout while controlling the aircraft
Re-trims after attitude or power changes

Performance Standard:

Maintains assigned heading within ±10°
Maintains assigned altitude within ±100 ft
Maintains stable airspeed within ±10 kt
Maintains coordinated flight
Uses trim to reduce control pressure, not to replace control input
Applies smooth, timely corrections
Divides attention between outside references, lookout, and instrument confirmation

Prerequisites:
Air Exercise 5 — Attitudes and Movements

Required Prior Knowledge:
Aircraft axes, primary flight controls, secondary effects of controls, attitude references, basic instrument indications, lookout technique, trim basics, rudder coordination

Related Topics:
Cruise attitude, pitch control, power control, trim, rudder coordination, airspeed control, altitude control, heading control, magnetic compass errors, lookout, instrument scan, pitch-power relationship, aircraft stability, visual attitude flying

Not To Be Confused With:

Climbing flight
Descending flight
Slow flight
Instrument straight-and-level flight
Cruise performance planning
Holding altitude during turns

Common Student Errors:

Chasing instruments instead of controlling attitude
Overcontrolling
Using trim as a primary flight control
Ignoring rudder coordination
Allowing altitude, heading, or airspeed to drift before correcting
Focusing inside the cockpit too long
Making large corrections instead of small attitude adjustments
Failing to re-trim after power or attitude changes
Correcting symptoms instead of re-establishing the correct attitude

Cause-and-Effect Relationships:

Pitch changes aircraft attitude and influences airspeed trend
Power affects performance and helps maintain speed
Trim reduces control pressure after the correct attitude is established
Rudder maintains coordinated flight and prevents yaw-related errors
Outside references establish attitude; instruments confirm performance
Small deviations are easier to correct than large deviations
Poor lookout increases collision risk and cockpit workload
Poor trim increases fatigue and causes unstable aircraft control

Skills Developed:
Attitude control, heading control, altitude control, airspeed control, power management, trim use, rudder coordination, instrument confirmation, visual scanning, lookout discipline, smooth correction technique, workload management

Why It Matters:
Straight-and-level flight is the foundation for nearly every normal phase of flight after takeoff. Cruise, navigation, circuit spacing, approach setup, instrument flying, and workload management all depend on this skill.

Operational Link:
A pilot who can hold straight-and-level flight smoothly is building the control discipline needed for climbs, descents, turns, navigation, instrument procedures, abnormal situations, and safe passenger-carrying operations.

Knowledge Graph Links:

Previous Node: LS-AIREX-05.01 — Attitudes and Movements
Current Node: LS-AIREX-06.01 — Straight-and-Level Flight
Next Node: LS-AIREX-07.01 — Climbing
Supports: Climbing, Descending, Turning, Navigation, Circuits, Approaches, Instrument Flight, Forced Approaches
Supported By: Effects of Controls, Attitudes and Movements, Lookout, Basic Instrument Interpretation, Trim Basics
Related Human Factors: Attention management, fixation, workload, early error recognition
Related Aircraft Systems: Flight controls, trim system, powerplant, flight instruments

Next Topic:
Air Exercise 7 — Climbing

References:

Transport Canada Flight Training Manual — Exercise 6
Transport Canada Flight Instructor Guide — Exercise 6
Transport Canada Pilot Training Record — Air Exercise 6
Transport Canada Flight Test Guide — PPL performance tolerances where applicable
Aircraft POH / AFM

Search / AI Tags:
straight and level flight, straight-and-level flight, straight & level, level flight, cruise flight, cruise attitude, visual attitude flying, altitude control, heading control, airspeed control, pitch control, power control, trim technique, rudder coordination, pitch power trim, pitch-power relationship, aircraft attitude control, unaccelerated flight, student pilot, PPL flight training, private pilot training, Transport Canada Air Exercise 6, Canadian flight training, basic aircraft handling, aircraft control, flight training lesson, flight instructor guide, flight training manual, pilot training record

AI Summary:
This knowledge node defines Straight-and-Level Flight as Transport Canada Air Exercise 6 for early Private Pilot Licence training. It explains how student pilots maintain constant heading, altitude, and airspeed using outside visual references, instrument confirmation, pitch, power, trim, and rudder coordination. It connects straight-and-level flight to prerequisite attitude training and later skills such as climbing, descending, turning, navigation, circuits, approaches, and instrument flight.

Teach As:
“Straight-and-level flight is active control with restraint.”