Handling of power on take off and landing.

[C.W.E.]

How many of you use one hand on the control wheel and the other hand on the throttle's when taking off and landing?

I personally use that method as it gives me better control during the more critical phases of flight.

For those of you who use two hands on the wheel during those segments of flight what advantage to you find doing it that way?

[AirFrame]

I've used one on stick/wheel and one on throttle since the beginning. Friction locks aren't always 100% and i've had instances of throttle advancing or retarding in aircraft when I wasn't holding onto it.

[kevind]

I am one hand in throttle, one on column person. Why...that is what I was taught. I do see advantages to it as your hand is one throttle if you need it. Seldom do you need 2 hands for control a Cessna 172/182

Our local instructor teaches 2 hands on column on short final. I do aircraft check outs for our club and the pilots that he has taught have nice stable approaches until they put 2 hands on the column and then the pitch oscillations start.

[photofly]

I don't see any need for any special "landing or taking off" rules. I think you should have your hand on the throttle(s) when you are making, or anticipating making, a change in power setting.
But you can leave the other hand empty, it's not necessary to grab onto something else like the yoke just because you're not holding the throttle.

[pelmet]

When handling the stick, I have never used more than one hand. It just doesn't seem right. That being said, I have let others do so.

[oldtimer]

I always used one hand on the wheel and one on the throttle except during climb or cruise when I was busy scratching my nuts or other important actions until I started flying the Husky and the Norseman which required both hands on the wheel to get the airplane up on the step. Once flying twins with 2 crew, it was one hand on the wheel and one hand either actually on the throttles (Navajo) or covering the power levers while the PM fine tuned the power settings. At the V1 call, hands came off the power levers as a visual conformation that there would not be a reject. That was especially important with airplanes that had OEI take-off performance. But then again, those twins always had good SOP's so this became a standard operating procedure that was usually briefed on the first flight of the day or with a new JAFCO. (Just Another Friggen Co-Pilot.)

[Blakey]

How do I monitor the nosewheel steering?

[Heliian]

Depends on the aircraft. Sometimes you might need 2 hands, sometimes none. For the most part I'm sure it's one and one.

[C.W.E.]

Depends on the aircraft. Sometimes you might need 2 hands,

There are a lot of airplanes I have never flown so I am curious what airplanes you might need two hands to operate the flight controls?

The heaviest on the controls I have flown was the PBY5A and it could be flown with one hand on the controls in any realm of flight I ever had it in.

The airplanes that may require two hands to operate the controls in normal flight realms, does the POH for those machines explain when two hands may be required to fly them?

[Lightchop]

I follow my companies SOP. Through V1 both hands on the yoke. When landing the power is mine and hand stays on.

[C.W.E.]

I follow my companies SOP. Through V1 both hands on the yoke

Do you use that same procedure with every airplane you fly?

[oldtimer]

Both the Gulfstream 1 and the Metro 3/23 would be easier in roll at or near Vne. Both hands on the wheel was not really required, it was just easier and the AFM did not address that feature nor make it a requirement.
What I liked about both the Navajo and the Gulfstream 1 was that on take-off or a missed approach, the throttle levers/power levers were advanced to the mechanical stops. No fiddling around with MP/EGT or torque. Just push them forward and a quick check to make sure you are receiving full power.

[Lightchop]

I follow my companies SOP. Through V1 both hands on the yoke

Do you use that same procedure with every airplane you fly?

No. Every plane is unique. In a Cessna for example I keep my hand on the power until I'm through 1000'. In a twin, until I pull back the props for climb and set power. Usually between 500-1000 AGL.

When landing it's always one hand on the power at all times.

[C.W.E.]

No. Every plane is unique. In a Cessna for example I keep my hand on the power until I'm through 1000'. In a twin, until I pull back the props for climb and set power. Usually between 500-1000 AGL.

When landing it's always one hand on the power at all times.

That is the way I was taught also.

Have you flown the little Piper Twin Commanche?

It is a lovely little airplane, but can be a handful if you are careless with it near the stall.

A close friend of mine was killed in one turning final with a student and they spun in, both were killed.

[PilotDAR]

I'm a one hand on the controls, the other on the throttle(s) pilot. From the perspective of proprioception, I'd rather have my hand on the throttle(s), so if I do have to quickly manage an engine, my hand has a starting point reference place. I have had unattended throttles back off during takeoff (my fault for not monitoring), and I have had to manage propeller speed transients during takeoff, so having a starting point for hand placement was and error reduction tactic.

On that topic, I hope that pilots are aware that more recent piston airplanes have knob colour and shape to reduce confusion as to which control you have grabbed. You can determine engine control knob shape in the dark if you need to. Throttle, propeller, mixture, carb heat, flaps and landing gear all have specified knob shape, and relative position to each other, stated in the design standards.

[NotDirty!]

Single pilot flying, I always used one hand on the yoke, one on the throttle(s).

Two crew light turboprops, my company’s SOP insisted on it, with a caveat that both hands could be used if forced required it. I never needed to, but it might be necessary in the case of a trim runaway, I understand.

New job, as an FO on a transport category jet (A320), on takeoff I set power, then take my hand of the thrust levers. Captain keeps his hand on until V1. On approach, the PF has one hand on the stick, one on the thrust levers from the FAF until touchdown.
I now feel weird not having something to do with my left hand on takeoff. I haven’t tried both hands on the stick yet... maybe that’s what I’m missing.

[Lightchop]

No. Every plane is unique. In a Cessna for example I keep my hand on the power until I'm through 1000'. In a twin, until I pull back the props for climb and set power. Usually between 500-1000 AGL.

When landing it's always one hand on the power at all times.

That is the way I was taught also.

Have you flown the little Piper Twin Commanche?

It is a lovely little airplane, but can be a handful if you are careless with it near the stall.

A close friend of mine was killed in one turning final with a student and they spun in, both were killed.

I actually have. Along with a Duchess, Seneca and Navajo. I treated them all the same. A piston twin is a piston twin.

[valleyboy]

I'm thinking there is some confusion over this issue - most "heavy" aircraft are rotated with 2 hands and power levers, throttles or thrust levers are guarded by the non flying pilot. Having said that there are different techniques for different circumstances such as gravel ops. I personally have found that taking your hand from a wheel and either grabbing nose wheel steering or the power sticks, there is no critical time lag.
For landing, it's just that, in the flare I use 2 hands(chop and plop), not on approach. There is nothing that pisses me off more than someone dinking with power in the landing stage. Hit the target, runway behind you is useless (northern strips or short runways) and then being able to adapt your game for traffic flow and long runways and busy airports.

Sure you can fly with one hand if that's the way you do it -- your choice but me,I like 2 hands on a wheel except if the aircraft has spoilers, joystick or if it's very responsive to control inputs. It boils down to the motion required for a wheel as opposed to a stick. A stick requires one input and a control wheel always requires 2 inputs.

[C.W.E.]

I actually have. Along with a Duchess, Seneca and Navajo. I treated them all the same. A piston twin is a piston twin.

They all have the same stall/spin characteristics ?

[switchflicker]

They all have the same stall/spin characteristics ?

I thought we were talking about Handling of power on take off and landing.