Ken Stewart started gliding on a holiday course at the Cairngorm Gliding Club in the highlands of Scotland in 1972. By 1976 he held an Instructor’s Rating. The following year he joined the instructing staff at Lasham Gliding Centre, reputedly the largest gliding centre in the world. What began as seasonal employment soon became full-time, resulting in his holding the position of Deputy Chief Flying Instructor and for one year, Acting Chief Flying Instructor, while his colleague Derek Piggott took a sabbatical in the USA.

In 1982 he became National Coach for the British Gliding Association and as such was involved in, among other aspects of the sport, the training of instructors, cross-country and competition training. In this role he flew at the majority of the gliding clubs in Britain.

A keen soaring pilot, he is holder of the FAI Diamond Badge and has flown in many competitions and National Championships.

With 27 years of instructing on both gliders and motor gliders behind him,experience of over 100 different types of glider and considerable tow-plane flying experience, he is an ideal person to produce a manual on gliding. He’s also the author of The Soaring Pilot’s Manual.

The original edition of Flight Unlimited was published in 1983, as a collaborative between Eric Müller and Annette Carson. In 15 years of aerobatic flying, Swiss pilot Eric Müller had won numerous National and European Championship titles and regularly appeared in the top World Championship rankings. He was probably the foremost practising – and medal winning – theorist in his field; an authority on flying and judging techniques, and a father figure of modern sport aerobatics.

Annette Carson, author of Flight Fantastic, the history of aerobatics, has been involved in international aerobatics for 20 years during which she has been a Contest Director, Team Manager, International Delegate and Secretary to the FAI’s International Aerobatics Commission (CIVA), and a member of the International Jury at World Championships.

Until Eric Müller’s death in 1990 they formed a regular writing team, contributing to aviation publications and to the rules and guidelines by which International aerobatics are conducted. The new version of Flight Unlimited, revised by Annette Carson, has been expanded and brought into line with present-day competition organisation and judging.

The book is designed to tempt you to explore the wonderful world of aerobatic flight. The basic manoeuvres are clearly illustrated and the techniques are explained in simple terms. It also provides an introduction to the effects of the forces of manoeuvring flight on the aircraft structure and on the pilot’s body.

Aerobatics represent the most satisfying form of visual flight and can be both challenging and rewarding. The scope is unlimited.

The important proviso is that you learn the basics thoroughly and from someone who enjoys and knows aerobatics. Choose the training aircraft and school carefully and try to fly regularly.

Even if you never intend to develop your aerobatic repertoire, the basic aerobatic training will serve you well in all other aspects of your flying – whether for private pleasure or professional career. Someday your basic aerobatic training will come in handy.

The original configuration of an aeroplane’s undercarriage was tailwheel. Only during World War II did the nosewheel become common due to the longer runways required to take off with the heavy loads. After the war, the tricycle undercarriage layout became standard. but the traditional arrangement has always been known as the ‘conventional’ undercarriage.

The tailwheel configuration is lighter, simpler and offers less drag. It is also better for rough field operations. Many agricultural aircraft, aerobatic aeroplanes and ultralights, therefore, have this configuration. However, the conventional undercarriage does introduce some extra demands on the pilot, especially during take-off and landing, and in strong winds.

A tailwheel aeroplane is more difficult to operate on the ground because the centre of gravity is behind the mainwheels; therefore, it tends to deviate from a straight path during taxi, take-off and landing. Since tailwheel aeroplanes demand more piloting skill, flying one well is a signal of a good pilot.

If you want to fly a warbird antique or a modern aeroplane with a conventional undercarriage, this book tells you how in a simple, clearly illustrated way. It begins with the theory and dynamics of thetailwheel aeroplane and then describes the piloting techniques needed to safely fly this configuration. There is also a fascinating collection of stories about what it is like to fly some of the common and not-so-common tailwheel aeroplanes – stories by old hands that otherwise could only be found in a good session of hangar flying.

This manual has been prepared for those pilots embarking on their first Type Endorsement on a Multi-Engined aircraft. It is done in the knowledge that the Type Endorsement has to be oriented to a specific aircraft. Nevertheless the principles are common to all types. It was felt that a general but detailed text was needed to allow the student to prepare for the Rating and to assist the instructor in structuring the program and its content.

The manual is in two parts:

Part One covers all facets of twin operation including systems description, aerodynamics, normal operations, abnormal operations, VFR, Night and IFR considerations and flight planning. There is also a Chapter on commercial operations with traps for the unwary.

Part Two describes a structured Type Rating program with suggested content for the lectures, long briefings and pre-flight briefings.

We hope this manual will be invaluable to student and instructor alike.

Regularly updated, this book contains all that is needed for radiotelephony communications, including the language and procedures of radio, how to deal with emergencies and radio failure and some basic radio theory.

Useful example flights with their appropriate calls for both controlled and uncontrolled flight are contained in this volume.

Finally some questions and answers to test the student.

Basic physiology (how the body and senses work) and psychology (how the mind works) form the foundation of this volume.

Additionally it covers decision making, stimulus, stress and sleep, personality and behaviour.

Some basic ergonomics of the modern cockpit are also considered and a section on first aid, safety and survival is included.

Questions and answers complete the book.

The syllabus topics of Radio Navigation are covered in detail and also the mechanics of instrument flying, assisted with many diagrams. The course for the Instrument rating as well as sub-ICAO instrument qualifications such as the IMC rating are covered.

This book is completely updated to take account of many new techniques and concepts particularly those applying to glass cockpits.

Information on GPS is included with many diagrams and illustrations. Additionally volume 5 contains the information required for the Night Qualification.

A full set of questions and answers is found at the back.