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People who aren't pilots might think of flying an aeroplane as like driving a car, but with an added dimension. But the controls in a car are decoupled - turning the steering wheel doesn't normally affect the speed, and the throttle and brake don't affect the direction of the car. In an aeroplane, all the controls are coupled, and each control has a primary and secondary effect. In addition, aerodynamicists have a very different approach to the way an aeroplane flies from the way pilots see it. This lecture seeks to explain, in simple terms, how an aeroplane is flown, from a pilot's perspective.

Speaker Details
Ray Wilkinson
Ray Wilkinson is the former Head of Aerospace at the University of Hertfordshire, and an active pilot with around 1,000 hours logged. Over the past 11 years, he has flown a wide variety of aircraft from paragliders and paramotors to microlight aircraft and four-seat tourers. He currently flies an Evektor Eurostar two-seat light aircraft and a Robin DR400 four-seat tourer, and flies about 100 hours a year. He has flown in the UK, France and Canada, and is passionate about encouraging people of all ages to fly. His passengers have ranged in age from nine years to 102 years.