What are physics behind "on the ball"?

I presume that you are talking here about a gyroscopic instrument rather than a representation of this instrument on a MFD screen.

The ball part of the turn & bank or the modern turn coordinator is an extremely low tech instrument. There are no sensors, accelerometers, or any electrical or mechanical connection to anything else. It works on the simple principle force - or more precisely in the case of an aircraft the force vector.

I'm sure you've seen these exact items used on campers to indicate level. In this case it is a simple inclinometer. That is identical to what is in your airplane. In the case of a camper, the only force is gravity and the force vector is always in the same direction - DOWN.

In an aircraft, when turning, you are by definition and physics in accelerated flight. In turning accelerated flight you will always have a force vector pointing somewhere other than down. The ball responds to that force vector by aligning with it.

Think of taking a pail of water on a string and swinging it horizontally above your head. One force vector is always pointing to the pail and the water stays within the pail. Now consider that the ball in the inclinometer is the "water" within the pail and that the "pail" is the aircraft. When the aircraft is in a turn, (accelerated motion)the ball will move to the bottom of where that force vector actually is.

Things change, of course, if you have an electronic display. There would then need to be a sensor called an accelerometer mounted very precisely somewhere in the aircraft which converts the same force vector to an electronic signal which can be presented on a display.

Back to basics, my friend. Needle, Ball, Airspeed, Compass, and Map.

Planeflyr

 

Hi Rob:

The ball is just that a ball in that glass tube. Just think of it like the bubble in a level. There is nothing else no device is connected with it.

You want to get to be able to feel the airplane and not stare inside the cockpit. Here is an easy way to start getting the feel of the plane.

Flying straight and level you should only need a little if any right rudder. Start bringing the nose of the aircraft up. Keep your wings level as you bring the nose of the plane up you will notice the plane will start yawing to the left. This is your P factor. if your wings are level and you start to see that yaw, you know you need to add the right rudder to counteract that. Once the yawing stops you will be coordinated.

Now do the same thing but this time look at the wings of the plane either to the left or the right. You will see if your wings a level with the horizon and there is any yawing you will see the wing start to kick back to the left. Now apply your rudder till it stops.

you want to learn to feel and notice what the plane is doing. once you get the hang of it you won't need to stare at the instrument anymore.

I cover up all the instruments on all my students for the first 5 flights or so. You don't need anything inside the airplane to fly( Except the Instructor) For now.

You don't want to get in the habit of staring inside the cockpit. The person who is going to kill you is outside the airplane. So keep your head outside the plane. A quick glance is all you need. You should be able to feel it in your butt

airfreddy

 

good way to practice keeping the ball centered is to try to balance a bottle of water on the dash.. if you're coordinated the bottle should remain in a fixed position, and roll only if you become uncoordinated..

just be sure to not lose track of it and find it behind a rudder pedal when trying to land, that'll call for a bad day..