The
ability to sense a flight condition, without relying
on
cockpit instrumentation, is often called “feel of the
airplane,”
but senses in addition to “feel” are involved.
Sounds
inherent to flight are an important sense in
developing
“feel.” The air that rushes past the modern
light
plane cockpit/cabin is often masked by
soundproofing,
but it can still be heard. When the
level
of sound increases, it indicates that airspeed is
increasing.
Also, the powerplant emits distinctive
sound
patterns in different conditions of flight. The
sound
of the engine in cruise flight may be different
from
that in a climb, and different again from that in