THE CAT & DUCK METHOD OF IFR FLYING:
Today's flight age is an era highlighted with increasing emphasis
on safety. Instrumentation in the cockpit and in the traffic
control tower has reached new peaks of electronic perfection to
assist the pilot during take-offs , flight , and landings. For
whimsical contrast to these and other marvels of scientific
flight engineering , it is perhaps opportune to remind pilots of
the basic rules concerning the so-called Cat-and-Duck Method of
Flight , just in case something goes wrong with any of these new-
fangled flying instruments you find in today's aircraft.
Place a live cat on the cockpit floor. Because a cat always
remains upright , he or she can be used in lieu of a needle and
ball. Merely watch to see which way the cat leans to determine
if a wing is low and , if so , which one.
The duck is used for the instrument approach and landing.
Because any sensible duck will refuse to fly under instrument
conditions, it is only necessary to hurl your duck out of the
plane and follow her to the ground.
There are some limitations to the Cat-and-Duck Method, but
by rigidly adhering to the following check list , a degree of
success will be achieved.
1. Get a wide-awake cat. Most cats do not want to stand up
at all, at any time. It may be necessary to get a large fierce
dog in the cockpit to keep the cat at attention.
2. Make sure your cat is clean. Dirty cats will spend all
their time washing. Trying to follow a cat licking itself
usually results in a tight snap roll, followed by an inverted (or
flat) spin. You can see this is very unsanitary.
3. Old cats are best. Young cats have nine lives, but an
old used-up cat with only one life left has just as much to lose
an you do and will therefore be more dependable.
4. Beware of cowardly ducks. If the duck discovers that
you are using the cat to stay upright - or straight and level-
she will refuse to leave without the cat. Ducks are no better on
instruments than you are.
5. Be sure the duck has good eyesight. Nearsighted ducks
sometimes will go flogging off into the nearest hill. Very
short-sighted ducks will not realize they have been thrown out
and will descend to the ground in a sitting position. This
maneuver is quite difficult to follow in an airplane.
6. Use land-loving ducks. It is very discouraging to break
out and find yourself on final approach for some farm pound in
Iowa. Also, the farmers there suffer from temporary insanity
when chasing crows off their corn fields and will shoot anything
that flies.
7. Choose your duck carefully. It is easy to confuse ducks
with geese because many water birds look alike. While they are
very competent instrument flyers , geese seldom want to go in the
same direction you do. If your duck heads off for the Okefenokee
Swamp, you may be sure you have been given the goose.
Today's flight age is an era highlighted with increasing emphasis
on safety. Instrumentation in the cockpit and in the traffic
control tower has reached new peaks of electronic perfection to
assist the pilot during take-offs , flight , and landings. For
whimsical contrast to these and other marvels of scientific
flight engineering , it is perhaps opportune to remind pilots of
the basic rules concerning the so-called Cat-and-Duck Method of
Flight , just in case something goes wrong with any of these new-
fangled flying instruments you find in today's aircraft.
Place a live cat on the cockpit floor. Because a cat always
remains upright , he or she can be used in lieu of a needle and
ball. Merely watch to see which way the cat leans to determine
if a wing is low and , if so , which one.
The duck is used for the instrument approach and landing.
Because any sensible duck will refuse to fly under instrument
conditions, it is only necessary to hurl your duck out of the
plane and follow her to the ground.
There are some limitations to the Cat-and-Duck Method, but
by rigidly adhering to the following check list , a degree of
success will be achieved.
1. Get a wide-awake cat. Most cats do not want to stand up
at all, at any time. It may be necessary to get a large fierce
dog in the cockpit to keep the cat at attention.
2. Make sure your cat is clean. Dirty cats will spend all
their time washing. Trying to follow a cat licking itself
usually results in a tight snap roll, followed by an inverted (or
flat) spin. You can see this is very unsanitary.
3. Old cats are best. Young cats have nine lives, but an
old used-up cat with only one life left has just as much to lose
an you do and will therefore be more dependable.
4. Beware of cowardly ducks. If the duck discovers that
you are using the cat to stay upright - or straight and level-
she will refuse to leave without the cat. Ducks are no better on
instruments than you are.
5. Be sure the duck has good eyesight. Nearsighted ducks
sometimes will go flogging off into the nearest hill. Very
short-sighted ducks will not realize they have been thrown out
and will descend to the ground in a sitting position. This
maneuver is quite difficult to follow in an airplane.
6. Use land-loving ducks. It is very discouraging to break
out and find yourself on final approach for some farm pound in
Iowa. Also, the farmers there suffer from temporary insanity
when chasing crows off their corn fields and will shoot anything
that flies.
7. Choose your duck carefully. It is easy to confuse ducks
with geese because many water birds look alike. While they are
very competent instrument flyers , geese seldom want to go in the
same direction you do. If your duck heads off for the Okefenokee
Swamp, you may be sure you have been given the goose.
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