encountered in individual maneuvers and increase the risk  of control loss. Remember that the objective is to maintain  airplane control by deviating as little as possible from  straight-and-level flight attitude and thereby maintaining as  much of the airplane’s natural equilibrium as possible. This chapter provided general guidance and recommended  procedures that may apply to light single-engine airplanes  involved in certain emergency situations. The information  presented is intended to enhance the general knowledge of  emergency operations with the clear understanding that the  manufacturer’s recommended emergency procedures take  precedence. The chapter offers explanation concerning design  structural load damage that may be imposed on the aircraft  while performing emergency gear extension techniques.  Rapid and abrupt pitch attitude changes executed at high  forward airspeed may impose structural damage on the  aircraft and flight controls. Normal category aircraft may not  be designed to withstand abrupt pedal applications necessary  to dislodge the landing gear.  When being assisted by ATC, the pilot may detect a sense of  urgency as he or she is being directed to change heading and/ or altitude. This sense of urgency reflects a normal concern  for safety on the part of the controller. But the pilot must not  let this prompt him or her to attempt a maneuver that could  result in loss of control. One of the most difficult tasks a trained and qualified  instrument pilot must contend with is the transition from  instrument to visual flight prior to landing. For the untrained  instrument pilot, these difficulties are magnified. Additional information is provided addressing failure of the  pitot-static system in aircraft with EFIS. The redundancy of  these systems as required by 14 CFR part 23 for IFR flight  may be less than desired because both the primary and backup  instrumentation may be receiving signal data input from the  same pitot-static source. The failure indications of EFIS may  be entirely different from conventional instruments making  recognition of system malfunction much more difficult for the  pilot. Lack of system standardization compounds the problem  making equipment specific information and knowledge  imperative to determine electronic display malfunctions. The  inability to simulate certain failure modes during training  and evaluation makes the pilot less prepared for an actual  emergency. As electronic avionics become more technically  advanced, the training and proficiency needed to safely  operate these systems must keep pace.  The difficulties center around acclimatization and orientation.  On an instrument approach, the trained instrument pilot  must prepare in advance for the transition to visual flight.  The pilot must have a mental picture of what he or she  expects to see once the transition to visual flight is made and  quickly acclimatize to the new environment. Geographical  orientation must also begin before the transition, as the pilot  must visualize where the airplane is in relation to the airport/ runway when the transition occurs so that the approach and  landing may be completed by visual reference to the ground. In an ideal situation, the transition to visual flight is made  with ample time, at a sufficient altitude above terrain,  and to visibility conditions sufficient to accommodate  acclimatization and geographical orientation. This, however,  is not always the case. The untrained instrument pilot  may find the visibility still limited, the terrain completely  unfamiliar, and altitude above terrain such that a “normal”  airport traffic pattern and landing approach is not possible.  Additionally, the pilot is most likely under considerable  self-induced psychological pressure to get the airplane on the  ground. The pilot must take this into account and, if possible,  allow time to become acclimatized and geographically  oriented before attempting an approach and landing, even if  it means flying straight and level for a time or circling the  airport. This is especially true at night. 17-18 Chapter Summary  Transition to Visual Flight