How to Fly Eights on Pylons: A Step-by-Step Guide for New Pilots

8s on Pylons is a fundamental maneuver that helps pilots develop precision flying skills and better control of the aircraft. By flying the aircraft in a figure-eight pattern around two pylons, pilots learn to make constant adjustments to the aircraft's pitch, bank, and power settings, while maintaining a constant altitude and airspeed. This maneuver is essential for takeoffs, landings, and other critical phases of flight, and is often used as a foundation for more advanced aerobatic and competition flying.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on other Social Media Channels:
Instagram: / thrustflight
TikTok: / thrustflight
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Have a question about flight training? Reach out today:
972-735-9099
[e-mail]
thrustflight.com
Thrust Flight's primary location is at Addison Airport (KADS) in Addison, TX, near Dallas. We also have a second facility located at North Texas Regional Airport (KGYI) in Denison, TX.
With over 40,000 square feet of hangar, office, and classroom space, we're large enough to meet your every need as a flight student without becoming impersonal. Every one of our students is treated like family and receives personalized individual attention suited to your unique needs.
Learn more about our Zero Time to Airline program: www.thrustflight.com/zero-tim...
Check out our popular CFI & CFII academies: www.thrustflight.com/cfi-acad...
Hear from our students: • Hear From Our Students...

[@Just.andrew.r]

The way you performed the maneuver look so much easier more calm than how mine were. This video helped me realize my error which was picking points that were too close to the aircraft. This made the whole maneuver more difficult and usually outside of standard due to the excessive bank I had to hold to stay on the point. Thanks so much this really helped me.

[@jackmurphy4913]

That’s because the maneuver is done incorrectly

[@shockwavegaming1376]

Can't wait to fly these fun maneuvers with you all. I hope to be joining you early next year at the latest. 🛩

[@SuperAirplanemaster]

Great video this maneuver is one my favorite during my Commercial Training

[@12romeo53]

I recommend you stress the “adjustment or correction” is generally just elevator assuming you’re trim. I think this realization is helpful so the student can focus on this input while adjusting speed to hold the reference point.

[@transparencytalkss3920]

A great video!!!!!! Will tell my future students to watch this

[@Saltlick11]

Great video guys

[@dcbarnum]

Well done. Thank you

[@juanbetancur1046]

Thank you

[@JamieHigdon]

Great video! I noticed you only picked your first pylon and let the airplane pick your second. I've heard so many different opinions on this so please share what your thoughts are, if you should pick both or just 1 then fly the maneuver and the second pylon being wherever it is when u start the second turn. Thanks!

[@xanderw1460]

Are you calculating based on downwind groundspeed?

[@pilotrachie3777]

This was super helpful! Made this maneuver seem way less hard! Thanks!

[@thepenmen22]

Not sure how to ask this, but what if you can't find 2 pylons that are the required distance apart? Like this is kind of a figure 8 in the sky, so are you generally able to find 2 points to circle around relatively easily? I would think each 2 points you pick are different, so would then you have to manage your bank angle for each set you decide to practice on?

[@krin9437]

Speaking as someone who’s working on their commercial, I’d imagine as long as they’re a decent distance away it’ll work. Just start in the middle of the two and keep the same radius on both turns. They also don’t have to be perfect points, just two things you can easily track

[@12romeo53]

At 5:30, you never verbalize your pylon/reference point - which I thought was odd after all the preceding discussion about selecting it.

[@G.FIELDS]

it was odd that they said to not pick a big reference point but continue to pick a huge field.

[@rubenduma3228]

She is really good at it if she's listening to music in one ear while explaining the maneuver

[@meeklayboost5704]

It’s not hard to do that at all. Every CFI does that

[@gwynsea8162]

Would be useful to explain why this is a useful exercise

[@THEVATICANTS]

VFR precision and coordination, especially useful when having to do diversions.

[@A_JoshOfAllTrades]

Imagine you may be doing a aerial photography job or doing a downtown air tour with a passenger or two... you'll need to know how to keep ground reference(s) in one general place!

[@jschwartzmier]

It's not

[@Marloni.Royalty]

is it necessary to report by radio this maneuver?

[@aaronbrown6266]

You're probably going to want to report position, altitude, and type of maneuver in the area that you're practicing in. This should be standard with all maneuvers.

[@Marloni.Royalty]

@@aaronbrown6266 Couldmaneuver? us a short example of report by this manuever?

[@aaronbrown6266]

Most practice areas, depending on region and airspace, will have an assigned radio frequency. Tune to that first. Then it would sound something like this: South practice area, N1234X is at 3500, over Peanut Butter ridge, eights on pylons, south practice.@@Marloni.Royalty

[@charlesmclean5016]

See king video for clarity.

[@stevereynolds1707]

Dude needs a haircut. Him messing with his hair is almost as distracting as the music. Great instruction though.

[@nelsonbrandt7847]

Yes it was hilarious to watch

[@gwynsea8162]

Dude needs a haircut!

[@jackmurphy4913]

This is completely wrong and you should not listen to this video if you’re thinking about becoming a CFi down the line, no dpe would be be satisfied with this. You should never teach a maneuver using ACS standards. Read the Airplane flying handbook. The AFH calls for you to enter at maneuvering speed, 90-95 knots depending on weight, and to have only 3-5 seconds of straight and level flight between your two points. Looks like she had about 10-15. These points should be much much closer!

[@VinnyJ36]

Dude in left seat was driving me nuts get a haircut or a bandanna to hold your hair bro what a distraction

[@meeklayboost5704]

This CFI seems mad annoying. “Don’t calculate it in the air” as if you’re gonna crash when you do that. It’s more accurate and takes literally 5 seconds

[@bongo3304]

Yea… however most examiners would fail your for that. The FARs say you shouldn’t kinda too

[@xiqy1959]

I’ve personally always seen dpe’s fail this as technically it violates 91.103

[@trent1022]

Airplane flying handbook 7-16 ‘the pilot should estimate the pivotal altitude during pre flight training”

[@danielreuter2565]

Clueless

[@meeklayboost5704]

@@danielreuter2565 I’m clueless? Bc I don’t have my students calculate pivotal altitude on the ground every lesson? I never had a student fail a commercial checkride or instrument ride when I was instructing but I guess my way of doing things is clueless lol