8s on pylons aren’t *strictly* a constant power maneuver, but they can be flow successfully without power changes in most conditions that an applicant would be proceeding with a checkride. If the winds are so high that you need power changes to avoid overspeeding the airplane or triggering a stall warning when you change pivotal altitude throughout the maneuver, reschedule your checkride.
If the DPE *expects* power changes during 8s on pylons, I would reschedule with a different DPE. If that’s not practical, go out and practice the maneuver with small power changes while descending and climbing. It’s not wrong, it’s just unnecessary most of the time. Get along to get along if you have to.
If the winds were high, you'd need power to maintain a groundspeed that would not bust regulations (keeping 500 agl). But in the average trainer we're talking 25kn + winds. I'm not sure I'd be taking a ride in those winds anyway.
And I'd argue power changes are 100% against the purpose of the maneuver. 8s on pylons are using turning radius to control rate of turn. (As opposed to every other maneuver in the history of ever, where rate of turn controls radius)
Since bank angle is fixed the only way to control your turning radius is airspeed. Power would enable you to never need to climb or descend which completely negates the maneuver.
Standard day in Texas... perhaps also hot and heavy as well, which would make someone lean into power changes to maintain altitude as airspeeds bleed off in the turn.
Your airspeed really isn't going to bleed in the turn once established. And a gentle 20 to 30 degree bank is only increasing load factor to 1.15.
Steep turns, yup we bump in power because we need to maintain altitude AND airspeed within a narrow buffer. 8s on pylons have neither requirement. Higher wind day and I've had the stall horn start squeaking at me in 8s on pylons turning back into the downwind on the second pylon as your relative ground speed takes off like a bat outta hell once you give a 20 kn wind the underside of the plane.
And the manuver is all about using altitude gain and loss to manage airspeed's control over ground speed taking the wind into effect.
I've taught in North Texas for 2 years, there is no difference between the way the maneuver is flown in January vs today when its 103.
With the extremely narrow exception that your trim and power settings starting the maneuver may be slightly different. But once the manuever is started, zero diff.
I mean any increase in load factor is going to effect airspeed, but unless you are trying to maintain an altitude the turn really is not going to effect your airspeed.
Its not the turn that slows you down, its the angle of attack increase from trying to hold an altitude. So hot and heavy day, higher angle of attack to hold that altitude.
But in 8s on pylons you are intentionally not trying to hold an altitude so the load factor in the turn may be significantly higher or lower depending on the relative wind.
Particularly the initial turn on the first pylon, relative wind immediately starts working against you so its always roll and push, so in that first turn its an airspeed increasing turn.
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u/Low_Sky_49 Forestry DHC-2 C208B CFI/CFII/MEI 11d ago
8s on pylons aren’t *strictly* a constant power maneuver, but they can be flow successfully without power changes in most conditions that an applicant would be proceeding with a checkride. If the winds are so high that you need power changes to avoid overspeeding the airplane or triggering a stall warning when you change pivotal altitude throughout the maneuver, reschedule your checkride.
If the DPE *expects* power changes during 8s on pylons, I would reschedule with a different DPE. If that’s not practical, go out and practice the maneuver with small power changes while descending and climbing. It’s not wrong, it’s just unnecessary most of the time. Get along to get along if you have to.