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Great article! Thanks. You've got the gist of it. The critical point here is that there's no wash in the inboard 40% of the wings, so that entire portion of span quits flying all at once. There's no warning for the pilot, since there's no gradual stall progression from root outward, hence no disturbed airflow to cause elevator buffet, the normal cue pilots expect of an incipient stall. The loss of elevator authority when this occurs is sudden and complete and the airflow around the empannage is so disturbed that that the vertical stabilizer and rudder don't have enough control authority to counteract P-factor, torque, spiral propeller wash, and all the infamous bugaboos that go along with high AOA and high power. With all of the inboard portion of the wings stalled and the tips still flying but very close to stall, it doesn't take much powerplant induced yaw to drive the retreating wingtip firmly into stall, while giving the advancing wingtip an increased-airspeed boost in lift and a momentary reduction in AOA, thus temporary protection from stalling. This is exactly the phenomenon generated by a pilot deliberately entering a snap roll, and occasionally duplicated by a nervous ham-fisted student trying to demonstrate their prowess at power-on stalls to an instructor. I've ridden through a number of such whifferdills, though seldom with my own students; usually when I was phase-checking other instructor's protégés. Yaw awareness was a frequent weakness in flight instruction back in the day. Instructors who had learned in Cherokees and had never been past 60° bank and certainly never upside down in their lives tended to produce students of the same ilk. Flight schools at Piper dealerships usually instructed in Cherokees that were placarded against spins, so to meet the spin requirement for Commercial and CFI, they usually had an old tired Cessna or Beechcraft around that they would approach with trepidation as if it were an XF104 out at Edwards. I taught almost exclusively in Cessnas and Beeches, and make no excuses for being an aeronautical bigot.As I understand it, the aircraft is supported by a smaller and smaller section of the wings. Eventually a point is reached where it doesn't and one wing stalls with no warning sending the plane tumbling out of the turn.
The forktailed doctor killer strikes again.In a Bonanza, the CG moves aft as fuel burns off. So, you CAN be fine to take off but out of CG aft when landing.
Well I am neither a pilot or an aerodynamicist so that's about as good as its ever going to get. I am interested in the aerodynamics "stuff" but as long as I remember the main issue, the design of the FW could cause a sudden stall spin tumble in high g turns that will do for me.Great article! Thanks. You've got the gist of it.
In most single engine general aviation aircraft, you can just add opposite rudder and release the wheel. If you do, you will recover promptly, but since you aren't holding the wheel, you will lose more altitude than absolutely necessary.
Standard stall recovery is:
1) Power to idle
2) Ailerons to neutral
3) Opposite rudder
4) Elevator forward (actually release back pressure). If you aggressively push forward and hold it, you CAN get into an inverted spin. Depends on how much down elevator your plane has.
The forktailed doctor killer strikes again.
I've given BFR rides to doctors, lawyers, and other workaholic professionals in their Bonanzas, Barons, and Comanches, and been appalled sometimes at their rusty flying skills, limited knowledge, and cocky attitudes. In fact, I've gotten in trouble with my bosses for refusing to endorse these yahoos logbooks with a BFR sign off. If I didn't think they were safe, I wouldn't sign.
Cheers,
Wes
Ain't the "mixing box" a bitch? And isn't there some sort of recurring AD on the stabilizer leading edge D tube where it attaches to the fuselage? Our local FBO won't do V-tail annuals any more.You have never hated life until you have to rig the flight controls on a V-Tailed Doctor Killa Bonanza.
Ain't the "mixing box" a bitch? And isn't there some sort of recurring AD on the stabilizer leading edge D tube where it attaches to the fuselage? Our local FBO won't do V-tail annuals any more.
Cheers,
Wes
That works great for a boxy, draggy, machine like a Moth or a Cub, but a clean all-metal monoplane will pick up speed mighty quick once the rotation stops, and if you dawdle you're looking at redline and a high G pull out. And you don't need forward stick to break the stall, as the nose will go down all by itself, and right quick, too.I was always taught to 'wait' after the opposite rudder. It gives you time to relax a bit and not rush the next step and not try to punch yourself out the roof (or test your harness in an open cockpit!)...
It wasn't a big pause, about as long as it takes to say the word. I've been almost ejected from the cockpit during a recovery - not the nicest experience!That works great for a boxy, draggy, machine like a Moth or a Cub, but a clean all-metal monoplane will pick up speed mighty quick once the rotation stops, and if you dawdle you're looking at redline and a high G pull out. And you don't need forward stick to break the stall, as the nose will go down all by itself, and right quick, too.
Cheers,
Wes
When I flew the T-38 (some 49 years ago), it did not have an AOA indicator and we flew emphasizing airspeed control. Of course, those were the days when the T-38 was the "white rocket" and did not have that horrible pseudo-camouflage paint they have now. It was also the time the AF had one syllabus for its pilots and all were expected to fly any aircraft in the AF inventory (sans helicopter) so all pilots trained in the T-38.The T-38 has (or had) the same chevron AOA indicator. Worked well, but was just part of what was focused on in the final turn. Feel, AOA, calculated speed, sight picture, spacing, winds and aircraft weight all played a part.
Great airplane, very fun to fly, extremely unforgiving in the pattern.
Cheers,
Biff
You aren't wrong. I can vouch for the Cessna 150-52/172, Beech Sundowner/Sierra and Skipper, and Piper Traumahawk as meeting that requirement, although in some cases a "hands-off" recovery will result in nudging up against Vne and uncomfortably high G loads. A little back pressure once you've stopped rotating and are accelerating downhill will keep the speed from building quite so fast. The T34, OTOH, requires a little rudder encouragement from the pilot to stop the rotation, but then it's draggy airframe and high Vne eliminate any pullout worries.I was of the understanding that small commercial aircraft were required to recover from a spin without control inputs. It seems I was mistaken.
Wow! Isn't that a bit of a handful for an ab initio student??he was in the first T-38 class that began only in the T-38.
When I flew the T-38 (some 49 years ago), it did not have an AOA indicator and we flew emphasizing airspeed control. Of course, those were the days when the T-38 was the "white rocket" and did not have that horrible pseudo-camouflage paint they have now. It was also the time the AF had one syllabus for its pilots and all were expected to fly any aircraft in the AF inventory (sans helicopter) so all pilots trained in the T-38.
I agree it is a great aircraft and certainly fun to fly. My first impression-things happened really fast. You certainly had to keep airspeed discipline on approach and landing and do not get behind the power curve.
Those airframes that I flew almost 50 ago are the same ones flying now, it probably could have a record for length of time airframes have been active military aircraft.
If I remember correctly, stall in the T-38 was rather gentle with no wing break, typical of jets. The plane was supposed to be difficult to spin. If you did get into a spin, procedures, I think, raise seat handles, squeeze handles.
I was surprised to hear the F-15 could spin but then I remembered from my AMRAAM integration days that the F-15 was not a full fledged fly-by-wire system. Follow on aircraft, F-16 et.al., should not spin since I suspect the flight control system will not let them stall.
We never practiced spins in the C-141 or stalls for that matter.
I'm a bit confused. I was of the understanding that small commercial aircraft were required to recover from a spin without control inputs. It seems I was mistaken.