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In an earlier post an SFS employee was quoted as saying, gross weight had
little or no noticable effect on stalling speed.  This statement prompted
several comments.

We have spent a great deal of time dispelling the common misconception that
aircraft stall at only one speed.  We've given forums, wrote articles and
have promoted AOAs and many other types of stall warning devices on
experimental aircraft.  We've discussed how bank angle, gross weight, CG,
"G" loading, turbulance, and other factors affect the stalling speed and
how the critical angle generally remains the same for any given
configuration.  We do this becasue the stall/spin is the most common single
cause for fatalities in both experimental and Part 23 aircraft.  

An awareness or reminder of the facts helps many of us fly safer.  The
Marine and Navy guys like Skip and John are the ones who perfected AOA
flying and we are all the safer for it.  

We must be vigilant and not allow the "little or no effect" comments to add
to the misconceptions about stalling speeds.  The physics will not allow it
either.  The facts are that stalling speed varies by the square root of the
GW along with other factors.  Aircraft, like the Lancair, that have gross
weight changes of about 40% will have stalling speeds that vary by about
17% due to fuel, passenger, and cargo weight changes alone!  The point is
that Vs does not change by only two or three knots nor are the Vs changes
minor.  Gross weight is a major factor in stalling speeds.  But GW is not
the only factor.

Jim Frantz
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Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com.
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