X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:29:54 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from imo-m23.mx.aol.com ([64.12.137.4] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.2.7) with ESMTP id 3122845 for lml@lancaironline.net; Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:53:56 -0400 Received: from Sky2high@aol.com by imo-m23.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v38_r10.8.) id q.d06.3dbdbd5e (41811) for ; Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:53:45 -0400 (EDT) From: Sky2high@aol.com X-Original-Message-ID: X-Original-Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:53:45 EDT Subject: Lancair Accidents - Another Perspective X-Original-To: lml@lancaironline.net MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="-----------------------------1221065625" X-Mailer: Unknown sub 34 X-Spam-Flag:NO -------------------------------1221065625 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Language: en =20 This is the first in a series about how custom-built, single-engine=20 aircraft's unique characteristics might contribute to the accidents that oc= cur in=20 them. Of course, I can only refer to the characteristics of my own custom= =20 pre-fast-build Lancair 320 and how it differs from spam can flight performa= nce=20 concepts taught in flight schools across the country. I am beginning to=20 understand the importance of accumulating many hours of experience (success= ful time=20 in type) and the value of investigating simple flight performance =20 attributes (experimentation), especially when some of that results in "aha!= "=20 illuminations from uh, minor error$. Learn about your craft before you use=20= it =E2=80=93 if=20 you can=E2=80=99t do that, at least learn about it while you=E2=80=99re usin= g it.=20 Let me point out that I am just your average guy. No military or commercia= l=20 flight time is in my resume - 2300 hours with 930 in my Lancair. 201 hour= s=20 of instruction (1060 total time) got me Pvt SEL, Commercial MEL/CLT and INS= T=20 Airplane ratings by the time I first flew my Lancair in 1996. Since then I= =20 have added merely 13 hours of dual, including two trips to HPAT. I first=20 flew my plane after a demo flight with Don Goetz, 2 hours in the right seat= of a=20 friend=E2=80=99s Lancair and 1 hour (1 landing) in the left seat of mine. =20= I do not=20 recommend this scenario to others - training from a CFI with Lancair=20 experience is crucial. I now think of my self as a Group A pilot (cautious=20= good=20 judgment) but otherwise as a Group B person - I ride a motorcycle and use m= y hand=20 to put stuff down the garbage disposal. Hmmmm, risk is relative to the =20 engaged activity.............=20 Anyway, while recently at lunch with a group of airport bums, the topic of=20 stall/spin was being actively discussed. Eventually the conversation moved= to=20 flight controls, a part of which was expounded upon by an elderly, highly=20 respected CFII, past aerobatic and air show pilot with beaucoup hours in al= l=20 types of airplanes. He said something like, "In the kinds of airplanes we=20= fly=20 (spam cans), I teach students to lead with the rudder and then bank into th= e=20 turn to keep the ball centered. After all, the rudder is used for=20 turning......." =20 After lunch I told him my experience was different and he said that was=20 probably because of the differential movement of the ailerons (more up than= down=20 to reduce yaw from the drag of higher lift). Well, yeah... but don't most=20 airplanes incorporate that old principle in their design? Later, I went=20 flying:=20 * Trimmed in level flight at a low cruise speed, strongly depressing=20 the left rudder pedal resulted in a ball out skid with a slight declination= of=20 the nose (probably because of the added drag). Trying this to the right i= s=20 similar with a slightly different feel. No turn or bank was induced. * A 40 degree banked aileron-only (no rudder involvement) turn to the= =20 left resulted in a short quarter ball displacement during the on set of th= e=20 bank and an immediate return to the center throughout the turn. Back stick=20 pressure was held to keep the turn level. The same action to the right=20 resulted in the same result with slightly less back pressure. * If I added any rudder at the start or during the turn, the ball was= =20 out of the cage. =20 I hope that transitioning pilots don=E2=80=99t have the rudder push so deep= ly=20 ingrained from training that it is automatic. Of course, this is quite a=20= bit=20 different in the Challenger ultra-light I built, where the rudder was king =20= and=20 was used to start a turn or lift a wing as the differentially moved flapero= ns=20 were relatively ineffective. BTW, for a few years I flew both the Lancair=20= and=20 a Skymaster. The Lancair improved my skills in flying the Skymaster - the=20 reverse was not true.=20 The CFII further said that, =E2=80=9CAll spins are pilot induced.=E2=80=9D=20= I suppose so,=20 as the AOA increased it is likely that right rudder is used to offset =20 P-factor. If these two forces are not balanced at the stall the plane probab= ly falls=20 off to one side or the other. Perhaps one of our aerobatic 300 series=20 brethren could comment further (Mark?) as I don=E2=80=99t do stalls or spin= s. Having no=20 experience entering a Lancair spin, upon entering one I would simultaneousl= y=20 pull the power and momentarily cover my eyes =E2=80=93 this would seem to b= e correct as=20 both hands would be off the controls for a bit. I guess I should still awai= t=20 comment from those more experienced (that=E2=80=99s easy, isn=E2=80=99t it?= ). The real=20 issue with slick Lancairs is how quick they are at leaving a safe flight re= gime=20 and then how quick they are at furthering the depth of any abnormal flight=20 regime.=20 Back to something I know about =E2=80=93 the value of a good AOA indicator.= =20 Recently I was leaving a friend=E2=80=99s airport where his hangar is off to= the side of the=20 departure end of the runway I was using. Employing Group B behavior, right=20 rudder pre trimmed for climb, liftoff, up went the wheels and flaps and a=20 takeoff-power climbing right turn towards the hangars was begun. A glance=20= at the=20 AOA had me creeping up along the yellow chevrons and I eased off the turn=20 and climb before hearing =E2=80=9CAngle, Angle, Push.=E2=80=9D Group A b= ehavior was=20 reinstated.=20 If you have made it this far through these ramblings, note that there will=20 be more in the future. Such as:=20 * Is flight control lost in the order of ailerons, elevator and=20 rudder? Is the rudder the first control to return? Is this true in a Lan= cair? * Does the popular lift over drag chart (parasitic and induced drag v= s=20 speed) correctly represent Lancairs? Does this have decision making=20 implications in emergencies?=20 * How strong is the nose bob effect when cross controlled at slow=20 speeds? Should crossed controls be used at slow speeds? * Is a steep approach better than a shallow one? Does this yield mor= e=20 options and resistance to the vagaries of unpredictable turbulent air? * Is a steep curved approach better than a squared pattern (like the=20 end of a military low approach but not screwing up everybody else trying to= =20 land)? If so, are more approach options available rather than those availa= ble=20 when over tightening a squared turn? * Is a higher speed, partial flap landing configuration more often=20 result in a successful (pleasant) landing than a slower, full flap setup? =20= Does =E2=80=9C fly it on=E2=80=9D mean that one should avoid =E2=80=9Cfull stall=E2=80=9D=20= landings as taught in=20 flight school? Does float result because my wings are closer to the runway= =20 than other's wings? And other obscure performance puzzles.=20 Grayhawk=20 Only 70 hours more to safety.=20 **************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog,=20 plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com. =20 (http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=3Daolsty00050000000014) -------------------------------1221065625 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Language: en

This=20 is the first in a series about how custom-built, single-engine aircraft's un= ique=20 characteristics might contribute to the accidents that occur in them.&n= bsp;=20 Of course, I can only refer to the characteristics of my own=20 custom pre-fast-build Lancair 320 and how it differs from spam=20 can flight performance concepts taught in flight schools across the=20 country.  I am beginning to understand the importance of accumulat= ing=20 many hours of experience (successful time in type) and the value of=20 investigating simple flight performance=20 attributes (experimentation), especially when some of that results= in=20 "aha!" illuminations from uh, minor error$.  Learn about your craft before you=20= use it=20 =E2=80=93 if you can=E2=80=99t do that, at least learn about it while you= =E2=80=99re using=20 it.

 

Let me=20 point out that I am just your average guy.  No military or commercial=20 flight time is in my resume - 2300 hours with 930 in my Lancair. =20= 201=20 hours of instruction (1060 total time) got me Pvt SEL, Commercial MEL/C= LT=20 and INST Airplane ratings by the time I first flew my Lancair in 1996. = =20 Since then I have added merely 13 hours of dual, including two trips to=20 HPAT.  I first flew my plane after a demo flight with Don Goetz, 2 hour= s in=20 the right seat of a friend=E2=80=99s Lancair and 1 hour (1 landing) in the l= eft seat of=20 mine.  I do not recommend this scenario to others - training from a CFI= =20 with Lancair experience is crucial. I now think of my self as= a=20 Group A pilot (cautious good judgment) but otherwise as a Group B perso= n -=20 I ride a motorcycle and use my hand to put stuff down the garbage=20 disposal.  Hmmmm, risk is relative to the=20 engaged activity.............

 

Anyway, while recently at lunch with a group of airpo= rt=20 bums, the topic of stall/spin was being actively discussed.  Eventually= the=20 conversation moved to flight controls, a part of which was expounded upon by= an=20 elderly, highly respected CFII, past aerobatic and air show pilot with=20 beaucoup hours in all types of airplanes.  He said something like, "In=20= the=20 kinds of airplanes we fly (spam cans), I teach students to lead with the rud= der=20 and then bank into the turn to keep the ball centered.  After all,=20 the rudder is used for turning......."  =20

 

After=20 lunch I told him my experience was different and he said that was probably=20 because of the differential movement of the ailerons (more up than down to=20 reduce yaw from the drag of higher lift).&= nbsp;=20 Well, yeah... but don't most airplanes incorporate that old=20 principle in their design?  La= ter, I=20 went flying:

 

  • Trimmed=20 in level flight at a low cruise speed, strongly depressing the left rudder= =20 pedal resulted in a ball out skid with a slight declination of the nose=20 (probably because of the added drag).&nb= sp;=20 Trying this to the right is similar with a slightly different=20 feel.  No turn or bank was=20 induced.

 

  • A=20 40 degree banked aileron-only (no rudder involvement) turn to the left=20 resulted in a short quarter ball displacement during the on set of=20 the bank and an immediate return to the center throughout the turn.  Back stick pressure was held to=20= keep=20 the turn level.  The same ac= tion=20 to the right resulted in the same result with slightly less back=20 pressure.

 

  • If=20 I added any rudder at the start or during the turn, the ball was out of th= e=20 cage. 

 

I hope that transitioning= pilots=20 don=E2=80=99t have the rudder push so deeply ingrained from training that it= is=20 automatic.  Of course, this is= quite=20 a bit different in the Challenger ultra-light I built, where the rudder was=20= king=20 and was used to start a turn or lift a wing as the differentially moved=20 flaperons were relatively ineffective.  BTW, for a few years I flew bot= h=20 the Lancair and a Skymaster.  The Lancair improved my skills in fl= ying=20 the Skymaster - the reverse was not true.

  

The CFII further said tha= t, =E2=80=9CAll=20 spins are pilot induced.=E2=80=9D  I suppose=20 so, as the AOA increased it is likely that right rudder is used to offs= et=20 P-factor. If these two forces are not balanced at the stall the plane probab= ly=20 falls off to one side or the other. =20 Perhaps one of our aerobatic 300 series brethren could comment furthe= r=20 (Mark?) as I don=E2=80=99t do stalls or spins. =20 Having no experience entering a Lancair spin, upon entering one I wou= ld=20 simultaneously pull the power and momentarily cover my eyes =E2=80=93 this w= ould seem to=20 be correct as both hands would be off the controls for a bit.  I guess I should still await comme= nt=20 from those more experienced (that=E2=80=99s easy, isn=E2=80=99t it?).  The real issue with slick Lancairs=20= is how=20 quick they are at leaving a safe flight regime and then how quick they are a= t=20 furthering the depth of any abnormal flight regime.

 

Back to something I know=20= about =E2=80=93=20 the value of a good AOA indicator. =20 Recently I was leaving a friend=E2=80=99s airport where his hangar is= off to the=20 side of the departure end of the runway I was using.  Employing Group B behavior, right=20= rudder=20 pre trimmed for climb, liftoff, up went the wheels and flaps and a takeoff-p= ower=20 climbing right turn towards the hangars was begun.  A glance at the AOA had me creepin= g up=20 along the yellow chevrons and I eased off the turn and climb before hearing=20 =E2=80=9CAngle, Angle, Push.=E2=80=9D = ;  Group A=20 behavior was reinstated.

 

If you have made it this=20= far=20 through these ramblings, note that there will be more in the future. Such=20 as:

 

  • Is=20 flight control lost in the order of ailerons, elevator and rudder?  Is the rudder the first control=20= to=20 return?  Is this true in a=20 Lancair?

 

  • Does=20 the popular lift over drag chart (parasitic and induced drag vs speed)=20 correctly represent Lancairs? =20 Does this have decision making implications in emergencies?

    •  

    • How=20 strong is the nose bob effect when cross controlled at slow speeds? Should= =20 crossed controls be used at slow speeds?

     

    • Is=20 a steep approach better than a shallow one?  Does this yield more options and= =20 resistance to the vagaries of unpredictable turbulent air?

     

    • Is=20 a steep curved approach better than a squared pattern (like the end of a=20 military low approach but not screwing up everybody else trying to land)?<= SPAN=20 style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">  If so, are more approach options= =20 available rather than those available when over tightening a squ= ared=20 turn?

     

    • Is=20 a higher speed, partial flap landing configuration more often result in a=20 successful (pleasant) landing than a slower, full flap setup?  Does =E2=80=9Cfly it on=E2=80=9D=20= mean that one should=20 avoid =E2=80=9Cfull stall=E2=80=9D landings as taught in flight school?  Does float result because my win= gs are=20 closer to the runway than other's wings?

     

    And other obscure perform= ance=20 puzzles.

     

    Grayhawk

     

    Only 70 hours more to saf= ety.

     




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