lml@lancaironline.net Mailing List Archive

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> << Lancair Builders' Mail List >> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >> Let me swallow all pride and post this note of my experience for the benefit of all, both experienced and relatively inexperienced Lancair pilots. I have finally gotten some solution to my Terra radio problems (created when their separate Marker Beacon receiver is connected to their COM audio input) and gotten back to testing my LNC2 (320). I have about 20 hours logged. I have never gotten a buffet or a sharp break in the several "clean" stalls I have done. Several days ago I climbed to 9,000 feet and powered down, approaching stall speed fairly slowly. My a/c "wallows" and gets very sloppy near stall. The wallowing causes the ball to go all over the tube. I thought I would coordinate the plane a little and decrease the ball excursion somewhat and fed in a little right rudder (fairly cautiously) when the ball was on the right side ("step on the ball"). The plane "snapped" to the right and I got the upside down view of the earth familiar from spin training back when it was required and from giving instruction in spins as a CFI after they were no longer required. Despite not flying a lot in recent years the incantation "stop the turn" sprang to mind and full left rudder was immediately effective, stopping the spin in about half a turn with around 800 feet altitude loss. I talked with Doug Weeldryer, at Lancair, about the maneuver and he described the lead-in precisely and suggested that the ball, during the wallowing around, may have been lagging the actual skidding and right rudder may have been 180 out of phase, creating the necessary conditions for a spin. Doug also suggested that the slow approach to the stall and weak aileron effect may contribute to the tendency. I have already heard of two other occasions where an inadvertent spin has occurred, both with the aircraft in the clean configuration. In the hope that others can learn from the experience, I would welcome any discussion, critical or otherwise. From the experience, I know that prior training with spins was very helpful. Next time, I will I will play out the scenario ahead of time and be more prepared. (It was a VERY sudden maneuver!) I have also given some thought to the sequence of recovery actions should it happen with no outside visual references. I have never recovered under the hood from "unusual attitudes" that included spins, and think it might be interesting,... in another airplane. Finally, I understand that a secondary stall is possible and has happened in similar recoveries and, although it didn't occur in this case, it was not because I was thinking about it at the time. I have gained a lot more respect for our little gem, and hope that this description may be helpful to others. Bob Chesley LNC2 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> LML website: http://www.olsusa.com/Users/Mkaye/maillist.html LML Builders' Bookstore: http://www.buildersbooks.com/lancair Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>