Spins

It was time to spin the new airplane. Having a lot of experience spinning my other aircraft. I must say, the RV6 requires a dedicated effort to spin. After some slow flight and a few power off stalls to get warmed up it was time.
First, I just went neutral on the controls and stalled. Nothing. I did a few, always broke straight, no wing drop, nothing. Next, try a little cross control, some buffeting, a little wing drop, but no spin. Next, a little more cross control, lots of stick, and hey, it spun.
I did not let the spin develop for more than a turn and any release of control pressure stopped the spin immediatley.

Given this experience, I find it hard to believe that an accidental spin would even be possible, but I know it does happen in these machines.

I was full fuel, no passenger or baggage, so CG was forward I am sure, which is where I wanted it for this test.

These are amazingly stable machines.

I've found about the same, but it does depend on CG. My 6 will certainly spin, but you have to tell it to (or accidentally tell it to). After you practice a few, it's pretty easy to recover on any heading you want. It spins steep with a slow-to-medium yaw rate. Good fun!

Just curious, man...since it was an accidental spin, why did it take 2+ turns for you to start the recovery? Had you done much spin recovery in other planes before this event?

JonJay said:

I must say, the RV6 requires a dedicated effort to spin.

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Yes, this pretty much describes my RV-3. Can't see myself accidentally spinning unless my foot accidentally goes to floor and my hand accidentally pulls the stick into my lap....then I must accidentally freeze in that position

Anything less in mine is just a spiral dive. I don't even need to unstall the airplane to stop the spin. From fully develped, rudder alone will stop it in just over 1/4 turn. YMMV. Curious to hear how other models spin. The only RV I've spun is the -3. BTW, it would NEVER go flat...adding power stops it. Fun to accelerate a normal spin with forward stick....it really wraps up...and still stops within 1/4 turn with decisive inputs. I love these planes.

dan said:

Just curious, man...since it was an accidental spin, why did it take 2+ turns for you to start the recovery? Had you done much spin recovery in other planes before this event?

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I was testing 30 deg bank turn stalls, both left and right, at gross weight. The setup procedure i was following (followed it for 10 deg and 20 deg bank turn stalls in the pervious days);

1. setup the bank
2. setup speed at 70 kts
3. verify the check list
a. fuel value
b. fuel pump
c. EFIS vs analog displays
d. alt record
e. check breakers
f. carb heat on
4. reduce power
5. add back pressure until stall
6. record speed at stall
7. recover
8. record ending alt

- repeat for left and right
- repeat to verify results

I was head down on 3 e, when the plane when around ... since i wasn't ready it took me 2 turns before i could think clearly enought to input the stop control. The shock of the plane spinning very flat, unlike any other aircraft i had spun before and completly different from the 10 and 20 deg stalls, that were very nose down. I do think it was caused by having the most aft CG allowed ... but everyone should be careful ... sometimes your mind doesn't react like you think it would, when it sees something different from the expected.

I agree

groucho said:

I've found about the same, but it does depend on CG. My 6 will certainly spin, but you have to tell it to (or accidentally tell it to). After you practice a few, it's pretty easy to recover on any heading you want. It spins steep with a slow-to-medium yaw rate. Good fun!

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I have a more nose heavy airplane than most and its a very gentle spinner, even fully developed it has a slow rate of turn.

What I was pleasantly surprised at was how well the thing snap rolled...still a slow rotation but it makes it an enjoyable manouver rather than nausiating thing it usually is.

Frank

n468ac said:

.....sometimes your mind doesn't react like you think it would, when it sees something different from the expected.

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It's called "pucker factor".

Wow! A real eye opener Allen. Thanks for sharing. I bet you were a little fast in the pattern when landing, huh?

Thanks for sharing.

Don't

n468ac said:

I was head down on 3 e, when the plane when around ... .

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Tsk, Tsk,tsk......don't do that please........head down at stall entry? We have ag pilots clobber tree limbs because they were "head down" entering a field. Same goes for short final and flaring........always heads up.

My .02c,

sandifer said:

Yes, this pretty much describes my RV-3. Can't see myself accidentally spinning unless my foot accidentally goes to floor and my hand accidentally pulls the stick into my lap....then I must accidentally freeze in that position

Anything less in mine is just a spiral dive. I don't even need to unstall the airplane to stop the spin. From fully develped, rudder alone will stop it in just over 1/4 turn. YMMV. Curious to hear how other models spin. The only RV I've spun is the -3. BTW, it would NEVER go flat...adding power stops it. Fun to accelerate a normal spin with forward stick....it really wraps up...and still stops within 1/4 turn with decisive inputs. I love these planes.

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1/4 turn ? are you sure?
Tom
RV3 2000+ hrs

tin man said:

1/4 turn ? are you sure?
Tom
RV3 2000+ hrs

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Yes, very sure. My empty CG is 58.3" on an allowable range of 59.72" to 64.58". This combined with full fuel in the header tank may result in a more foward CG than you are flying with....don't know. I imagine CG differences would affect spin characteristics. It is rather reluctant to spin at all, and using the runway as a reference, can initiate recovery 1/4 turn away from the runway heading and have it stopped pretty much on heading regardless of the type of spin I'm doing. BTW, this applies to 2 turns or less. Been a while since I've done more than that and don't remember specifics on the recovery. Curious how yours responds?

More like 1/2 to 3/4 turn in my plain jane stock RV3. Its very predictable but no way 1/4 turn.
Tom

sandifer said:

Yes, this pretty much describes my RV-3. Can't see myself accidentally spinning unless my foot accidentally goes to floor and my hand accidentally pulls the stick into my lap....then I must accidentally freeze in that position

Anything less in mine is just a spiral dive. I don't even need to unstall the airplane to stop the spin. From fully develped, rudder alone will stop it in just over 1/4 turn. YMMV. Curious to hear how other models spin. The only RV I've spun is the -3. BTW, it would NEVER go flat...adding power stops it. Fun to accelerate a normal spin with forward stick....it really wraps up...and still stops within 1/4 turn with decisive inputs. I love these planes.

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Curious about the statement; "it would never go flat...adding power stops it"

In all the Pitts S2b and DR-107 (One Design) spin time I've got, power brings the nose up and flattens out the spin, not stops it? Several times while learning hammerheads the aircraft ended up on its back and spinning flat, and the first thing I was always taught to do was to get the throttle closed asap.

Guenthfa said:

Curious about the statement; "it would never go flat...adding power stops it"

In all the Pitts S2b and DR-107 (One Design) spin time I've got, power brings the nose up and flattens out the spin, not stops it? Several times while learning hammerheads the aircraft ended up on its back and spinning flat, and the first thing I was always taught to do was to get the throttle closed asap.

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What you describe is absolutely right, I'm not advocating using power to stop spins, as this is most incorrect. I've had spin training of all different types in the S2C, trying the same flat spin procedure in my -3. It kept spinning with out-spin aileron, but flew out of it as soon as I added power. Mine may not be characteristic of all RV's...each one flies differently. I do admit that my airplane is the most unwilling to spin and the most willing to stop (on its own) of any plane I've flown.

JonJay said:

It's called "pucker factor".

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you go that right!