RV-12 Handling Turbulent Air

Thread is slow today so I?ll provide some fodder? I?ve been flying almost everyday this past week in advance of convective weather forecast for the weekend. I flew yesterday morning before major frontal activity came through Northern Ohio. Of the 100 hours I have flying my 12 yesterday was most severe turbulence. On the outbound leg I snugged the lap belt and shoulder harness so I was literally ?fastened? to the seat. I?m 6?-0? tall and managed to bounce my head off the canopy twice on the return leg while flying 20 MPH below normal cruising speed.

I have searched the forum for ?yaw axis in turbulence? and haven?t found too much info. I?m wondering what characteristic about the RV-12 design makes it hunt so much about the yaw axis when flying in turbulence.

I've been in some fairly rough air and haven't noticed that. But, then again, I'm also 6' tall and haven't bumped my head yet ...

I can't speak to the design factors, but applying light pressure to both rudder pedals simultaneously seems to help a bit in heavy turbulence.
Alex

Speaking from experience with flying model sailplanes, dynamic soaring, where we hold the world speed record for ALL model aircraft (504mph I believe) where we maintain huge circles on ridges in high winds, constantly flying through a boundary layer between the super high winds, and the lee side of the hill in knife edge orientation, which caused a LOT of "waggle" (what we called it), but we found that span loading (adding a bunch of weight to the wingtip leading edge area) solved two issues. First, it got rid of the waggle, and second, if helped with the aerodynamic forces wanting to twist the wing (leading edge up/washout).

Most other panes have wing tanks, which could also be considered a form of span loading.

The fact that our 12's have no wing tanks, and very light wings might contribute to turbulence having more of an affect than other planes with wing tanks, since all the main weight is at the center of the plane.

Here's a couple slow vids in the 300's (the fast vids you literally cannot see the plane it's going so fast) but you can see the plane waggle as it crosses the boundary layer.

Crank up the sound! Dynamic soaring is simply amazing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi0hrjqU15I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaQB16ZaNI4

yaw axis

I find it very easy to have plane wagging it's tail...even if I put both feet on rudder peddles...have been in some very heavy turbulence and can say the very light RV 12 is a feather compared to my Cessna 182... not that I did not expect that...I have had a Super cub and have had same results...it's just that flying along with auto pilot set...and then large turbulence interrupts a very peaceful flight...

I'm looking forward to getting my license and using my autopilot.

I'm 5'10" and have bounced my bald head off the canopy top a few times. I agree that placing your feet on the rudders with the autopilot engaged will pretty much eliminate the yaw oscillations.