What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

base to final in an RV14A

For example, let's say that your aircraft stalls with the stick exactly 2 inches forward of full aft stick. No matter what your airspeed or angle of bank is, your airplane will ALWAYS stall when the stick is pulled back to 2 inched forward of full aft stick.
:

Pete, I agree with everything you wrote except the above line. It isn’t that simple. Counter examples: RV10, C182, PA28. If you have 2 people in the front seats, none of these planes will really stall in the landing configuration, even with the stick/yoke full aft. But move that passenger to the back seat, they can be stalled. Another: Start in level flight, trimmed for 80 kias. Power to idle, maintain altitude until it stalls. Note stick position. Repeat, but start trimmed at 70 kias. Stick position at stall will be different (because trim tab position is different).
 
Oh, Boy! Discussing AoA vs Stick Position with a retired Physicist...... This could get interesting!! :D

In the bit that you quoted above, I should have added some conditions: such as same gross weight, same CG position, same aircraft. I could add same density altitude, same temp, etc.

What I'm trying to say, is that if you go up in your plane on any given day, and first do a "standard" one-G wings level stall, and note the stick fore and aft position at the stall. Then do another stall at 4-G or 5-G, maybe in a steep turn, the fore and aft stick position will be the same, as long as you measure with a measuring tape and not a micrometer. You also have to pull on the stick steadily and smoothly, and Not "Snatch" the stick back.

Most certainly if you change the gross weight, or the flap configuration, or the CG position, the results must vary.

[Addendum: The venerable Ercoupe, and later the Aircoupe, were advertised as planes that wouldn't stall. The designers achieved this by physically limiting the aft stick (and hence the up elevator) available by installing a "stop". If you can't achieve stall AoA, you can't stall...... in any attitude.]

I urge everyone to go up and experiment. Just not close to the ground!:eek:
 
Last edited:
Anchoring in a physics fight with a physicist, gutsy move, Pete ;). Bob has always kept me honest too…Conceptually, I’m right with you on stick position (plus or minus about a stick grip diameter). I had some gas and airspace time left over after a test hop this morning, so here are a few stream of consciousness demonstrations, including some stick position discussion: https://youtu.be/JxBLS8JL6Mo. I regret we don’t currently have an easy method to integrate the AOA display (“indexer”) video, but we’re working on that. Hopefully, the standby airspeed indicator is clear enough you can see the stall speed varying with G. This video may also help visualize what the AOA tone is telling you near the stall: https://youtu.be/j2H-ssR83_g.

Never let it be said the Air Force failed to provide mutual support :)

Also, great call on experimenting at altitude. I failed to properly emphasize that! No excuse.

Best,

Vac
 
Last edited:
Back
Top