Unusual attitude recovery
As some of you know, I am just finishing up building my little taildragger airplane. Being that all I have flown are float planes and nose gear aircraft, it was incumbent on me to get a tail wheel endorsement. For the past two days I have been getting instruction in a Citabria Super Decathon, which is a totally aerobatic tail dragger with high performance. All we have done, so far, is take-offs and landings. My instructor, who lives here, races formula one aircraft at the Reno Air Races, is being kind enough to put up with an old man trying to ground loop his baby.
Today he informs me that tommorow we will put the parachutes on and have some "fun". What the hell does "Unusual Attitudes" mean? Does that mean; if I'm giddy, I will then get somber? We will see.[xx(]
Well thank you all for putting up with me and if circumstances permit, I will post photos of a bile covered interior of a Citrabria.[:D]
Today he informs me that tommorow we will put the parachutes on and have some "fun". What the hell does "Unusual Attitudes" mean? Does that mean; if I'm giddy, I will then get somber? We will see.[xx(]
Well thank you all for putting up with me and if circumstances permit, I will post photos of a bile covered interior of a Citrabria.[:D]
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have fun[8D] 0 -
A Citabria will almost hover. Have fun. 0 -
hes gonna push the envelope of the planes operating limits. dont forget to grunt.[:0]
you know...nose up, climb and stall. tilt, slide, fall recover?[8D]0 -
Or whine? 0 -
I logged about 3.5 hours dual in a 135hp. SuperCub. Fun Fun Fun. Enjoy yourself. 0 -
Don't know what you're building but it's likely to want to swap ends on landing more than a Citabria (airbatic spelled backwards)Pitts are probably the worst.
Keeping it STRAIGHT on touchdown is essential with taildraggers especially on blacktop.
Touchdowns are when you begin your dance on the rudder pedals so loosen up on final.
Unlike nosewheel, you're not out of the woods until you stop rolling.
There are also wheel landings in crosswinds to learn.
I'm eating my heart out about not building a Vans RV but after 25 years of it, my wife had enough of light plane ownership and the tinkering that goes with it.0 -
quote:Originally posted by v35
Don't know what you're building but it's likely to want to swap ends on landing more than a Citabria (airbatic spelled backwards)Pitts are probably the worst.
Keeping it STRAIGHT on touchdown is essential with taildraggers especially on blacktop.
Touchdowns are when you begin your dance on the rudder pedals so loosen up on final.
Unlike nosewheel, you're not out of the woods until you stop rolling.
There are also wheel landings in crosswinds to learn.
I'm eating my heart out about not building a Vans RV but after 25 years of it, my wife had enough of light plane ownership and the tinkering that goes with it.
I hear you. The Citabria I'm flying is 200 HP with an adustable pitch prop. As you mentioned, my biggest fear is "swapping ends". RVs are great aircraft, but the build time is cumbersome. I don't know why I am getting envolved with building and flying at my age.[:D] Some of us just don't have good sense.[:)] BTW, the one I'm building is a Ridgerunner III. I am getting it certified as an E-LSA. Thanks for your input.[:)]
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Sounds as if you may need an air sickness bag, also.[xx(] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by SCorvers
Sounds as if you may need an air sickness bag, also.[xx(]
Haven't ever been airsick. I have a few hundred hours in floatplanes in Alaska. As a sidenote, I'm paying this guy $200.00 an hour and if I want to puke in his plane, I will.[:D][:D][:D]0 -
wow! 0 -
Flyin P. Land 3-point. With as little roll energy remaining as you possibly can. As you know, mass tends to want to move forward. Nosewheel acft have COM ahead of the mains. No problem. Tailwheel acft have COM behind mains. Wants to swing around. If you do a wheel landing, you will eventually have to assume the 3-point attitude anyway. No getting around that. Maybe I'm lucky, but I've never groundlooped. One of the reasons for locking T/Ws on T-cat acft. I find it easier to control crosswinds when landing in a multi. taildragger. The old retard downwind engine trick. It's a balancing act, though.
Don't forget the "climb toward-dive away" control surface position when taxiing that light aircraft or yours.
I digress. To your instructor unusual attitude probably means aerobatic maneuvers. My only experience with "unusual attitudes" was when I had to close my eyes, and the instructor inverted the a/c, or did something far removed from the attitude I last was in, and I had to recover, all while under the hood, refering to instruments only. Those were the days. And yes, no shame in getting vertigo. Good luck, and I, for one, envy you having an A/C of your very own. Wish I could afford.... Joe0 -
quote:Originally posted by givette
Flyin P. Land 3-point. With as little roll energy remaining as you possibly can. As you know, mass tends to want to move forward. Nosewheel acft have COM ahead of the mains. No problem. Tailwheel acft have COM behind mains. Wants to swing around. If you do a wheel landing, you will eventually have to assume the 3-point attitude anyway. No getting around that. Maybe I'm lucky, but I've never groundlooped. One of the reasons for locking T/Ws on T-cat acft. I find it easier to control crosswinds when landing in a multi. taildragger. The old retard downwind engine trick. It's a balancing act, though.
Don't forget the "climb toward-dive away" control surface position when taxiing that light aircraft or yours.
I digress. To your instructor unusual attitude probably means aerobatic maneuvers. My only experience with "unusual attitudes" was when I had to close my eyes, and the instructor inverted the a/c, or did something far removed from the attitude I last was in, and I had to recover, all while under the hood, refering to instruments only. Those were the days. And yes, no shame in getting vertigo. Good luck, and I, for one, envy you having an A/C of your very own. Wish I could afford.... Joe
Thanks for the info. We have been doing only 3 point landings. I'm guessing 10 or 15 knots of wind is about the limit for my little plane.[:)]0 -
Tidbit: To certify a design as airworthy, among other things, it must be capable of landing with a 90deg crosswind of up to 0.2 Vso.
(Vso= stall speed in the landing configuration. Vs=stall speed clean for you interested folks.)
So, as you can see, because your acft stalls very slow, 1/5 of that speed is all the wind the acft is required to demonstrate landing in [90deg crosswind] without losing control for the design to get an FAA airworthy certificate. You haven't got much to play with. Keep your eye on the windsock.
Speaking about windsocks...when you get to the airport again, ask around and find out what speed sock it is. (Windsocks are designed to stand straight out at different wind speeds. 5kt, 10kt, 15kt....etc. Good to know what rating the approach windsock has.) Have fun!!! Joe0 -
quote:Originally posted by givette
Tidbit: To certify a design as airworthy, among other things, it must be capable of landing with a 90deg crosswind of up to 0.2 Vso.
(Vso= stall speed in the landing configuration. Vs=stall speed clean for you interested folks.)
So, as you can see, because your acft stalls very slow, 1/5 of that speed is all the wind the acft is required to demonstrate landing in [90deg crosswind] without losing control for the design to get an FAA airworthy certificate. You haven't got much to play with. Keep your eye on the windsock.
Speaking about windsocks...when you get to the airport again, ask around and find out what speed sock it is. (Windsocks are designed to stand straight out at different wind speeds. 5kt, 10kt, 15kt....etc. Good to know what rating the approach windsock has.) Have fun!!! Joe
VSO is about 23 knots (maybe lower due the vortex generators I installed) so it will have to handle a 5 knot crosswind. BTW, I'm not sure if this rule applies to LSA certificated aircraft. If it does, I'm still OK. Yeah, I know about the windsock indicating wind speed. I'm thinking the majority of airport socks stretch out at 15. In Alaska, we looked at the whitecaps on the water (or lack therof) for wind info.0 -
A 5kt crosswind component is pretty easy to find.
Wheel landings are intended to give you more control in those situations. You keep feeding in the stick so when the tail does come down, the plane's at very low speed and a crosswind gust is less likely to pick up the upwind wing.
In '64 when I had an Airknocker 65 Chief (740# empty),I landed three point and was rolling at normal speed, a gust picked up my left wing while the right wing dragged along in the grass. Trying to turn into the wind exascerbated the problem so I hit right brake and purposely groundlooped the plane. It stopped dead with no damage. I was advised to have gone around but it was one of those days when you're glad to be on the ground. Had I another 100HP I might have gone around.
Another memorable occasion also involved a three point attitude and a gust.
I had three point, soft field takeoffs down pat and was demonstrating it to a heavy friend in the Chief. Again,while low and slow, a gust from the left tried to stand me on my right wingtip and drift me right. There were few options to very low altitude,low speed, high angle of attack and low horsepower with a row of high Elms to my right. By good luck we survived that takeoff without soiled seats.0 -
V35:
Light taildraggers take me back to "landing 101". I've forgotten the technique. You are absolutely correct. When I've kicked rudder to transition from the crab to the slip, I used to do it simultaneously with the flair. Upwind wing low, etc. Just doing it sooner, that's all. And with a 20,000lb A/C.
My previous posting about landing technique really doesn't apply to this post. Sorry if I was misleading. Best to all, Joe0 -
Blue up - and cloudless skies, forever!
[:D]0 -
Hey paulie,Just remember if you have to bail....Arch....Reach....Pull....BLUE SKIES Have Fun...Good Luck!! 0 -
Get a good night's sleep and take a pill if you have to.
The unusual attitudes may get to you if you're tired.
I can't imagine a 200hp Citabria w/CS prop. It's the same STC the Aeronca Champ is certified under. It's really an Airknocker with Cessna gear and big engine.
The older ones were underpowered for maneuvers. Aerobatic was a stretch.
Enjoy.
$200/hr dual is out of my league now.
J-3 instruction was $14/hr wet with instructor.
First hr was J-3 on floats.
Flew rt seat in a Beaver on floats in Alaska last summer. Beautiful.0 -
Paulie, How did it go?
It looks like your little bug smasher is about ready to go flying.
Look into whether your tank sealant and fuel system will handle mogas with ethanol.
A local RV7A with an Eggenfeller Suburu power unit didn't, causing the noise to stop. He survived but bent up a lot of hard work.
You may need to run LL100.
If you like, I can send you some email coorespondence to EAA's, Earle Lawrence regarding today's autogas in aircraft. He is the engineer who did the auto fuel study and doesn't have good things to say.0 -
How's this for unusual attitude? Anyone recognize it? 0 -
Tex Johnston rolled a B707 (prototype-late 50's). It was a publicity stunt. Don't know about photo. Shows a community below. Don't think Tex would have done it over a populated area.
I'm drawing a blank on this photo. Joe0 -
This one for 37 000 usd seemes to be a good deal ? 0 -
fugawe....I think its an upside down airplane.....and earth....but I could be wrong.[:D] 0
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