Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other other light aircraft.
Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/81495
Safety Wire airplane, which may manifest itself in any phase of fl ight. This can result in damage during takeoff and landing, loss of control in fl ight and/or overstressing the airframe to the point of structural failure. b. Unfortunately, aircraft with poor stall-handling qualities frequently have these control characteristics. This can prove to be a deadly combination when aggressively maneuvering close to the ground. Before purchasing an experimental airplane, consider the effort expended by the manufacturers of TC'd airplanes to ensure good handling characteristics. Experimental airplanes are not required to have the same good handling characteristics. Transferring conventional GA handling techniques to aircraft with light control forces and/or rapid maneuver response can result in inadvertent stalls, loss of control, or structural failure. 4. Recommended training—Training needs to be designed to teach the required control inputs to prevent overcontrolling airplanes with light controls and quick responses. This training cannot be simulated and needs to occur in an airplane with similar characteristics. a. Best training is accomplished in the specifi c airplane with a well-qualifi ed instructor experienced in the specifi c make and model. b. Second-best training is in the same model airplane. c. Third-best training is in an airplane with similar characteristics. Training for Family II Airplanes – Low Inertia and/or High Drag 1. Defi ned as airplanes that rapidly lose energy (airspeed and/or altitude) when there is a loss or reduction of power. 2. A typical accident involves pilots misjudging the amount of power required during the landing fl are, resulting in a hard landing or nose gear collapse. 3. Transition hazards: a. Airplanes with less drag require less thrust for the same performance, which increases their effi ciency. Although high-drag airplanes have all but disappeared in the modern, production- airplane world, they still exist in surprising numbers in the ranks of short takeoff and landing (STOL) vintage and experimental airplanes. b. Most pilots don't take their initial training in these types of airplanes. New pilots thus become accustomed to the drag characteristics of the modern TC'd airplanes in which they learned to fl y. Many "low and slow" airplanes glide at a lot steeper angle than these pilots are accustomed to, which can cause big problems when transitioning to Family II airplanes. c. Pilots reducing power for landing expect a glide path like the TC'd airplanes they are used to fl ying. 34 NO. 1 / SEPTEMBER 2012 Instead they get a much steeper approach than expected and fi nd themselves nearing the ground with a low energy state and high descent rate. When the landing fl are is attempted from this condition, the airplane will quickly decelerate even further while continuing to maintain its excessive descent rate. d. Power is the normal method of compensation for the descent characteristics of low-inertia and high-drag airplanes, thus engine reliability becomes critical. Because these airplanes often use non-TC'd engines (which provide more power with a smaller size and lighter weight), engine reliability may suffer. The consequences of an engine failure in these airplanes can be signifi cant. e. These characteristics surprise a signifi cant number of pilots. Half of the accidents with these type airplanes occur during landing, versus a 30 percent overall landing accident rate for homebuilt aircraft in general. (Half of the pilots in these accidents had less than 12 hours in this type airplane versus 60 hours in airplane type for homebuilt aircraft accidents in general.) f. Other hazards (besides power management issues)