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
exist with these airplanes. While all airplanes experience an increase in stall speed with an increase in load factor (i.e. in turns), these airplanes also experience a signifi cant airspeed decrease with an increase in load factor. This trait, coupled with a low cruise speed to stall speed margin, makes these airplanes particularly susceptible to unintentional stalls. 4. Recommended training for this family includes both ground training and fl ight training. a. Ground training for airplanes with non-TC'd engines must include any available training on how to operate that specifi c engine. For example, to minimize the chances of power interruption, operators of two- stroke engines should receive training on avoiding cold seizures and how to manage the engine to maximize reliability. Pilots operating airplanes with propeller-speed reduction units must understand the power modes and rpm ranges to avoid. b. Flight training recommendations are as follows: (i) Best training is accomplished in the specifi c airplane with a well-qualifi ed instructor experienced in the specifi c make and model. (ii) Second-best training is in the same model airplane. (iii) Third-best training is in an airplane with similar characteristics. (iv) Simulating the drag characteristics of these airplanes is possible using TC'd airplanes such as the Cessna C-150 and maneuvering with 40 degrees of fl aps (within placarded limitations, of course). Deceleration upon power loss will be similar, and the steeper descent rates will help prepare the pilots for operating their own airplane. By fl ying a TC'd airplane in the high-drag confi guration, the pilots will experience how quickly speed can decay and how much lower the nose needs to be maintained during approach to keep an adequate approach speed. (v) Power landings are recommended while using a power-on, controlled approach profi le with the power maintained throughout the round-out transition to touchdown. This use of power during landings will approximate the glide angle that the typical pilot is used to fl ying. Delay training in power-off approaches and landings until the pilot has suffi cient experience with the airplane. 5. Transitioning to lower performance airplanes from high-performance airplanes still presents many challenges. Prudent pilots respect the challenges of fl ying any new type of airplane, regardless whether or not it is a transition from a low-performance airplane to a high-performance airplane or vice versa. 6. Transitioning from a multicrew airplane to a single-pilot airplane also creates its own challenges. Some examples of the challenges associated with transitioning to low-performance airplanes are as follows: a. The effects of weather are more pronounced in low-performance airplanes. b. Low-performance airplanes are affected more (as a percentage) by headwinds than typical TC'd airplanes. c. Turbulence will be more pronounced than in typical TC'd airplanes. d. The ability to handle crosswind landings will be reduced from that which is available in typical TC'd airplanes. e. Avionics will probably be less capable than pilots are used to in typical TC'd airplanes. f. Handling characteristics will be different from typical TC'd airplanes. The thought for this month is: "An optimist is a guy who has never had much experience, " Don Marquis, American philosopher. So, until next month, be sure to Think Right to FliRite! Hobart C. "Hobie" Tomlinson is the Director of Safety for Heritage Aviation, Inc., in South Burlington, Vermont. He is also a Flight Advisor for EAA Chapter 613. He received the 2012 Spirit of Flight award from the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. He was also named the 2012 National CFI of the year by FAA. EAA EXPERIMENTER 35