Experimenter

September 2012

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

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Let's get down to business with a review of each of the FAA's airplane families with comparable type-certifi cated (TC'd) examples. We will then address the specifi cs related to transitioning into each family type. This month, we'll concentrate on the fi rst two families. Over the next two months, we'll cover the remaining families of aircraft. By way of review, AC 90-109 lists airplane families as follows: I. Light control forces and/or rapid airplane response: a. Experimental examples: RV-8, Pitts S-2SE, Christen Eagle. b. Type-certifi cated examples: Grumman AA-1, Globe Swift, Extra 300. II. Low inertia and/or high drag: a. Experimental examples: RANS S-12, Fly Baby. b. Type-certifi cated examples: Piper J-3 Cub, Aeronca 7AC Champ. III. High inertia and/or low drag: a. Experimental examples: Glasair, Lancair. b. Type-certifi cated examples: Cirrus SR-22, Cessna Columbia, Piper Comanche, Mooney M20. IV. Nontraditional confi guration and/or controls: a. Experimental examples: Long EZ, Air Cam, Breezy. b. Type-certifi cated example: Lake Amphibian. V. Nontraditional and/or Unfamiliar Airplane Systems Operations: a. Experimental examples: Wankel- or Rotax-powered aircraft (e.g. Kitfox). b. Type-certifi cated examples: Flight Design CTSW (Rotax-powered), Soloy CE206 (turboprop conversion). RANS S-12 VI. Nontraditional and/or Unfamiliar System Component Maintenance Requirements: a. Experimental examples: Folding or removable wing airplanes (i.e. airplanes or gliders that can be trailered). b. Type-certifi cated example: AeroCar, roadable airplanes. VII. Specialty Airplane – "One-Off" Airplanes: a. Experimental examples: Gee Bee R1 Replica, Hughes' H1 Replica (crashed), BD-1 Jet, Aerostar 601P Turbine Conversion. b. Type-certifi cated examples: No TC'd aircraft exist in this category; however, some aircraft may be available that have similar characteristics or systems. Transition Training for Family I Airplanes – Light Control Forces and/or Rapid Airplane Response 1. Defi ned as airplanes with light control forces, coupled with strong control authority, for rapid maneuvering about one or more axes. This group also includes airplanes that have substantial disharmony between two or more axes. 2. Typical accidents involve pilots not maintaining adequate aircraft control during initial climb after takeoff and ending with an inadvertent stall/spin scenario. 3. Transition hazards: a. Many experimental airplanes look like type- certifi cated (TC'd) airplanes but actually have light control forces and/or a very quick maneuvering response. Lightweight and lightly wing-loaded airplanes can have the same quick, light maneuvering response as aerobatic airplanes. The hazard with this family is that without some level of training, the pilot may overcontrol the EAA EXPERIMENTER 33

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