Message-ID: <391826A8.E1B87044@nii.net>
Date: Tue, 09 May 2000 10:54:36 -0400
From: "Angier M. Ames" <alphadog@nii.net>
Reply-To: alphadog@nii.net
Organization: Alpha Delta Research
To: Lancair <lancair.list@olsusa.com>,
        "Lance A. Neibauer" <lancen@lancair.com>
Subject: Spins revisited...
Mime-Version: 1.0

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Here is a quotation from Dave Morss, as it appears in the Lancair
brochure "Designed To Motivate" copyright 1992 which featured the red
320 N320L on the cover.

"The aileron neutral spin is very predictable. The aircraft rotates
about one half turn and the nose drops to about sixty degrees below the
horizon. At this point the rotation slows, a slight "G" increase is felt
and the airplane accelerates into an eighty degree nose down stable
spin. The aileron neutral recovery is also very predictable. By
relieving the back pressure, a recovery was always quickly achieved,
typically within one quarter of a turn"

                    Dave Morss, test pilot, Myriad Research, Inc.

OK, now contrast this quote with the one below...


""Subject:Lancair 360 MkI Aerobatics & Spins
       Date:1999/05/06
       Author: dave morss <mylastname@pacbell.net>

I was one of the people that answered his post , he didn't understand my
reply.  I said that in over 78 spins from one to three turns 90 % of
them recovered normally but with any fuel in the wings the spin
characteristics are unpredictable and using the same technique the
results varied wildly and so spins are not recommended. and with wing
fuel really not a good idea. also a level entry was one of the most
predictable entry's but when snapping into a spin it got real
interesting. Please if you read his post don't think you can spin your
lancair and have it work out ok. this wing is sensitive to dirt and bug
strikes wing fuel and cg location are all important.. I did the initial
spin testing on the lancair and i had a chute and modified the canopy so
i could get out. I started at 10000 ft and did spins for two days. When
i started using my own lancair for air shows I again rigged the canopy
to jettison and just using header fuel did several spin entries from the
places in my routine where i could get in trouble. I never let these
spins develop but just wanted to see what to do in my plane if i got in
a spin  entry accidentally. Lastly the spin changes after two turns and
MY lancair didn't spin at all like the factory PROTOTYPE ,although the
changes i made in building shouldn't have changed the spin
characteristics much.In conclusion yes all lancairs will spin and if
built exactly to plans with a clean wing and a cg in range no wing fuel
and less than two turns they should recover most of the time in about
half a turn. If you are going to do acro that could get you in a spin
you should test your aircraft by going high 10000ft + having a chute and
rigging your canopy so you can get out in flight. Then you'll know the
spin characteristics for YOUR plane on a given day temp density alt cg
loading wing contour etc.

dave""

To be sure, the sales literature from Lancair as well as the rest of the
world, puts forward their product in the most favorable light. But the
fact that I enjoy spinning aircraft does not mean that I have a strong
death wish, it's FUN.

Needless to say, if Dave's quotation from 1996 had been reproduced in
the Lancair sales literature, I most likely would have made a different
buying decision.


So once again for those of you who have done it, please post your
experience with spinning the Lancair and Lance, how do you reconcile the
two quotes from Dave Morss? They are as different as black and white.

Thanks,

Angier Ames

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