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A person can be trained to get used to most anything, including marginally stable airframes like fighter aircraft. To some, that is desirable in an airplane even though 99.9% of the time you just drive along the airways. Positive stability has definite advantages and only a slight cost in efficiency/performance. Positive stability also comes into play with recovery from "unusual attitudes".
The small tail in the Lancair 320/360, as an Australian inspector has identified, is not up to the task of positive stability, especially when you have a less than full forward CG that is narrow enough to begin with, only about 6" and complicated by reflex flaps. That CG range and "complication" is helped by a larger tail.
It boils down to what you are willing to accept in handling and performance. Lancair pilots have their ideas and the FAA have theirs.
Talking about stability in fighter aircraft, how many have noticed that the counter rotating props on a P-38 rotate the "wrong" way ? They rotate up & out so BOTH engines are making thrust outboard of the engine centerline. This was/is desirable in that airframe. With the application of a bit of asymmetric thrust, it made turning a very quick maneuver when you were engaged with the "bad guy" but did not help take-off or landing if one engine failed.
Wolfgang
----- Original Message ----- From: "George Shattuck" <gws37@plantationcable.net>
To: <lml@lancaironline.net>
Sent: Monday, June 06, 2011 12:50 PM
Subject: Short tail - short engine mount
I second Bill Harrelson's comments. I have 1500 +/- hours on my 320, small tail, short mount, 1989 kit and have no adverse comments or complaints. The only thing I can see with the big tail is more drag thus a few knots less TAS. It seems to me that the big tail/small tail debate and fix centered around a solution to a problem that did not exist.
George Shattuck
LNC2, Greensboro, GA
----- Original Message ----- From: "Lancair Mailing List" <lml@lancaironline.net>
Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2011 6:00 AM
Subject: lml Digest #3406
Lancair Mailing List Digest #3406
1) LOBO Oshkosh banquet
by <marv@lancair.net>
2) Re: L-IV Choice of Engine
by Gary Casey <casey.gary@yahoo.com>
3) Please post this for David.
by Bryan Wullner <vonjet@gmail.com>
4) Re: LNC2 flying in Brazil
by "Novelli" <ppxsn@novellisouza.com.br>
5) Re: Optimum IO-550 oil level - zero oil pressure event
by "Dana Westphal" <needforspeed01@cox.net>
6) Oshkosh Lancair Gathering & BBQ
by "Lisa Williams" <lisaw@lancair.com>
7) Re: Long mount / short tail
by "Wolfgang" <Wolfgang@MiCom.net>
8) fuel vent check valve design issue?
by Colyn Case <Colyncase@earthlink.net>
9) Re: Long mount / short tail
by "Phillip J. Kocmoud" <pkocmoud@hyper-it.com>
10) The wooden Lancair
by pathabu <pathabu@aol.com>
11) Re: Long mount / short tail
by "Peter Field" <anpfield@sbcglobal.net>
12) Re: L-IV Choice of Engine
by "Lancair" <lancair-esp@ustek.com>
13) Re: Fuel restriction or air Part 3
by Berni <bbreen@cableone.net>
14) Re: Change the speed of the ROC servo for trim
by Colyn Case <colyncase@earthlink.net>
15) Re: Long mount / short tail
by "Bill Harrelson" <n5zq@verizon.net>
16) Re: oil level
by Duane Allen <c177av8r@pacbell.net>
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