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Date: Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:41:27 -0400
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Subject: Re: Stalls [LML]
From: lalcorn@natca.net
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I would like to add to this discussion on stalls and slow flight handling o=
f aircraft.  One thing I see discussed by pilots is that, they do not need =
to practice stalls or slow flight because they know the speeds and simply s=
tay faster than those speeds close to the "slow realm" of flight, which I w=
ould infer is also the region of reverse command and just above.  This is a=
 great safety idea in ideal conditions, your familiar airport, standard tra=
ffic patterns, no controllers, etc.  Unfortunately real flight is nothing l=
ike this.  =0A=0AOne good example is bird avoidance.  The proper method of =
avoiding birds is to climb and turn, since birds will typically dive away. =
 So you are on a downwind, gear extended, flaps slightly out, and there is =
a 10lb turkey vulture and you pull and turn.  Sounds close to an accelerate=
d stall, doesn't it.  If you do not know what your plane feels like at slow=
er speeds, how will you know how hard to pull or when to recover.  Add this=
 during a base to final, and you have a stall spin accident.  How many of t=
hese accelerated stall base to final crashes have happened in the last year=
 alone?  =0A=0ANext example is when you add those pesky controllers trying =
to fit your 120 knot aircraft behind a 150 in the downwind at an airport wi=
th a 3500 foot runway.  They ask you to slow, you do the best you can, but =
still eating this guys lunch.  Your busy configuring etc, then the tower co=
ntroller sees its not going to work and orders a go around when you are cro=
ssing the threshold with full flaps and gear hanging out, starting to round=
 out.  Do not think they won't do that either.  Especially with the new gen=
eration of controllers being hired off the street, many are not familiar wi=
th aircraft characteristics and are only concerned about having an error.  =
How many of the "don't practice slow flight/stalls" practice full landing c=
onfigured go-arounds at high rates of descent.  Again, knowing your aircraf=
t's slow handling characteristics might help here.=0A=0AHow about wind shea=
r?  I've been in clear VFR days in florida and catch the outflow from a sto=
rm 20 miles away while in the downwind and loose 25 knots in an instant wit=
h a nice downdraft.  What is your natural instinct when you encounter a lar=
ge sink close to the ground?  Pull back now that you are only 6 knots above=
 stall?=0A=0AI could go on and on with examples, but just things to think a=
bout.=0A=0APreviously stated "The initial training for a Lancair needs to i=
nclude exposure to the stall to assess the speed at which it is likely to o=
ccur. That assessed, continued testing of that seems superfluous given the =
mind set should be clearly engraved to avoid the area whereby such a condit=
ion of flight occurs". =0A=0AHow can you simply avoid these regions of flig=
ht given the examples I have just stated?=0A=0ALuke Alcorn=0A=0A