Stalling into wind.
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Stalling into wind.
I came across some professionally produced instructor briefing notes recently and the briefing for stalling stated that stalls should be done into wind.
I can't think of any reason why the direction of the wind would have any influence on stalling at altitude. Can anyone explain this one to me?
I can't think of any reason why the direction of the wind would have any influence on stalling at altitude. Can anyone explain this one to me?
)
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Maybe so, but I guess if you look at it from the perspective of sending them off in future to do solo GH (including stalls), then it might be a valid airmanship point in the "don't get lost while you're busy flying the perfect stall Bloggs" category!
Surely from a sortie management point of view it's best if possible to do upper air work upwind of the airfield - of course with controlled airspace constraints this is often not feasible.
Seeing as a lookout turn of either a 180 or two 90s each way is the norm immediately prior to a stall one of these may be a better option wrt to staying upwind and/or in the training area.
That said I generally prefer to teach the pre stall checks into wind since this seems to take a lot longer that the actual stall for the average student.
Seeing as a lookout turn of either a 180 or two 90s each way is the norm immediately prior to a stall one of these may be a better option wrt to staying upwind and/or in the training area.
That said I generally prefer to teach the pre stall checks into wind since this seems to take a lot longer that the actual stall for the average student.
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Stalling into wind.
Hmm sounds a little bit pedantic... A switched on student eventually works out to pick a slice of horizon which doesn't have them staring into the sun or pointing towards CTA.
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To me this is something worth mentioning in the briefing as a "consider" point, if you do multiple stalls in a light wind you could actually end up further away from home than you want!
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A brand new student doing stalls crosswind doesn't usually have his/her eyes in the right place to begin with and hence very little directional control.
Entering the stall in a cross wind situation (especially in a stronger wind) makes it difficult for them to keep the aircraft straight and in balance (weather cock). Usually resulting in a wind drop stall.
Entering the stall in a cross wind situation (especially in a stronger wind) makes it difficult for them to keep the aircraft straight and in balance (weather cock). Usually resulting in a wind drop stall.
Entering the stall in a cross wind situation (especially in a stronger wind) makes it difficult for them to keep the aircraft straight and in balance (weather cock). Usually resulting in a wind drop stall.
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I have hazy recollections of hearing this a long time ago, and I vaguely recall that it was ostensibly to minimise the risk - during the transition from the "dropping like a brick through the breeze" phase to the "floating like a cloud on the breeze" phase - of only (un)stalling one of the sticky-out bits and somehow popping into a spin rather than flying out of a stalling. Can't for the life of me remember what the underlying mechanics were meant to be to achieve this, tho
Wasn't particularly convinced then, and no more so now.
ETA:
Originally Posted by wantobe
Entering the stall in a cross wind situation (especially in a stronger wind) makes it difficult for them to keep the aircraft straight and in balance (weather cock). Usually resulting in a wind drop stall.
An interesting thread this for Freudian slips.
So far I count "Fox Mouth" and " Wind Drop".
On a more technical point, presumably a pilot, particularly an inexperienced one, might well use external references to try and hold the aircraft "straight" when flying with a crosswind thus induce sideslip. Particularly likely, one might assume, at low speeds - thus making a spin more likely.
Thinking out loud, I wonder if this might have been a player in a few stall/spin accidents off base or crosswwind. It would certainly be compatible with the reports about a few fatals.
G
So far I count "Fox Mouth" and " Wind Drop".
On a more technical point, presumably a pilot, particularly an inexperienced one, might well use external references to try and hold the aircraft "straight" when flying with a crosswind thus induce sideslip. Particularly likely, one might assume, at low speeds - thus making a spin more likely.
Thinking out loud, I wonder if this might have been a player in a few stall/spin accidents off base or crosswwind. It would certainly be compatible with the reports about a few fatals.
G
GtE
Having read your post and re read the initial comment which I read as 'the crosswind acts on the aircraft at altitude' instead of 'moves with the air mass'
I can now see the original poster may have meant what you have described, the student will try to point at his reference point using rudder and create an out of balance situation, whereas he should be checking the balance ball to remain in balance.
Just shows how important the correct choice of words is in teaching.
Having read your post and re read the initial comment which I read as 'the crosswind acts on the aircraft at altitude' instead of 'moves with the air mass'
I can now see the original poster may have meant what you have described, the student will try to point at his reference point using rudder and create an out of balance situation, whereas he should be checking the balance ball to remain in balance.
Just shows how important the correct choice of words is in teaching.
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An interesting thread this for Freudian slips.
So far I count "Fox Mouth" and " Wind Drop".
So far I count "Fox Mouth" and " Wind Drop".
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I could buy the "ground reference " explanation if we were stalling close to the ground, but if course we don't do that and at 3,000 ft the visual clues from the ground are negligible.
I can see that stalling into wind might keep you from being blown away from the airfield, but this is a bit thin and I don't see why you would mention that on a pre-flight brief.
Surely "wantobe" is a troll.
I can see that stalling into wind might keep you from being blown away from the airfield, but this is a bit thin and I don't see why you would mention that on a pre-flight brief.
Surely "wantobe" is a troll.