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Old 23rd Feb 2018, 21:50
  #91 (permalink)  
sllessac
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: york
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firefly

I have operated T67M aircraft from 1996 to now. 160, 200 and 260
I competed in aerobatic competitions in firefly's. I have displayed firefly's
I have coached a large number of pilots to fly aerobatics in the firefly mainly for competition. Their experience varied from 100 hours ppl to 8000 hour ATPL.
Before solo flight they all were capably of
  • Entry to positive spin ( not a flicked entry) hold and count six turns and clean recovery
  • Entry to and recovery from power on flat spin
  • Recovery from to normal flight from power on departures initiated by me. This being a flick roll into high rotational spin on a number of lines, i.e. vertical, down 45 degree dive, climbing 45 degree line and top of the loop
  • Demonstrate precision competition spins of one, one and a quarter, and one and a half turn in either direction.
  • Fly a sportmen's (standard level) aerobatic program within an aerobatic performance zone ( kilometre square) staying within hight, G and speed limits
This takes time, a lot more time than the 5 hours plus "aerobatic rating" Not all the pilots manage to achieve the level, the ones that don't don't go solo. We have done north of 5000 hours aerobatics without incident.

The firefly is a wonderful training aeroplane. It teaches effects of controls in all phases of flight. Having mastered spinning the firefly a pilot will be in a much better position to recover any light aircraft from a spin. The firefly does not recovery from a spin if the stick is released and opposite rudder is applied (Beggs) It just changes the direction of rotation. The Pitts type is one of the few that recovers using that sort of technic.

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