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Old 28th Dec 2022, 05:29
  #33 (permalink)  
43Inches
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Aus
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slow down below Va

Please do keep in mind that Va is not, necessarily, the simplistic animal that most pilots are taught to believe it is. For most light aircraft, it may relate to some level of stall protection against excessive normal load factor in turbulence but that is not a guarantee by any means - you really need to know the certification basis for the particular Type to find out what the story might be.

As the use of Vo gains more penetration into the Industry, this problem will reduce .... but that is going to take some considerable time.
I copied this across from the other closed thread as it's relevant here.

The V speeds may not be designed to even protect the airframe over it's expected life, just a well maintained airframe in the defined circumstances. Once fatigue cracking has developed and not repaired the structural V speeds mean very little as the structure is now flawed, so instead of maintaining something like Va where its a healthy margin above stall you might want to be even slower and take lower marging on the stall to protect against structural failure due to higher speed stresses. But then again, if you knew the structure was compromised you would not be flying it....

Something to remember is the myth of Va being the speed you can use ANY "full control movement". Yes in one direction, but repeated full travel movement of multiple or even one surface may not remain within safe limits. So flying through a thunderstorm you probably want to be at the slowest possible speed with a smaller margin for stall.

Last edited by 43Inches; 28th Dec 2022 at 05:40.
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