ft and zzuf
OK ft I'm back and inserting balanced into the statement of fact.
Here is the statement again.
Any multi having engines outside of centre line will be sideslipping during straight flight, rudder free, when there is any imbalance of thrust.
or in other words
Any aircraft uniformally shaped around its fuselage centre line which has its line of total thrust offset from that fuselage centre line will be unable to achieve balanced flight, rudder free, in a straight line without sideslip.
Confusion continues to arise because of two differing concepts of balanced flight.
The common concept is that balanced flight is achieved when the balance ball/instrument is centred. All OK when the forces on the aircraft are symmetric and our aim is to fly the aircraft most efficiently in the precise direction of its centre line..
One could say that it is a whole new ball game when the forces are asymmetric.
In the asymmetric case we start with an imbalance of forces and seek ways to bring that imbalance into balance or equilibrium so that we can make progress through the air in a straight line. The only means we have to counter an engine thrust imbalance is to sideslip or to use rudder which creates a counter balancing force at the tail.
zzuf
Wish I'd been your tutor!!
Your review of the above will be fascinating considering your report at ETPS.
Last edited by Milt; 11th Oct 2004 at 23:55.