In aerobatic parlance we some times refer to 'Coffin Corner' as that place in the flight envelope that when plotted usually occurs in the top right hand corner but can also be bottom right hand dependant on situation.
Theoretically it is when you are pulling max +ve g whilst at or near Vne or have bust it and are approaching Vd in an energy gaining attitude.
So, whatever you do you're a dead man pull more G and suffer a structural failure or bust Vd and equally suffer a structural failure.
In reality the thing to do is pull more G as exceeding permissible loading will, in likelihood, bend the aircraft rather than cause catastrophic failure and the chance of getting it back on the ground is greater than if you exceed Vd and get flutter.
I had a distinctly unpleasant experience in coffin corner whilst inverted in a 45 degree down line 5 kts off Vne
pushing -ve 4 G. The elevator started to flutter (due to a worn bush in the linkage) and then the whole rear end of the aircraft started a sympathetic warping, oscillation.
I was at 4000' and the banging was heard clearly on the ground!
A change of underwear and a couple of stiff ones later and I could talk about it but that is as close to 'Coffin Corner' as I want to go for a while.
Last edited by Go Smoke; 13th April 2005 at 08:31.