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Old 26th Jan 2006, 09:33
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Shaggy Sheep Driver
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
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Interesting. I'd really like to read that Darrol Stinton assessment if anyone knows where a copy can be had.

I've been a part owner of Chippy G-BCSL since 1979 (except for a couple of years when I left the group to join a Yak52 group). The Chippy's control forces are light and friction-free, which is one thing that (in my book) makes it such a delight to fly. But they have loads of feedback for the pilot - unlike the Acrosport, which probably has as light (and certainly more powerful) controls with very little 'feel'. That's quite a dangerous combination, in my opinion.

Chippy contol forces do get heavier with increased IAS, as you'd expect. Makes gentle aeros a delight! I've never flown any other aeroplane that 'talks' to its pilot through the stick in quite the way a Chippy does.

I'm interested that India Mike thinks the pitch stability to be marginal. I haven't found that; once she's trimmed, she holds attitude and if disturbed will regain trimmed attitude - though not as quickly as, say, a C172.

I suppose it's quite possible that 'by the book', assessed by a professional test pilot (which I'm ceratinly not!) the Chippy might actually not score well. I don't fly instruments, for instance (I don't know any Chippy pilots that do, at least in that aeroplane), and for that, a more stable, less manouverable (chuckable??) aeroplane might be better. But I don't think that's what Chippys are about.

Genghis, you are welcome to the back seat in SL any time its free (quite often!). It's an aeroplane every pilot should sample - but beware! It will spoil you for anything else!

SSD
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