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Old 21st July 2006 | 10:51
  #17 (permalink)  
Shaggy Sheep Driver
 
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 3,325
Likes: 2
From: UK
The title of this thread indicates a certain lack of understanding as what stalls a wing. It's not lack of speed, it's exceeding the critical angle of attack (which for any given wing at any given profile never ever changes).

Of course, low speed can be a way of doing just that, but lots of other things can do it as well (excessive loading, for instance, as in pulling 'G'). And there are plenty of instances where low or even zero airspeed does not cause a stall (over the top of a loop, for instance).

I've stalled a Yak52 at about 150 knots indicated, and flown the same aeroplane at zero airspeed with no stall.

The ONLY consistant thing that causes the wing to stall is exceeding that critical angle of attack. Nothing else. So never mind the speed, watch that AoA!

If you do an aeros course, AoA becomes second nature. But it might be a bit much to expect studes to recognise AoA - which is why they are taught 'the numbers' (on the ASI). But for any reasonably experienced pilot, think AoA, not airspeed, and all will be well.

SSD
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