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Old 2nd Oct 2007, 14:57
  #19 (permalink)  
Shaggy Sheep Driver
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
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I think we've been here before on Proon. With ANY brake set, you will NOT reach full rudder deflection - the brake will restrict it. That's why a vital pre-aerobatic check is 'BRAKES OFF', since otherwise you won't get full rudder and you might not recover from a spin.

Why would you want to set rudder for landing? 'Because the RAF says so' is not an acceptable answer. What's the reason? The RAF also say that T/O flap does not affect T/O performance either way. Having a couple of times departed short strips without flap in a Chippy, I can tell you what a load of bunkum that is! dH gave it 2 flap stages for a very good reason, but the RAF don't use stage 1.

With brake, you will not reach full rudder deflection should you need it - the brake will come on instead which might save a swing - but so might full rudder without the brake.

If you land with brakes off, you give yourself all the options; you have FULL rudder travel available should you need it. If you ground loop and even full rudder won't hold it, gently pulling back on the brake lever will apply the appropriate brake, and seasoned chippy pilots will drop their hand the few inches from the throttle in the latter stages of rollout to the brake lever 'just in case'.

So why land with brake applied and deny yourself full rudder authority? If you need it, it's still there if you land with BRAKES OFF should you need it? Why limit your options?

Edited to add, since another poster has said he does it too, that this practice is widely taught to novice Chippy pilots BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BOOK. It's in the book because that's what the RAF taught! It is self-perpetuating!

Think it through from first principles, and see if it really makes sense - like never using T/O flap and wiring the carb heat in 'Warm'.

SSD
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