PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Arrow IV W&B CG Too Forward
View Single Post
Old 1st Oct 2010, 04:51
  #5 (permalink)  
PBL
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Bielefeld, Germany
Posts: 955
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I support john_tullamarine's comments wholeheartedly.

The Arrow IV is a high-tail airplane and is known to have reduced elevator authority at slow speeds compared with similar aircraft (say, Arrow III). If it is being operated at a balance which is forward of the forward limits, that means that its nosedown tendency exceeds the required nose-up authority of the elevator at low flying speeds.

The operators may routinely fly it off quite happily, as PugCo hints, until the day comes when a tailwind comes in at 30 ft AGL on takeoff and the nose drops. Then they will shortly be very unhappy, assuming they would still be alive.

Operating any aircraft outside of cleared envelope is something for test pilots in carefully-delineated scenarios, not for routine operations.

PBL
PBL is offline