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Old 28th August 2002 | 15:44
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Genghis the Engineer
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: CPL
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True I'm afraid, the fiction that AoA is always constant at the stall is a rumour put around by aerodynamicists to stop pilots asking awkward questions.

Proof?

At a safe height, in an aeroplane you know well, first stall it decelerating the aircraft at a nice gentle 1 kn/s. Then do it at a dramatic 5 kn/s? You'll doubtless find significantly difference stalling characteristics at the two deceleration rates. This is, at-least partly, due to the difference in AoA, and thus the difference in resultant pitching moment..

But keep this to yourself, or at-least don't put it in an ATPL exam, they'll only mark you down for being a smart-alec.

G

Last edited by Genghis the Engineer; 28th August 2002 at 15:56.
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