PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - AF447 final crew conversation - Thread No. 1
Old 15th Oct 2011, 18:47
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TTex600
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
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Aileron Drag:
It's a very different type of aeroplane, but I used to demonstrate this type of stall to Air Cadets learning to fly the Venture motor-glider. The stall scenario to be taught was the classic reducing IAS, buffet, and nose-drop. But I liked to demo also a more subtle stall where you end up with a reasonably normal attitude and power, but with the stick hard back, very low airspeed, and the VSI off the clock.

The only indications that you were stalled were the control column position, IAS, and the vertical speed. It was even a very smooth ride!

Simply releasing the back-pressure effected immediate recovery.

I suspect that simply releasing the back-pressure in this case might have been sufficient to recover very rapidly.

Having flown an aircraft type, of which two were lost to deep-stalls (HS 121), and several other types where the HS is not blanked by the stalled wing, I think the former were your worst nightmare. The latter could almost be likened, aerodynamically (and for the pilot-held-stall-condition) to those old RAF motor-gliders.

I realise that is a gross simplification, but few pilots (I suspect) were ever demonstrated the pilot-maintained stall.
In the Airbus 320 series (I don't fly the 330 but believe it to be the same), releasing the side stick would have simply resulted in the computers attempting to maintain one g-force. The AB trims for g-force, not for speed. Your technique works in aircraft that trim for speed. The Airbus is somewhat different, to say the least.

Anything more belongs in the tech section.
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