Owain Glyndwr, replying to roulishollandais (dutch roll):
...were you doing any more than applying the process that Chris Scott (I think) described earlier - applying corrective aileron at the correct time in the roll?
For those who didn't see it, there was a recent Tech Log thread entitled "Mystery of Yaw Damper", which is worth a read in the context of dutch roll. This is the post OG is referring to, and provides a quick link to that thread -
http://www.pprune.org/tech-log/52252...ml#post8028984
On this thread, the robustness of the A306 VS/fin has been regularly called into question by a minority of New-Worlders, whose patriotism blinds them to the fact that - since the pioneering Comet 1 disasters - European airframes have a record at least as good as their American counterparts. This misconception was characteristic also of all our AF447 discussions, specifically in relation to the integrity of the A330 VS/fin.
The discussion between AirRabbit and A Squared have made me wonder afresh about the B707/KC-135 airframe. Here's part of an earlier post of mine, which failed to provoke a response:
Quote from tdracer:
"I don't seem to recall anyone ever claiming that the 707 airframe wasn't robust."
When I did my base training with AA at DFW in 1975, I was surprised that no attempt was made to demonstrate dutch roll characteristics and recovery at altitude, even though the a/c was equipped with only one yaw damper. (BTW, I'm not suggesting that dutch roll recovery by the pilot would involve any use of rudder.) Four years earlier, my VC10 conversion had included several full demonstrations (up to about 40 degrees of bank) and recovery. The VC10 has(d) 3 independent rudders, each with a yaw damper.
One possible interpretation was that the a/c was not inclined to serious dutch roll at altitude - we all know that it would on the approach. On reflection, I'm wondering if the B707 airframe, specifically the vertical surfaces, may have been merely adequate for the regs? Has anyone got a copy of Davies to hand?
Why do so many North Americans have such dumb confidence in the robustness of Boeing's products, and such a jaundiced perception of Airbus's?