The case for realistic unusual attitude training

[Centaurus]

Browsing my local newsagent magazine stall and picked up the latest UK "FlyPast" magazine. It was the June 2015 issue with a impressive picture of the Avro Vulcan on the front cover.

An article at page 113 deals with flying the British delta wing Gloster Javelin night fighter in 1958. One of the classic comments said:

"First solo consisted of taxying round the peri-track, and not everyone made this the first time....There was no nosewheel steering, no asymmetric thrust - due to the engines being close together - and the toe brakes were reputed to be the worst ever produced"

The bit I really liked though was the following" "A minor problem was that the fuel gauges could read zero in flight which was due to moisture or water in the tanks affecting the gauge sensors.

One remedy was to invert the aircraft (interesting on a black night) and move the control column forward and aft to clear the sensors. Navigators did not like this.:{

The Pilots Notes for the Javelin stressed that the navigator must be warned before deploying speed brakes due to the deceleration. The speed brakes were so effective that a descent from 40,000ft to sea level took two minutes".:eek:

[Car RAMROD]

Sounds like fun.

Where do I sign up?

[gerry111]

I suspect that's why we don't see any new Gloster aircraft anymore. :ooh:

[chimbu warrior]

Thanks again for providing my daily smile Centaurus. Your wisdom and wit really are appreciated here.

[Centaurus]

"A minor problem was that the fuel gauges could read zero in flight which was due to moisture or water in the tanks affecting the gauge sensors.

One remedy was to invert the aircraft (interesting on a black night) and move the control column forward and aft to clear the sensors. Navigators did not like this.

The Pilots Notes for the Javelin stressed that the navigator must be warned before deploying speed brakes due to the deceleration. The speed brakes were so effective that a descent from 40,000ft to sea level took two minutes".

While on the subject of scary characteristics of these old aircraft, I extracted some equally frightening warnings in some of the Pilot's Notes given to RAAF pilots. Keep in mind some of these were single seat types so no chance of a dual check first.

For example: Hawker Hurricane - stalling. "At the stall, one wing usually drops sharply, often over the vertical with flaps either up or own".
Spinning: Spinning of Hurricane Mk 2D and 1V aircraft is prohibited at all times. Recovery is normal but the loss of height involved in the recovery may be very great: spins are not to be started below 10,000 ft and recovery initiated before two turns are completed.

Abandoning by parachute:- "When abandoning the aircraft by parachute it is important to decrease speed and then dive over the side immediately. The pilot must not stand on the seat and delay in jumping or he will hit either the aerial mast or the tailplane".
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Bristol Beaufighter twin engine fighter-bomber: Stalling - "The aircraft stalls at approximately 105 m.p.h and if the control column is held back, the nose and one wing drops sharply. The wings may pass the vertical if there is any delay in pushing the control column forward.
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Mustang. When fuel is carried in the fuselage tank there is no buffeting to give warning of the approaching stall, but a series of stick reversals occurs just above the stalling speed; at the stall, the right wing drops sharply, and unless an immediate recovery is taken, a spin may develop. The aircraft sinks rapidly as stalling speed is approached. If the control column is held back at the stall, a wing will drop very rapidly and the aircraft will become inverted. Power-on spins should never be intentionally performed. As many as five or six turns may be made after recovery action and 9000-10,000ft lost. If, however, the spin should remain flat on throttling back and taking normal recovery action, the aircraft should be rocked fore and aft by full movement of the control column, opening up the engine as the stick is pulled back and throttling back as it is pushed forward.

Parachute exit: Rise to crouched position in the seat, placing right foot on seat and left foot against the left longeron, grasping right longeron with right hand and right side of windshield with left hand. Kick with the legs and push with hands at instant of leaving the cockpit, and dive for the starboard wing tip. If this method is used the wing will either pass your body before contact or it will be possible to slide off the wing, and you will not strike the empennage.

If there is insufficient time for this method, jettison the canopy, disconnect headphones and oxygen, roll the aircraft onto its back, trimming nose heavy, then release safety harness.

Ditching: It is strongly recommended that pilots should avoid ditching and should bale out whenever possible. Should ditching be unavoidable, ditch along the top of the swell, dipping the wing tip on the windward side in order that this will strike the water first. Kick hard on the inside rudder just as the wing tip hits the water, so as to spin the aircraft around on the surface. This will reduce the tendency to dive. This manoeuvre calls for a very accurate judgement of height. When the aircraft stops, get out immediately as the aircraft will remain above the water for a period of 1-2 seconds.
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Vampire fighter. High Speed stall: Ample warning of the approach of a stall in a steep turn is given by elevator buffeting. When this warning is observed, the acceleration should be reduced since further backward movement of the control column can cause the aircraft to flick on its back. .
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And finally, if you think a large four engine bomber like the Avro Lincoln should have benign flying characteristics, consider this if you have do a go-around with full flap extended:

"Mislanding and going around again. It is essential to raise the flaps to half down before the undercarriage is selected up otherwise an uncontrollable nose up change of trim may be experienced at loadings near the aft centre of gravity limit; this is aggravated by the use of full power".
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These aircraft were all wartime designs where certification rules were largely absent. Good handling skills were vital especially as newly graduated military trained pilots with as low as 200 hours were flying these aircraft single pilot. Today, strict flight certification rules make modern aircraft much more forgiving of mis-handling.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

A Traumahawk can do a good impersonation of much of the above! :E

[Hugh Jarse]

I have a few hundred hours in Tomahawks. I've done quite a few hours of spinning in them (comes with the territory).

I never managed to get inverted or had fuel indicator problems, FTDK.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

You obviously didn't try hard enough HJ! :E

I too have a few hrs in Tomahawks (ZK-EVA and ZK-EQM) - both would roll inverted on vigorous stall or spin entry, particularly one way - can't remember which way - too long ago.

Can't say I give a *#^+ if your experience differs from mine! :)

Dr :8

[Arm out the window]

If, however, the spin should remain flat on throttling back and taking normal recovery action, the aircraft should be rocked fore and aft by full movement of the control column, opening up the engine as the stick is pulled back and throttling back as it is pushed forward.


Would be a bit tricky to keep a cool head and remember what to do while spinning ... another use for the 'string round the neck' technique, by the looks - right hand forward as left goes back and vice versa, must remember that next time I'm out spinning my Mustang! (if only)

[OZBUSDRIVER]

If this method is used the wing will either pass your body before contact or it will be possible to slide off the wing, and you will not strike the empennage.

....:eek: Gotta love the thing...wasnt there something also about height loss in recovering from the resultant dive also added to the minimum height for stall spin recovery.

...always a blast reading your stuff, Centaurus.

[Ultralights]

how do you throttle back when the engine has died, as it should in a developed spin with a carbureted engine.?

[Oktas8]

when the engine has died, as it should in a developed spin with a carbureted engine.?

Why? A 1g manoeuvre with substantial yaw... I'm not seeing a reason for fuel starvation.

[Ultralights]

in a stabilised spin, the carby being away from the centre of rotation, under centrifugal forces, tends to throw the fuel to the sides of the bowl, and starve the engine. i am talking about stabilised spins, and engine stops after about 3 to 4 rotations.

[Pinky the pilot]

how do you throttle back when the engine has died, as it should in a developed spin with a carbureted engine.?

Standing by to be corrected but I am of the belief that the carburettor on the Merlin engine was capable of still delivering fuel to the engine even in cases of negative G.

It was not originally the case but modifications were made early in the 1940`s.

`Miss Schillings orifice` springs to mind.:ooh::D

Paging Centaurus for further clarification.

[Centaurus]

Try this:


Miss Shilling's orifice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Shilling's_orifice) :ok:

[LeadSled]

Folks,

Re. Ms. Schilling, those SU carbs should never have been on any aircraft engine, they were bad enough on auto(im)mobiles.
Bendix pressure carbs., from the good old USA were the answer. Of course, the Germans had fuel injection and all attitude/G oil systems, as well.

When you know of all the problems of the early Merlins, it makes the achievements of 1940 even more amazing.

Re. upset training see the new FAA and EASA rules on the subject.

Tootle pip!!

PS: I have done a lot of spins over the years, I have never had an engine quit due fuel starvation in a spin.

[Pinky the pilot]

those SU carbs should never have been on any aircraft engine, they were bad enough on auto(im)mobiles.

Agreed!:ok: I have a few friends who owned Torana GTR-XU1s years ago and without exceptions they hated the triple SU`s the car came with.:*

One or two went out and refitted the engine with Webbers. Back then it was not an inexpensive excercise but they considered it worthwhile!:ooh:

(Slight thread drift follows)

Drove an XU1 once. Was not impressed! Preferred another Friends XB GT Falcon which had an engine worked more than the `standard` GTHO Phase 3.:eek:

[gerry111]

Carbs, Pinky?

Aren't they what we now eat at breakfast out of Kellogg's packets? :):)


The really sad thing is that just about any car that we drove 30+ years ago is completely outclassed by any modern car.