sennadog
23rd Aug 2002, 16:44
I've just started some spin training in a C-152 which leads me to my questions.
During the development of new aircraft, is there any actual spinning that takes place outside of a computer simulation?
Assuming that a large aircraft such as a Boeing or Airbus entered a spin, is this something that is practiced by Flight Deck Crew in a simulator?
Intruder
23rd Aug 2002, 18:14
Light civil aircraft have to demonstrate spin recovery for FAA certification in the US. Transport aircraft do not.
Stall recoveries are routinely practiced in the simulator. Spin recoveries are not.
Genghis the Engineer
24th Aug 2002, 21:50
Yes, a great deal, but how much and the nature of it depends upon the aircraft and it's intended useage.
For a light aircraft such as the C152 with a basic spinning clearance I'd expect to do around 300 spins. For something such as the PA28, with no spinning clearance, I'd expect around 70-100 spins during the certification programme.
For something with a full aerobatic clearance, such as the Tucano, you will almost certainly exceed 500 spins.
An airliner will go to deep stall, but it's highly unlikely it would ever be deliberately spun.
Take a look at http://www.avnet.co.uk/bmaa/025_1.pdf for some specifics.
Simulators have never, to my knowledge, been much use for simulating the spin. The engineering models can give a rough idea of the characteristics, but not a detailed one. Inertially and aerodynamically representative wind tunnel models are however used, in conjunction with vertical wind tunnels, for the spin characteristic prediction of larger aircraft, where it's hoped to avoid actually doing any spinning - this would certainly be true of most Part 25 aircraft (e.g. airliners).
G