Dayton airshow crash, pilot and wing walker killed.
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: South Norfolk, England
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I agree with Foxmoth with regard to low flight at airshows.
I remember reading an article by Neil Williams where he said a low pass at high speed then zoom climb whilst rolling looked spectacular is a very safe manoeuvre, whereas a slow roll down low doesn't really look that exciting to a the general public, but is very dangerous for the pilot
SS
I remember reading an article by Neil Williams where he said a low pass at high speed then zoom climb whilst rolling looked spectacular is a very safe manoeuvre, whereas a slow roll down low doesn't really look that exciting to a the general public, but is very dangerous for the pilot
SS
Join Date: Oct 1999
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And that supreme air show pilot who happily is still with us, Brian Lecomber, one said some wise words about pull-outs from show manouvres. He advised planning it so you could pull out easily at 50 feet, then fly it on down to much lower so it looks like you pulled out at 5 feet. Pilots who actually pull out very low soon change.... sometimes into very thin very spread-out pilots!
....a slow roll down low doesn't really look that exciting to a the general public, but is very dangerous for the pilot.
Whereas a so-called 'victory roll' by a not-entirely-skilled pilot is a real killer.
Approach the aerodrome at speed, perhaps with the aeroplane trimmed to that speed. Then a slight climb (it will start to decelerate) and whang the control column fully over. Aileron drag and drag induced by the roll will cause further deceleration. The aircraft will be out of trim and unless the pitch is properly controlled, will cease climbing. When inverted, it will probably seem OK to the pilot who probably hasn't flown inverted close to the ground before, but in reality the pitch attitude will be insufficient and the aircraft will be descending - even more so if the engine doesn't like negative G. At the 3/4 point, the pilot will suddenly realise that he is far lower than he intended to be and is now descending. But the aircraft is so far out of trim that most of the available elevator deflexion is needed just to maintain whatever pitch attitude he's found himself in....leaving little if any further rearward control column movement available to regain level flight in the height available.
With the predicatable and sadly inevitable result.
Last edited by BEagle; 11th Jul 2013 at 17:11.
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Oop North, UK
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As I think I stated in a thread some time ago, no one should even think about low level aeros until they have been frightened by something they have done and sorted out at height. It is only then that you realise how things can go wrong and gives you the respect when you start working your display height down.
