'Speed of maximum lift'
 

This statement (made in English), by the late Pierre Satre, designer of the Sud-Est (Sud Aviation) Caravelle has me puzzled.

Can anyone help with the last sentence, regarding [the speed] 'corresponding to maximum lift'.

MTIA


“Instead of a stick-pusher or stick-shaker, the Caravelle was fitted with a pitch-corrector device, which went into action when stall configuration was approached, a few knots before the maximum lift angle of attack was attained. A refinement of the artificial-feel system, it maintained a suitable stick force (less than 10lb/4.5kg) between the speed at which the aircraft should be trimmed and that corresponding to maximum lift."

It just means the 1G stall speed, doesn't it?

Probably useful if you revisit the old Principles of Flight notes .. especially the CL against alpha curve. Maximum CL corresponds to stall. Artificial devices, such as stick pushers/shakers are used if the stall characteristics have some nasty aspects from a certification aspect and need some help to get a tick in the box.

While I know little about the Caravelle (other than that it was a lovely looking aeroplane from the sidelines), the description you give sounds not much different in the end play to a stick pusher ?

Airways_Ed,

The notes you quote would perhaps be more technically accurate if you inserted coefficient of between the "maximum" and "lift".

Quite a few people casually talk about maximum lift, meaning maximum CL.

Hope that clarifies.

O8

Many thanks for the clarification. Both myself, and the translator (from English to French) of my forthcoming book on the Caravelle are very grateful.

According to a test pilot, the Caravelle behaved as 'she' looked, with a very pleasant stall and very difficult to spin.