On 19 Nov 2004 04:17:28 -0800, (Ramapriya) wrote:

Is it possible to land without using the flaps at all?

The Piper J-3 and many older airplanes have no flaps. We achieve the
same effect (when we want it) by using the rudder against the
ailerons, forcing the airplane to move forward while turned to one
side. That puts the airstream against the side of the aircraft,
slowing it down and steepening its descent.

The beauty of a slip is that you can carry it down to within inches of
the ground, then straighten the plane, much more quickly than you can
get rid of electrically deployed flaps, and without the bodily
distraction of dumping mechanical flaps.

Tom Buck was famous for his Cub and Champ landings: "high, hot, and
slipping like crazy."

I have no proof of this, but it also seems to me that the ground roll
after a good slip is much shorter.


all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

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