Udo Rumpf wrote:
Why is it not possible to refine the process that is being used by
Dick Johnson by using the gadgets that are available.
That would refine the data acquisition and would make the
resolution much finer. The work load is very high during the process.
Dick invited me to a test flight from 12000ft and not much useable
data was obtained from my only attempt. It sure takes practice.

One certainly has to chew gum, use a stop watch, make notes of time,
speed and temperature and flap settings, maintain speeds, change
speed and stabilize it.

This every 500ft, At the same time Fly a big circle around the airport,
so you have a place to land when finished. I may have left things out.

What electronic aids could be used that would help in this matter?

In the '80s, Rudy Allemann and I did some Johnson style flight tests but
recording the time, ASI, altitude, and temperature with a camera aimed
at the panel. It made the data acquisition easier, and the pilot could
spend more time on flying, and less taking notes.

Though this probably isn't the "electronic aid" Udo had in mind, using a
digital camera would make it even easier today. It could be aimed to
include the flap handle position, and it has it's own clock to
time-stamp the pictures. Many more pictures could be taken for each run
instead of being limited to the 36 a film camera has.

While this makes the data recording easy, the ASI (including the pitot
and static if you want to compare between gliders) and altimeter still
need to be carefully calibrated.


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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA