Todd:

Cindy and Marty at Caracole have demonstrated the benign spiral to me in
both the K-21 and the Duo-Discus. It works in my LAK-17 (15m) at zero flap
with the trim 1/3 aft (wheel in or out) although, like you, I've never tried
it from near redline or from a spiral dive. It needs to be practiced, both
to see that it works in your airplane and, recurrently, so that you really
do (hopefully) stay off the controls in an actual emergency.

Caracole routinely performs the benign spiral as a training exercise, so
that their students and BFR candidates can experience it. Perhaps either
Cindy or Marty could be enticed into joining this thread as they know much
more about this and wave flying in general than I do and have given
considerable thought to emergency procedures. They provide serious mountain
wave training BTW, IMHO a VERY good idea before venturing into the awesome
world of the wave.

Raphael Warshaw
1LK




"T o d d P a t t i s t" wrote in message
...
wrote:

Don't delude yourself by thinking that going IFC at red line in the
Sierra Wave with just a turn and bank is anything like a Microsoft
flight simulator with a partial panel or an instrument flight in a
small plane with a partial panel and an instructor.

About once or twice a year, I find myself in the happy
situation of being at the end of a flight and having 10,000'
or more to kill off before landing. About 5 times I have
used this altitude to try the benign spiral mode in my
Ventus. Full trim back, full negative flaps, brakes fully
open and hands and feet off the controls seems to be
reasonably balanced. I've entered at speeds up to 90 knots,
and have always lost 8,000 or more before having to take
control for landing. I've never seen excess G's, but I've
never been in extreme wave conditions during these tests and
I've never tried this by entering from extreme high speeds
as one might be experiencing attempting to move out from IMC
wave conditions. I have seen some 1/2- 1.5 g excursions,
but bank has always remained within 45 degrees.

I wonder if anyone else has tried this in a modern glider
and wants to report their experience.
--
T o d d P a t t i s t - "WH" Ventus C
(Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.)