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Old January 26th 10, 10:57 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
mart mart is offline
Junior Member
 
First recorded activity by AviationBanter: Jan 2007
Posts: 23
Default reverse the last thing you did.

I had an interesting talk in Narromine last week with a local
instructor about my LS6. I bought it because I thought it to have few
vices.

He knew one.One that almost killed him.

Coming back after a racing task he selected +10 flaps, plenty enough
to land with, especially when it's a bit windy.
On final he pulled full airbrakes after gong through some lift on
base. This causes the flaps to come along, out +10 towards Landing
flap. This happens automatically. It only doesn't lock automatically
in that case. When about 20 feet of the deck he put half his airbrakes
away for a smooth landing.

So far, that is what I do as well.

Now the problems started. While putting the airbrakes away the flaps
slipped to negative. Not very handy at 20 feet and relatively slow.
The glider promptly stalled.

He than did what he was thought by a test pilot." If everything goes
to ****, reverse the last thing you have done."

So contrary to what you would normally do when stalled, which is to
push the nose over , he pulled the brakes again, which in turn pulled
the flaps out again. He said that it saved his bacon. Took out the
undercarriage and hurt his back, but he walked away.

I've heard the Ventus 1 suffers from the same problem. Maybe some
other gliders as well. I thought I should share it with you just in
case.

cheers,

Mart

VH-NII