Gone West...

Dudley Henriques wrote:

"houstondan" wrote in message
oups.com...

aerobatics in a cessna or citabria-type ship are much more elegant.
ain't no snappin a 30-foot wingspan on a little light craft like that.

dan


Actually, snaps are very good in both the Citabria and the Aerobat and
represent their "best" capability in the acro environment. It's the roll
rate that's the "problem" with these two airplanes. The drag in roll is so
great you need a disproportionate amount of vertical space to execute
anything in roll that even comes close to looking good. But if you learn to
use the airplanes correctly in that environment, you can at least make it
look "passable" :-)
Dudley Henriques

Bob Hoover made a Shrike look pretty good ... at least to my eye! :-)

Matt

"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
news
Dudley Henriques wrote:

"houstondan" wrote in message
oups.com...

aerobatics in a cessna or citabria-type ship are much more elegant.
ain't no snappin a 30-foot wingspan on a little light craft like that.

dan


Actually, snaps are very good in both the Citabria and the Aerobat and
represent their "best" capability in the acro environment. It's the roll
rate that's the "problem" with these two airplanes. The drag in roll is
so great you need a disproportionate amount of vertical space to execute
anything in roll that even comes close to looking good. But if you learn
to use the airplanes correctly in that environment, you can at least make
it look "passable" :-)
Dudley Henriques

Bob Hoover made a Shrike look pretty good ... at least to my eye! :-)

Matt

You're right. Bob's speciality is "smooth" acro. In all the many years I've
watched and known him, I"ve never seen anyone quite as smooth with an
airplane as he has been.
Dudley Henriques

Dudley Henriques wrote:

"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
news
Dudley Henriques wrote:


"houstondan" wrote in message
egroups.com...


aerobatics in a cessna or citabria-type ship are much more elegant.
ain't no snappin a 30-foot wingspan on a little light craft like that.

dan


Actually, snaps are very good in both the Citabria and the Aerobat and
represent their "best" capability in the acro environment. It's the roll
rate that's the "problem" with these two airplanes. The drag in roll is
so great you need a disproportionate amount of vertical space to execute
anything in roll that even comes close to looking good. But if you learn
to use the airplanes correctly in that environment, you can at least make
it look "passable" :-)
Dudley Henriques

Bob Hoover made a Shrike look pretty good ... at least to my eye! :-)

Matt


You're right. Bob's speciality is "smooth" acro. In all the many years I've
watched and known him, I"ve never seen anyone quite as smooth with an
airplane as he has been.
Dudley Henriques

I've only seen him twice "in person", but he sure made it look easy.
I'd kill for half of his skill.

Matt

"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
Dudley Henriques wrote:

"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
news
Dudley Henriques wrote:


"houstondan" wrote in message
legroups.com...


aerobatics in a cessna or citabria-type ship are much more elegant.
ain't no snappin a 30-foot wingspan on a little light craft like that.

dan


Actually, snaps are very good in both the Citabria and the Aerobat and
represent their "best" capability in the acro environment. It's the roll
rate that's the "problem" with these two airplanes. The drag in roll is
so great you need a disproportionate amount of vertical space to execute
anything in roll that even comes close to looking good. But if you learn
to use the airplanes correctly in that environment, you can at least
make it look "passable" :-)
Dudley Henriques

Bob Hoover made a Shrike look pretty good ... at least to my eye! :-)

Matt


You're right. Bob's speciality is "smooth" acro. In all the many years
I've watched and known him, I"ve never seen anyone quite as smooth with
an airplane as he has been.
Dudley Henriques

I've only seen him twice "in person", but he sure made it look easy. I'd
kill for half of his skill.

Matt

He is good; no doubt about it. Not only that, but he's consistently good,
and in the demonstration business, consistency is what keeps you alive. It's
easy to be good on any given day, but to remain good for the years Bob has
been flying professionally, is the true mark of his ability.
Dudley Henriques

"Dudley Henriques" wrote in message ...

"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
news
Dudley Henriques wrote:

"houstondan" wrote in message
oups.com...

aerobatics in a cessna or citabria-type ship are much more elegant.
ain't no snappin a 30-foot wingspan on a little light craft like that.

dan


Actually, snaps are very good in both the Citabria and the Aerobat and
represent their "best" capability in the acro environment. It's the roll
rate that's the "problem" with these two airplanes. The drag in roll is
so great you need a disproportionate amount of vertical space to execute
anything in roll that even comes close to looking good. But if you learn
to use the airplanes correctly in that environment, you can at least make
it look "passable" :-)
Dudley Henriques

Bob Hoover made a Shrike look pretty good ... at least to my eye! :-)

Matt

You're right. Bob's speciality is "smooth" acro. In all the many years I've
watched and known him, I"ve never seen anyone quite as smooth with an
airplane as he has been.
Dudley Henriques


Julie Clark prides herself on smoothness, too.

John R. Copeland wrote:


Julie Clark prides herself on smoothness, too.


Can she pour a glass of water while doing a roll?

Matt

"Matt Whiting" wrote in message ...
John R. Copeland wrote:


Julie Clark prides herself on smoothness, too.


Can she pour a glass of water while doing a roll?

Matt

Probably.
But Bob Hoover can even do that backhanded!

"John R. Copeland" wrote in message
...
"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
John R. Copeland wrote:


Julie Clark prides herself on smoothness, too.


Can she pour a glass of water while doing a roll?

Matt

Probably.
But Bob Hoover can even do that backhanded!

Not taking anything away from Bob, who is one of the finest pilots in the
world, but that iced tea on the glareshield is really no big deal for any
trained aerobatic pilot. There are two distinct factors involved in doing a
barrel roll correctly and keeping it centered all the way around. The
easiest is keeping positive g on the airplane through the roll which isn't
all that hard. The REAL hard part, and what will get you a lap full of iced
tea every time, is misuse of the rudder during the roll that enters even a
smidgen of either positive or negative yaw into the roll equation. If your
rudder work isn't PERFECTLY coordinated for the amount of aileron and
elevator you are using in the roll, that glass will SLIDE sideways and end
up right in your lap.
Again, any good acro pilot can keep it centered.
Bob is a great showman as well as being a great pilot. I've never known him
to pass up an opportunity at being a good showman. The iced tea on the panel
is just one small thing that demonstrates Bob's tremendous ability to
combine skill with showmanship.
Dudley Henriques