Mild Aerobatics

My plane is 54 years old. Other than the occaisonal 2 G turn, I don't do
anything vaguely aerobatic with it. Heck, I'm somewhat embarrased that I
can't even remember the last time I did an accellerated stall in it.

Not that knowing how to do some simple maneuvers isn't useful. My
primary flight instructer was once rolled 150 degrees or so due to wake
turbulence. Even though he was at about a thousand feet, he had the
sense enough to contine the roll all the way around. Don't know if I
would have been so quick witted.

--
Frank Stutzman
Bonanza N494B "Hula Girl"
Hood River, OR

Jay Honeck wrote:
Just curious -- what do you guys do with your spam cans? I've seen video
from inside a Cessna that shows a guy doing some pretty radical maneuvers,
but in real life what's the most you push your aircraft?


Chandelles in the C-172 and PA-28R-201. I've spun C-150s / 152s / 172s. I've
crashed C-210 / PA323R-300.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

Steep banks are about it. More than anything I practice the normal
"precision" maneuvers, practicing smoothness and fluidity. The commercial
maneuvers really aren't aerobatics, but I practice them just to see how bad
I can screw up a Lazy 8. Chandelles are fun and take some work to do
correctly, mostly a planning maneuver.

Nick and I went out for a bit last night, he wanted to fly over the house so
I did some clearing turns and a few 60 degree banks. He thought it was
cool. That big ole Aztec just rolls into and out of those banks sooooo
sweet, and with just the right touch on the throttles holds the altitude
perfectly.

I have seen some amazing things done with Aztecs though, nothing I'd ever
recommend or try, especially in a twin. There is a company in ND that uses
them for crop dusting (more government contract bug work than anything)
really some cranking and banking.

Jim

Why not practice some of the commercial pilot maneuvers? Lazy eights are
nowhere near aerobatics but they will make you be precise. Eights on pylons
will get you comfortable with steep banks near the ground.

Rod

Just curious -- what do you guys do with your spam cans? I've seen video
from inside a Cessna that shows a guy doing some pretty radical maneuvers,
but in real life what's the most you push your aircraft?
--

Well, my favorite eye-opener for select passengers is a lazy eight.
It's a non-aerobatic manuever but it looks and feels like one to the
unitiated - especially when done sloppily. A turn in a lazy eight feels
like a wing-over and is probably quite close to what Bob did.

I'm not sure of the technical description for a wingover but if you keep
the pitch and bank under 45 I guess it's technically non-acro(?). You
don't even have to get close to those figures to get the desired effect.

I've had the benefit of formal acro training (gliders) and lot's of
informal practice (gliders). Stall turns and wingovers (whatever they
are) can get dangerous so it's nothing to play with without instruction.
But non-acro 'wingovers' and lazy eights are easy and fun as long as
know where the limits are.

Now if I can just get my hands on that clown that snapped a C150 on me
during my pre-solo....

Jay Honeck wrote:
During primary training, many moons ago, I was growing frustrated with the
sedate nature of our flying, so I asked my flight instructor (Bob -- a guy
with 20K hours in every known flying machine) when we were going to get to
the "fun stuff"? He didn't know what I was talking about, so I told him I
wanted to see what these things could actually *do*...

At which point he smiled that crooked smile of his, and proceeded to do a
wing-over with a recovery out the bottom, going the opposite direction! I
was whooping and hollering for more, but he just went back to our lesson for
the day....

Nowadays, Mary and I are very cautious in our Pathfinder, rarely exceeding
45 degree banks, and never pulling more than mild G turns. Mary hates steep
banks (except in a Super Decathlon -- then all bets are off!), and the most
rambunctious thing we ever do are "Up-Downs" (as the kids call them), which
is a firm pull up with a steady push-over at the top that induces negative
Gs in the back seat.

Just curious -- what do you guys do with your spam cans? I've seen video
from inside a Cessna that shows a guy doing some pretty radical maneuvers,
but in real life what's the most you push your aircraft?

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news_JKe.239722$x96.59507@attbi_s72...
During primary training, many moons ago, I was growing frustrated with the
sedate nature of our flying, so I asked my flight instructor (Bob -- a guy
with 20K hours in every known flying machine) when we were going to get to
the "fun stuff"? He didn't know what I was talking about, so I told him I
wanted to see what these things could actually *do*...

At which point he smiled that crooked smile of his, and proceeded to do a
wing-over with a recovery out the bottom, going the opposite direction!
I was whooping and hollering for more, but he just went back to our lesson
for the day....

Jay, I'm surprised at you. This sounds almost like, "Hey, watch this!"
Weren't you not long ago pondering your son's flying with his pals, someday?

At which point he smiled that crooked smile of his, and proceeded to do a
wing-over with a recovery out the bottom, going the opposite direction! I
was whooping and hollering for more, but he just went back to our lesson
for the day....

Jay, I'm surprised at you. This sounds almost like, "Hey, watch this!"
Weren't you not long ago pondering your son's flying with his pals,
someday?

Ah, yes -- but I was young and foolish back then!

Which, of course, is precisely why I'm going to be worried when my kid(s)
gets his/her ticket...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
Ah, yes -- but I was young and foolish back then!
Which, of course, is precisely why I'm going to be worried when my kid(s)
gets his/her ticket...

The year is now 2007, the sticker next to the door on Atlas read:
"My other airplane is a Pitts!"

As opposed to the one that is there now on this low-wing troglodyte that
says: "This girly-girl low winger is the Pits."

{;-)

Jim


The year is now 2007, the sticker next to the door on Atlas read:
"My other airplane is a Pitts!"

Jay Honeck wrote:

Just curious -- what do you guys do with your spam cans? I've seen video
from inside a Cessna that shows a guy doing some pretty radical maneuvers,
but in real life what's the most you push your aircraft?

I've owned a Cessna 150 and a Maule MX-7. Neither were certified for aerobatic
maneuvers, and the Maule was placarded against spins and other aerobatics.
Closest I intentionally came to radical maneuvers in either was ~50 degree
turns. One of my instructors was going to show me chandelles in the 150 (it was
certified for those), but we never got around to it.

I allowed one of my "Young Eagles" to do some of what you call "Ups & Downs"
once. Her two friends in the back seat became pretty queasy in short order and
were not pleased with her. That sort of thing got removed from the menu for my
flights.

George Patterson
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks.