Flying straight and level in a cloud without an artificial horizon
will only last for about 30 seconds at most since the turbulence, G'
loads etc will soon cause you
to make incorrect control inputs and ussually results in overspeeding
and overstressing the structure before you exit the cloud.

Funny, people seem to survive in clouds just fine using only needle,
speedle, and airball. Do some research, please. I will agree that an
attitude indicator make life a lot easier and safer. But then so does
a great big WFOV HUD and an autopilot...you use what you got.

If you have the sense to do it quickly and deliberately you can
slowly
put the stick back and then leave it in the lower right corner with
full right rudder and get yourself into a stable spin which by its
very nature will not descend to quickly nor overstress the aircraft,
although you might get queezy after 10+ turns .......once clear of
cloud you can do a normal spin recovery without having overstressed
anything and live to learn never to do that sort of thing again
without the proper instruments.

Only in some gliders - older ones mainly. Try that in some of the
modern racing ships (elevator limited - such as my LS6) and you will
definitely come out at VNE+ in a graveyard spiral! But if you are in
your 1-26 - go ahead and spin down. (But look up the geezer in Florida
who pulled a wing off his 1-26 that way. Survived, though).

By the way, we are talking about legal cloud flying with the proper
ratings, and equipment.


You will also find out if your C of G was in the proper range if you
are unable to recover from the spin.
All airworthy soundly designed gliders should be capable of a
predictable, repeatable spin recovery when in the proper C of G
range.

Most modern gliders can't be put in a stable spin - they are elevator
limited. At best, you get a quarter turn before it turns into a
spiral - bad news IMC!

If not then dont fly it, because its not airworthy and will kill you
the first time you mess up!!!

Applies to all aircraft. Any bozo in a C-152 can kill himself in a
cloud. Why do you assume gliders are any different?

Kirk
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