On Feb 28, 5:08*pm, tommytoyz wrote:
I hate to drag up this topic again, because I know it is
controversial. But I can't stop thinking about it. This is an issue I
actively think about when flying in the mountains, which I mostly do.

Know let's simulate this for a second. Walk along any wall 1-2 feet
away or less - that's you flying along a mountain below ridge level.
Now something upsets you and start turning into the wall. What do you
do to not smack into it? What do you do if normal control inputs can
not correct in time?

Asking myself this, I simulated what it would take to make a quick
steep turn away from the mountain. Firstly, as we all know, making a
steep quick turn requires a steep bank angle, the more the better - so
long as we have the airspeed to do it.

So I figured that if my mountain side wing was pushed 45 degrees down
by the upset, I would only need another 46 degrees in the some
direction to be able to turn the other way, by pushing the stick. This
would only take maybe 2 seconds (maybe less if your being turned that
way anyway) in a 15 M ship with good airspeed, that should be carried
in close proximity to terrain anyway.

So the previous objections that it would take too long or be
disorienting, I find not a little overblown. However, once turned away
from the mountain, one would need to be careful in regaining a normal
flight position.

I'll be trying this with an aerobatic instructor and see what happens.
I just can't see any other way out of that situation when you are
asked - what do you do? when you're facing the mountain with a wing
down and probably tail high or rising.

Continuing the rotation another 46 degrees or more and pushing on the
stick to increase the angle of attack to turn, should turn the ship
away from the mountain quickest.

It's always good to think of possible accident scenarios before hand.

In the specific situation you are describing - upset next to a sheer
mountain face - the quickest way to get clear might be just to stuff
the stick forward to unload the wing and accelerate, then roll away
from the mountain as you regain roll authority, pulling hard g as soon
as your lift vector is paralles or away from the mountain. You might
exceed Vne, but not by much.

Trying to roll underneath will result in a vertical dive unless you
push hard from the beginning. Extemely uncomfortable and disorienting
without training and practice. And again, what kind of glider are you
in? A 1-26 (might work) or a Nimbus 3 (no way)?

If the upset is so severe that you end up pointing straight down, then
you don't want to push, since your negative g limit is a lot lower
(usually). So you are back to rolling the quickest way away from the
mountain, then pulling as hard as you can.

This assumes you are going slow to begin with. If you are fast, you
will probably have enough control authority to stop the upset.

Acro training is great! Let us know what you think of it - I think
you will be surprised at what you can (and can't) do in a glider.

Cheers,

Kirk
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