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Old November 19th 09, 02:40 AM posted to rec.aviation.aerobatics
Orval Fairbairn[_2_]
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Default Dumb question maybe re Stall Turn

In article
,
Surreyrider wrote:

Need someone to settle an argument. I do not fly, so your answers need
to be in laymans terms and hopefully put simply.
I've occasionally watched aerobatic displays and seen a maneouver
called a stall turn. Now, I more or less understand how this works,
but there comes a point, just before the aircraft "turns around" where
it is momentarily stationary in space, pointing directly to the sky..
Impressive stuff. Now, here's the crux: My mate reckons the pilot
could hold the aircraft in this "head-up" attitude almost indefinately
as the prop is acting like a helicopter's rotor and it could
effectively hover in this attitude. I, however, maintain that the
aircraft would begin to spin on it's axis if held in this attitude.for
more than a second or two.

Can anybody tell me who is correct?

Thanks all,

Roy


It all depends on the aircraft. Planes with a very high thrust:weight
ratio could do so, if they have the control authority. Problem is -- at
zero airspeed, neither stick nor rudder-controlled surfaces have any
authority, as they depend on airspeed to make them work.

The maneuver you describe is the "tail slide," where the engine is the
only control left and the plane starts to roll due to torque.

You are correct about the rolling torque.

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