Hi Jay;

I realize that you are offering this question in the context of a "normal"
flight situation for the average safe pilot flying an average GA light
airplane safely, and considering that, I would say the following.
There are pilots out here who will "push" their normal/utility category GA
airplanes and those who won't. The smart ones don't "push" their airplanes
at all. The reason for this is that there are two factors involved. You have
a POH that offers you figures to follow that define your flight envelope,
then you have the reality involved with an aging airplane.
Considering both factors, it's simply smart flying to keep the "excursions"
from normal flight to an absolute minimum. This is not to say that the
airplane will fall apart on you if you do a little "not straight and level"
flying with it, but it does say that doing this in aging airplanes can
increase that aging process somewhat.
My advice as an aerobatic instructor to pilots flying light GA airplanes in
the normal category is simply to use their heads and don't stray too far
into "working" the airplane.
I always use a favorite analogy of mine when answering on this issue when
asked.
G........any g...on an airplane is cumulative. It can add up on you. If
someone gently poked their finger into your arm it wouldn't hurt very much
the first time they did it; but if they poked that finger into your arm at
exactly the same spot a hundred times in a row, that last time could hurt a
bunch :-)))
Bottom line for GA pilots wanting to "play" a bit..........fly the
book....and as the airplane ages.........ease off the airplane even a bit
more. Go rent the Decathlon and have some fun!!!!
Dudley



"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....

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
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"