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Old July 29th 03, 09:03 AM
Dave Martin
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The danger here is that we are talking theory where
we may start to confuse pilots. It is harder to stall
with 60 degrees of bank. Gliders like the K13, by
design run out of elevator in straight and level flight.
They are difficult when flown with heavy pilots to
develop more than a mushing stall in sraight and level
flight.

Put light -- bottom weigh pilots in and they become
a different glider.

The Puchacz on the other hand has plenty of rear elevator
even when banked, quite steeply.

There can be some dangerous assumptions that gliders
will not spin.

The pilot must know the limitations and characteristics
of the glider he/she is flying. This can only be achieved
by carefully experimenting with different configurations
and different flight situations.

Gliders with reputations that they will not spin, can
catch pilots out who load them wrongly, fly them badly
or worse combine both.

Dave Martin

Get some empirical experience. Hop in a G-103, circle
at 60deg bank and
bring the stick back to the stop. If properly rigged,
it will not stall.
Do the same in straight and level flight. It will
stall, in a mushy sort of
way depending on loading. Also, in a G-103, you will
get more elevator
authority in tight turns by moving the trim forward.

This is not true of all gliders, but clearly in a 60deg
bank, the G-103 is
stall proof by design.

Frank Whiteley