Mild Aerobatics

On Thu, 11 Aug 2005 16:49:07 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

As another reference point (and a crude way of measuring the negative Gs), I
routinely read about guys doing the "up-down" maneuver to the point where
their engine sputters due to fuel starvation.

I've done that with Cherokees since the 1960s. It doesn't hurt them
at all. And it is a wonderful way to teach the kids about physics.
It's called a parabolic arc and it's not an aerobatic maneuver.

Since that flight I've carefully
inspected the empennage, and there is obviously no visible stress or strain,
or I wouldn't be flying it -- but how can you really know without extensive
metallurgic testing?

Think about it Jay. When you're just flying along, there is a large
load on the the stabilator forcing the tail down to make the plane
stable (hence the term). When you "unload" the stabilator you've
given it a nice little rest.

I knew a pilot with a Commanche that put 50 pounds of lead in the tail
cone. It made it go faster. Really not that much faster, but the
plane flew better. That was also a long time ago! And I loved flying
that Commanche.


If you've ever looked at the stabilator attachment on a Cherokee you will
marvel at the simplicity and apparent fragility of the design, so inducing
excessive negative-G is something we never, ever do.

Don't ever look closely at a helicopter.

Mike Weller