Yaw String in a Spin

It means exactly the same rudder direction you apply
in any other, non spinning, yawed condition (how could
it be otherwise as the string doesn't change its mode
of action in a spin?). The front end of a yaw string
is stuck to the canopy and if the loose end is pointing
left in a spin you apply apply right rudder.

I have never heard of anyone referring to the front
end of the yaw string being the way that it is pointing.
If they do that in the States the wording could
be changed. However, since pilots have ingrained into
thenm the wording 'full opposite rudder' for spin recovery,
I would strongly suggest retaining the word 'opposite'
and referring to the loose end of the yaw string as
the way it points.

There is nothing new to learn in what I suggest - I
just picked it up from Reichmann's book. The change
in emphasisis just that the attention is directed to
the yaw string in any case of doubt rather than to
watching the houses whirling about.

John Galloway


At 19:00 16 January 2005, Greg Arnold wrote:
'Apply full rudder opposite to the direction of the
yaw string' -- what
does that mean? What is the direction of the yaw string?
If the loose
end of the yaw string is on the right side of the canopy,
is the
direction of the yaw string to the right, or is it
to the left?

I think you mean that if the loose end of the yaw string
is on the right
side of canopy, you apply right rudder? Or the opposite
of the normal rule?




The yaw string *always* points to the inside of a
spin
(according the Reichmann and others) and modifying
the teaching to 'apply full rudder opposite to the
direction of the yaw string' would be a more certain
way of choosing the life rudder pedal rather than
the
death one at low altitude

John Galloway wrote:
It means exactly the same rudder direction you apply
in any other, non spinning, yawed condition (how could
it be otherwise as the string doesn't change its mode
of action in a spin?). The front end of a yaw string
is stuck to the canopy and if the loose end is pointing
left in a spin you apply apply right rudder.

I have never heard of anyone referring to the front
end of the yaw string being the way that it is pointing.

Really? I picked it up somewhere in my instruction. Something to the
effect of "Think of the yaw string as an arrow with the head attached to
the canopy. It points to the the rudder pedal you need to push to
coordinate."
Seemed very natural and simple to me.

Shawn

Really? I picked it up somewhere in my instruction. Something to the
effect of "Think of the yaw string as an arrow with the head attached to
the canopy. It points to the the rudder pedal you need to push to
coordinate." Seemed very natural and simple to me.

Yes. I use this most often with transitioning power pilots who are
taught to "step on the ball" of the inclinometer ("step on the head of
the arrow"). With ab initio glider pilots I start with telling them to
add rudder on the opposite side of where the tail of the string is
pointing. If that doesn't work, I switch to the above.

Tony V.

John Galloway wrote:
It means exactly the same rudder direction you apply
in any other, non spinning, yawed condition (how could
it be otherwise as the string doesn't change its mode
of action in a spin?). The front end of a yaw string
is stuck to the canopy and if the loose end is pointing
left in a spin you apply apply right rudder.


Are you sure? Imagine a flat spin. If the loose end is pointing to the
left, doesn't that mean yoiu are spinning to the right? So don't you
want left rudder?