Mild Aerobatics

Jay Honeck wrote:

However, I did (and still) wonder about putting that much negative-G on our
34 year old airframe. Without a G meter it's impossible to know how much G
was induced, but I'd say it was 50% more than I've ever done before. (The
only negative G maneuver I ever do is the push-over at the top of a steep
pull-up, known by my kids as an "Up-Down".) Was 50% more too much?

Jay,

As others have pointed out, you alomst certainly didn't hit much
negative g or you'd really know it. A full negative 1 g would result
in you hitting the straps firmly, loose objects flying all around
inside of the airplane, and a dust storm you can't imagine from the
carpet in a 'clean' airplane (trust me on that one). Negative 2 takes
work. Negative 3 *hurts*.

Think about it this way: when you unloaded the wing the airplane's
primary structure was actually under less stress than it had been while
cruising along straight-n-level... it was no longer carrying any
weight! I don't know what the loads on the tail are when you push
over, but I'm betting that they're not that much, either.

No fears.... Atlas remains trustworthy.

-Dave Russell
N2S-3