AoA keep it going!

Wayne Paul wrote:
"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message
news:gi2bj.303$pi7.43@trndny02...
Nyal Williams wrote:
No one seems to have observed that the AoA is instantaneous
whereas the ASI indicates what the aircraft was doing
moments ago.
I don't think this is true: all the ASI I've had or checked seemed to
respond in less than a second. Surely that's fast enough to keep up with
the glider? Just try blowing gently into a pitot and see how quick the
needle is. If takes "moments" to respond, you should check the indicator
and the pitot line.

The reason we are told to "fly attitude and don't chase the airspeed" is
it takes the glider a while settle down to a steady speed, not because the
ASI is slow.

Eric,

Just a short observation. If you had an AOA you would notice an AOA
increase as you open your spoilers while maintaining a constant speed and a
decrease as you closed them.

True, but the ASI is still indicating correctly, not lagging as Nyal
seemed to suggest.

So, do we fly the same AOA with the spoilers open as when they are
closed? Supposed they are just "cracked" open, half open, fully open -
do I need to know a different AOA for each spoiler position?

And if I use landing flaps for the landing instead of the thermal flap
setting, do I need to yet another list of AOA for different spoiler
settings?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org