Debunking Glider Spoiler Turns Causing Spin Thinking

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 1:37:48 PM UTC-5, Tango Eight wrote:
On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 1:24:53 PM UTC-4, kirk.stant wrote:

Bottom line, I think it helps to get everything set on downwind (gear, flaps, initial spoiler setting, airspeed) then concentrate on flying a safe pattern. To me, messing with flaps and spoilers while making base and final turns and changing aircraft configuration throughout the pattern is asking for trouble (see all the ASW-20s that crashed early on with the gear cycling on final, ex-Libelle pilots thinking they were pulling the spoilers!)

What helps even more is starting with the POH before developing your own type specific procedures :-).

For instance: Landing flaps in the 20 are reserved for final approach, per the POH, for a whole bunch of very good reasons.

-Evan Ludeman / T8

Obviously, type-specific procedures specified in the POH take precedence. In the case of the LS6, it pretty much just says "for landing, put flaps in L". Having flown the 20, I totally agree with the POH procedure!

My point is that it's possible to make a landing pattern procedure so complicated that the pilot's attention is distracted "by doing everything in the right sequence at the right time" - forgetting that the most important thing is to arrive on short final at a suitable airspeed and height, and at the desired location!

Kirk
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