Soaring Safety

On Feb 16, 9:04*am, Jim White
wrote:

I dont think anyone has discussed airspeed in this
thread. My glider has crap airelon authority at 50kts
but at Va it is very good. Isn't safety near rocks
a factor of speed? If you are belting along at a Va
would you not be able to pull up / fly away from the
cliff if you needed to?

Combs' article says that your ailerons will not be able to overcome
the rolling tendency produced by 500 fpm differential lift on your
wings. He doesn't say at what speed that is, but even if it's at 60
kts and you're flying 80, there will be some differential lift you
cannot overcome. It pushes you further out on the bell shaped curve
(or whatever shape that curve takes), but it doesn't say it cannot
happen. It just happens less frequently.

If anyone has data for modern sailplanes at different speeds, please
chime in.

Martin