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PW-5 longitudinal pitch oscillation



 
 
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  #21  
Old September 14th 17, 03:38 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default PW-5 longitudinal pitch oscillation

On Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 5:38:43 PM UTC-6, wrote:
Am considering buying a PW-5 as my first single-seater for a variety of reasons, but the one aspect I don't like is that in rough air the tail is easily pitched up in flight from unexpected gusts once I'm off tow. This one's been weighed & balanced recently and its CG is perfectly centered within its designed range.

I'm on the light side for a glider pilot, so in two-seaters I often add extra ballast when my second seat is empty. However, I see these tail-high excursions even with extra ballast in one of the Grob 103s I frequently fly solo in (but not the other Grob 103), so I am wondering whether additional forward ballast would successfully reduce the magnitude or incidence in the PW-5.

Are there any light PW-5 pilots who have resorted to additional ballast or some change to their flight habits to reduce uncommanded tail-up pitching? And if so, how effective has that change been?

Cheers,
Chris


Don't buy a PW. Buy a Libelle or Std. Cirrus of LS-1 for the same or a little bit less of cost for much more performance.

Collin
  #22  
Old September 18th 17, 06:31 PM
Squeaky Squeaky is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JS[_5_] View Post
On Wednesday, September 13, 2017 at 6:10:58 PM UTC-7, wrote:
So I increased the ballast weight in the PW-5 from parachute + 20 pounds to parachute + 40 pounds. The pitch stability increased noticeably, i.e. uncommanded nose-down excursions diminished.

Thanks all; I've enjoyed reading about model gliders and changes upon entering thermals.


In my only flight in the PeeWee had hoped to do spins.
Couldn't get it to stall, even accelerated, so gave up on spins.
That was with no nose weight. Perhaps it could use tail weight?
Like the OP, with way forward C/G, didn't notice any tendency to oscillate in pitch. It still climbed well, don't ask about cruise.
Did notice turbulence perhaps from the large access hole in the horizontal stab. Now there is no World Class and associated rules, that design problem could be fixed with mylar.
Jim
Well, the POH is pretty clear at higher pilot weights the aircraft will NOT stall with full aft stick...
 




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