Torque and P-factor

On Sunday, August 11, 2013 10:54:08 AM UTC-4, Marten Kemp wrote:
I'm a 200-hour private pilot and was wondering about

torque and P-factor effects in high-powered aircraft,

especially warbirds.



From what I've read they could be significant,

especially during takeoff and landing, and were a major

reason for operational write-offs. Narrow-track gear

were especially vulnerable.



With my most robust flying being in a 182 about the

only experience with P-factor was with a little

pull to the left on takeoff.



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-- Marten Kemp (Fix ISP to reply)

You are correct. The forces can be considerable, especially at low airspeed, high angle of attack and during changes in pitch.
One thing to remember concerning this is that although spiral slipstream forces, gyroscopic precession, and P Factor are yaw associated, torque is a correction in ROLL not yaw.
These forces are easily controlled by proper control use, allowing dynamic pressure to develop on control surfaces via airspeed, and carefully controlled changes in pitch.
Dudley Henriques