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Thanks for the Spins Rich



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 12th 03, 03:00 AM
David B. Cole
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Default Thanks for the Spins Rich

Today I had an opportunity to fly with Rich Stowell as part of his
annual Emergency Maneuver Training Clinic in NJ. Yesterday we
experienced low viz and fairly low ceilings the entire day with even
worse forecast for today, so it didn't look good for us. But today
turned out to be an almost perfect Fall day with temperatures in the
high 60's to lower 70's.

When I arrived at the airport I was greeted by Rich, the airport
owners and clinic hosts Linda and Corky, and two other students that
had flown with Rich earlier and were going up again for a second
session. After chatting for awhile he started the ground school where
we discussed the maneuvers we would do, how to operate the parachute,
and a host of other questions on emergencies. One of the guys who had
gone in the morning was scheduled to fly first after the ground
school, but he was willing to give up his spot to me. As reality
started to set in about what was soon to happen I became a little
anxious, but took his offer to go up first.

After getting acquainted with the Super Decathlon, which is a great
plane, and getting strapped in, we started up and he allowed me to
taxi to the active, do the runup, and takeoff. They aren't kidding
when they say you have to be constantly on your toes in a taildragger.
After takeoff we climbed to about 4000' to do some dutch rolls.
Initially I was a little timid with the ailerons, but eventually got
it together although my feet were still slower than I would have
liked. After the dutch rolls we moved on to a few power-off stalls.
Again, you have to be on your toes as the nose has more of a tendency
than the 172 to drop off to either side if you're too slow on the
rudder.

After a few power-off stalls performed while looking straight ahead,
we did a series where I had to pick an object off to the side and
focus on it throughout the entire stall. The tendency was to stop
looking at the selected object and to look toward the nose as the
stall broke, which causes even more disorientation and
overcontrolling. But after awhile you can not only sense what the
nose is doing by looking at that object, but you can also feel what
corrections need to be made during the recovery without looking out
over the nose. Following this we did the same exercise with power on
stalls, followed by a falling leaf where Rich kept the plane stalled
and I attempted to keep the wings level with the rudder.

Then he asked if I was ready for a couple spins, to which I anxiously
said yes. No demonstration needed, he talked me through the first
spin and I did it myself. Power back, 5 knots above stall kick in the
rudder and continue pulling. All I can say is "Wow!", the quickness
which with you go from looking at the sky to looking at ground is
incredible. Again Rich talked me through the recovery and before I
knew it we were straight and level and I was asking for more. Don't
get me wrong, the remaining three were still somewhat disorienting
because everything happens so quickly and the world is spinning around
pretty fast, but the actual departure wasn't a surprise anymore.

After the second spin Rich told me that I had as many spins as most
instructors, which I found to be very sad. On the third spin I
released the elevator backpressure just a bit too quickly and the
rotations sped up briefly, which was wild. On the way back to the
airport we did both an aileron roll and a loop and I was as giddy as a
schoolgirl. I was surprised that I didn't have any reservation with
just cranking the aileron full left and watching us go from upright
to inverted, then back to upright. And the loop, that was a total
thrill. I had a little more reservation with pulling the stick all
the way back for the loop than I had with the ailerons in the roll,
but before I knew it the sky disappeared, I was looking out over the
wing, and then the ground came back into view. No discomfort, and
although the G-meter registered about 3.5G's, I didn't really notice
it. Now my landing back at the field, that I'll keep to myself.

I would have to say that with the exception of becoming a pilot in the
first place, this was probably the best money I've spent since
beginning flying. While I certainly plan to exercise the same caution
I always have, my confidence has certainly increased since the specter
of the unknown is no longer there. But my respect for spins has also
increased, especially seeing the amount of altitude that we lost in
that one turn. I hope to make it to Cali to work with Rich more, but
also plan to pursue some additional aerobatic training here in the
area. I know some of you have already flown with Rich, but if you
haven't then do whatever you can to get some time with him. Not only
is he a great guy, but he is a great instructor that will make you
feel at ease. And if you're in the Jersey area, try to get on the
list for next year's clinic at Alexandria Field (N85). It's an
absolutely beautiful airport and I found myself there for a few hours
afterwards because of the fascinating backdrop of mountain ridges and
the amazing Fall colors.

Dave
  #2  
Old October 12th 03, 12:55 PM
Kevin Horton
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Default

On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 20:00:31 -0700, David B. Cole wrote:


After takeoff we
climbed to about 4000' to do some dutch rolls. Initially I was a little
timid with the ailerons, but eventually got it together although my feet
were still slower than I would have liked. After the dutch rolls we
moved on to a few power-off stalls. Again, you have to be on your toes
as the nose has more of a tendency than the 172 to drop off to either
side if you're too slow on the rudder.


Great write up.

One very small nit to pick - I know a lot of people think a dutch roll is
a manoeuvre where the pilot it actively making the aircraft roll back
and forth around a point. But the term properly means a combined yawing
and rolling oscillation that the aircraft does all by itself.

It is hard to have clear communication when we have words that
mean different things to different people.

For a rant on the mis-use of the term dutch roll, see:
http://www.douglasdc3.com/sohn/41.htm

For what Bill Kershner thinks about it:
http://pulsar.westmont.edu/aeronca/d...ques/0080.html

For descriptions of what dutch roll is:
http://www.rmcs.cranfield.ac.uk/aeroxtra/dtcstab7.htm
http://www.av8n.com/how/htm/equilib.html

And to show that dutch roll is not just an issue with swept-wing jets:
http://www.berkutengineering.com/pag...rtav898-3.html

--
Kevin Horton
Ottawa, Canada
e-mail: khorton02(_at_)rogers(_dot_)com
http://go.phpwebhosting.com/~khorton/rv8/

  #3  
Old October 12th 03, 07:17 PM
Andrew Gideon
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Default

David B. Cole wrote:

I would have to say that with the exception of becoming a pilot in the
first place, this was probably the best money I've spent since
beginning flying.


Wow. Thanks, David. I'm eager for my slot next weekend.

- Andrew

  #4  
Old October 12th 03, 09:19 PM
Flynn
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Default

Great write up. I took a 3-day, 5 mission EMT course based on Rich's work
down in Arizona this spring and went to a WINGS seminar that Rich did this
fall. I completely agree that this is some of the best $ spent after the
private lessons. I came away feeling much more in control of the airplane
and with significantly enhanced understanding of what it means to fly.

And...aerobatics are sooo much fun.!

Fly safe and fly fast!

--
Patrick Flynn
Sammamish, WA
Cirrus SR22 N6099Z KRNT


"David B. Cole" wrote in message
m...
Today I had an opportunity to fly with Rich Stowell as part of his
annual Emergency Maneuver Training Clinic in NJ. Yesterday we
experienced low viz and fairly low ceilings the entire day with even
worse forecast for today, so it didn't look good for us. But today
turned out to be an almost perfect Fall day with temperatures in the
high 60's to lower 70's.

Much snipped

Dave



  #5  
Old October 12th 03, 10:44 PM
David B. Cole
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Default

You should be my friend. I'm actually on the waitlist just in case
any additional spots open during the week. Hopefully the weather will
be as nice next weekend as it was this weekend, that way you can
really enjoy the character of the airport. You should definitely take
the family with you. Call me if you want to catch up and make sure
you ask for a roll and a loop. Funny, sounds like a fast food order.
"Would you like a roll and a loop with your spins?"

Dave

Andrew Gideon wrote in message gonline.com...
David B. Cole wrote:

I would have to say that with the exception of becoming a pilot in the
first place, this was probably the best money I've spent since
beginning flying.


Wow. Thanks, David. I'm eager for my slot next weekend.

- Andrew

  #6  
Old October 13th 03, 12:20 AM
Andrew Gideon
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Default

David B. Cole wrote:

You should definitely take
the family with you.


Why? What would they be doing aside from waiting around during the lecture,
while others were flying, and - eventually - when I'm flying?

- Andrew

  #7  
Old October 13th 03, 06:31 AM
David B. Cole
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Default

Ok, then don't.

Andrew Gideon wrote in message gonline.com...
David B. Cole wrote:

You should definitely take
the family with you.


Why? What would they be doing aside from waiting around during the lecture,
while others were flying, and - eventually - when I'm flying?

- Andrew

  #8  
Old October 13th 03, 06:36 AM
David B. Cole
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Posts: n/a
Default

Patrick,

I've already put my name on the list for next year's seminar here in
NJ, but I may just have to take a trip to CA to spend a few days there
with Rich. In the meantime there is a guy here in NJ that does
aerobatics and one of the planes he has is a Stearman, which I would
love to fly. He was featured in AOPA Pilot a couple of months ago in
the issue where they highlighted Philly in preparation for the Expo.

Dave

"Flynn" wrote in message news:GHiib.743284$YN5.680572@sccrnsc01...
Great write up. I took a 3-day, 5 mission EMT course based on Rich's work
down in Arizona this spring and went to a WINGS seminar that Rich did this
fall. I completely agree that this is some of the best $ spent after the
private lessons. I came away feeling much more in control of the airplane
and with significantly enhanced understanding of what it means to fly.

And...aerobatics are sooo much fun.!

Fly safe and fly fast!

--
Patrick Flynn
Sammamish, WA
Cirrus SR22 N6099Z KRNT


"David B. Cole" wrote in message
m...
Today I had an opportunity to fly with Rich Stowell as part of his
annual Emergency Maneuver Training Clinic in NJ. Yesterday we
experienced low viz and fairly low ceilings the entire day with even
worse forecast for today, so it didn't look good for us. But today
turned out to be an almost perfect Fall day with temperatures in the
high 60's to lower 70's.

Much snipped

Dave

  #9  
Old October 13th 03, 03:57 PM
Andrew Gideon
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

David B. Cole wrote:

Ok, then don't.


Well, you brought it up. I'd like to understand your reasoning.

- Andrew

  #10  
Old October 13th 03, 04:11 PM
Andrew Gideon
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Posts: n/a
Default

David B. Cole wrote:

Patrick,

I've already put my name on the list for next year's seminar here in
NJ, but I may just have to take a trip to CA to spend a few days there
with Rich. In the meantime there is a guy here in NJ that does
aerobatics and one of the planes he has is a Stearman, which I would
love to fly. He was featured in AOPA Pilot a couple of months ago in
the issue where they highlighted Philly in preparation for the Expo.

Dave


Here?

http://www.aopa.org/members/files/pi...8.html#vansant

But that's a PA location, no? Still, it doesn't appear to be too far beyond
Pittstown. Here's more on what they offer the

http://www.vansantairport.com/aeroap.html

But the best part...they actually seem to *rent* the Stearman.

- Andrew

 




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