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bransom(at)ucdavis.edu
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 Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:57 pm Post subject: Crow Hopping -- was WSullivan's accident |
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Although it's as old as Seafoam discussions, I dare post my own opinion
again on "crow hopping". It's probably 10 years, so what the heck, here
it is. I am a proponent of them, in ultralights, if done after dual
training in a like aircraft.
Crow hopping has two key pieces: Foremost is getting there in baby
steps. Second, keep a mindset of very minor throttle changes, whether
they be increase or decrease in rpm, and similarly, stay with minimal
stick pitch changes. And I'm talking dual here!!
I had 4.5 hours of transition training in a 2-place phantom many years
ago. Most of that was crow hops, which started out as taxi, then fast
taxi, etc. By hour 3 I would go down the runway just at flying speed,
jockeying all 4 control inputs as needed. Important too, no wind until
I was pretty good at it. I did a lot of flight with wheels 0 to 2ft
AGL. No sudden moves, no surprises. Guess what, I got darn good at
controlling the plane in that configuration, even adding in wind. When
it came time to test fly my never before flown Firestar, I was confident
of being able to handle transition issues near the ground.
I'm posting just for the record that there are at least some (or at
least one  ) who maintain that learning crow hopping properly is a
good thing. Flying at altitude -- that's a lot simpler, and should be
optional.
-Ben/ KXP
ps: All the best to you William -- get well soon.
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lucien
Joined: 03 Jun 2007
Posts: 721
Location: santa fe, NM
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: Crow Hopping -- was WSullivan's accident |
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| bransom(at)ucdavis.edu wrote: | Although it's as old as Seafoam discussions, I dare post my own opinion
again on "crow hopping". It's probably 10 years, so what the heck, here
it is. I am a proponent of them, in ultralights, if done after dual
training in a like aircraft.
Crow hopping has two key pieces: Foremost is getting there in baby
steps. Second, keep a mindset of very minor throttle changes, whether
they be increase or decrease in rpm, and similarly, stay with minimal
stick pitch changes. And I'm talking dual here!!
I had 4.5 hours of transition training in a 2-place phantom many years
ago. Most of that was crow hops, which started out as taxi, then fast
taxi, etc. By hour 3 I would go down the runway just at flying speed,
jockeying all 4 control inputs as needed. Important too, no wind until
I was pretty good at it. I did a lot of flight with wheels 0 to 2ft
AGL. No sudden moves, no surprises. Guess what, I got darn good at
controlling the plane in that configuration, even adding in wind. When
it came time to test fly my never before flown Firestar, I was confident
of being able to handle transition issues near the ground.
I'm posting just for the record that there are at least some (or at
least one ) who maintain that learning crow hopping properly is a
good thing. Flying at altitude -- that's a lot simpler, and should be
optional.
-Ben/ KXP
ps: All the best to you William -- get well soon. |
I'll add my .02 on crow-hopping, mostly because it deceptively gets pilots in trouble.....
In my experience, the crow hop is actually a pretty advanced maneuver and one that requires pretty intimate familiarity with the plane, more so than simply blasting off and landing normally.
So I think it should be done only after some time in normal flight modes in the plane has been accumulated.
I'll never tell why I know this, so don't ask....
LS
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LS
Titan II SS |
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Ralph B
Joined: 14 Apr 2007
Posts: 367
Location: Mound Minnesota
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| Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:13 am Post subject: Re: Crow Hopping -- was WSullivan's accident |
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We all have opinions on crow-hopping when learning to fly. I agree with Lucien as it's a setup for a crash. The problem is that a Kolb will hop into the air too quickly and catch the pilot by surprise. When this happens, the pilot cuts the throttle, stalls the plane, and down she goes very hard. This is classic and I have heard many a Kolb pilot hurt or crash their planes this way.
Once I test flew an Ultrastar for a guy. After I was done with it, I told him that if he got into the air, to give it throttle and go for it. He took off and chopped the throttle (just what I told him not to do). I witnessed an accident that day. He wasn't hurt, but the Ultrastar was.
Ralph
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Ralph B
Kolb Kolbra 912uls
N20386
550 hours |
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