VE3LVO(at)rac.ca
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 Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 5:34 am Post subject: Not the point |
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I don't vote for a TC or T&B as back-up, I vote for an attitude
indicator. Not the point.
I have good sound reasons to say so and it is not based
on any pilot should be able to fly partial panel. It comes
from many years of giving instruction.
What is needed is RECEIVING instruction.
As Bob and others pointed out a T&B or TC does not tell
if the wings are level. I understand Bob's statement if you
are not yawing you are not turning, BUT you are also not
necessarily wings level. The whole point is, YES they are.
Also on the other hand you can be wings level and be
yawing (turning). ...and the T&B says so. Example, a
skidding turn w/ rudder and opposite aileron. Wings
level but yawing. The point is the T&B and TC do not
tell you if the wings are level. In the aircraft under
discussion, you start a turn with rudder - elementary
aerodynamics. Only jet pilots cruise with their feet on
the floor.
Given the choice I would want a pictorial ATTITUDE
indication, with a direct indication of wing (roll) and
pitch, even though I know I can fly a T&B. Not the topic.
With a T&B as long as I keep it upright I am good, but
once you've lost it you're in a pretty bad situation and
may not survive. Statistics bare bear this out. I realize some
auto pilots are Yaw based but than they do a better
job keeping it upright than most pilots. I doubt many
yaw only autopilots can recover from an unusual
attitude. ...nor will cigar lighters. Not the point.
Flying with only a T&B you have no direct indication of
the wings being level. If one rudders the ball into the
middle, it will be level. WHY? ... because the rudder pressure
will right the aircraft.
With an attitude indicator you do, which is better, obviously. I
don't think I am going to With get an argument here.
If operating properly, perhaps.
However to recover from unusual attitude with just
altimeter, airspeed, T&B and slip skid ball (needle ball and
airspeed) is a real talent, and most pilots will NOT survive
if faced with this. (because of advocates against training
for it). This is fact based on studies. Many
vacume failures in IMC, leaving just the T&B has resulted
in the loss of aircraft and crew. What makes us think we
can survive, for real, under high stress actual IMC?
I venture to say more lives are lost from failed attitude
indicators than from failed T&Bs. What is the recourse
to failed AIs? Three of them. One will kill you, Two will
confuse you. But three will get you a majority for survival.
But the minute you are confused as to display, get on the
T&B with rudder.
Who last practiced or last attempted an unusual attitude
recovery under the hood or IMC with just Needle Ball &
airspeed? In my day WE ALL DID. Failure to do so was
failure to graduate.
The best and only way to recover from a unusual nose
low dive or graveyard spiral is level the wings first before
applying back pressure. What is the best way to know
if the wings are level? An ATTITUDE indicator. A real
time pictorial depiction of aircraft roll and pitch. For
decades, AIs tumbled after so many degrees of rotation.
I don't remember the amount, but I'll bet old Bob does.
The only recovery from a failed/tumbled AI was via the
T&B! PS: This is true in the Vampire - a jet we flew before
there was a US jet.in squadron service.
So lets say IMC diving with only a T&B you get it to stop
yawing, where are the wings? Levelling as above.
How do you level the wings? Centre the ball with T&B.
If in a hot homebuilt you are way past Vne and dead.
T&B and TC are dampened. (damped ). They should
not be dampened. Too much dampening (damping) they
are useless for recovery because of the lag. If they don't
have enough damping they are useless because they
are flopping around with any yaw or turbulence.
The damping is regulated by the commisioning authority.
Too much damping is like too much TNT.
I appreciate Bob's old school attitude, but I have been
teaching in aviation for over 20 years and I know the
skills of mere mortals, typical pilots. They respond and
consistently perform better with an attitude display not
a yaw display. Many old time pilots have died trying
to fly after the Vac pump failed. - particularly when the AI
is VAC-driven. The history of real partial plane with real
pilots in real IMC is poor.
I appreciates Bob's pride in being able to fly needle ball
and airspeed. I can do it too. However if you have not
done it, for real in turbulence or IMC in a small home
built with natural roll stability, sensitive control and a
low drag configuration that builds speed very fast when
pointed down hill, I think we would all want a back-up
ATTITUDE indicator. Not the point.
Yaw is great but a picture of you wings being level is
more important or priceless as they commercial says.
Wrong. Those of us properly trained can loop your
aircraft without a joystick or wheel.
With the advent of cheap battery powered ATTITUDE
indicators I think the day of T&B or TC only back up
are gone. Wrong. "Which" is the topic......
Now if you want to practice "partial panel" I suggest
you find a good safety pilot who knows their (his/her )
job, safety and looking for traffic. Get a Francis IFR hood,
http://www.ifrhood.com/ ,
not an el-cheepo foggles or plastic visor. Use some
tape and cardboard paper and blank out areas of the
canopy you might cheat, peripheral or straight ahead,
but don't block the safety pilots view. Not the topic.
Best practice is at night over sparsely populated area.
Also a good idea is get ATC flight following for your
practice. Now do partial panel unusual attitude recovery.
Look down at the floor and let the safety pilot roll the
pitch the plane, who than will give it back to you as you
look up to the panel. If you can recover consistently
than good. Most (untrained) will not with just a T&B.
With an attitude indicator everyone will recover with a little
practice. Not the topic. With just a T&B your chance of
getting it level is limited. (by lack of trainung). Never let the
speed get to Vne. The safety pilot should take over early.
There is no need to push it. Of course the safety pilot
must have enough currency in type and visual clues to
recover safely. Is this instruction by website?
I am not talking about training that is so over the top
that no one can survive. I am talking about real training
that is realistic that gives you a real indication of your
ability to fly and recover IMC partial panel. Not the topic.
A Cessna you can almost just let go and it will almost
recover. A hot home built forget it; they have the stability
of a jet fighter. There was a time when more military
fighters where were lost to IFR accidents than lost due to
combat. Still probably so - the first sample is greater.
That is my point. Don't cheat forget the T&B and TC if
you really want a back up. It's 2006; there are many
backup attitude indicators available for less than $1000.
They are all electric but so is a T&B or TC.
These are my opinions after 1000 hours teaching GA
and airline pilots in planes and simulators. Get some
time in.
I am NOT saying you CAN'T fly with just a T&B but that
is ONLY and indirect indication of wing level. I don't think
I will get an argument that an ACTUAL indication of WING
level is better than an old fashion yaw indicator. I do
think it still has a place in the panel, but be realistic
in you ability to save the say with JUST a T&B. Not
the topic.
Cheers George M. RV-4/RV-7 ATP, CFI-CFII-MEI
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