No Confessions

[NC Bill]

A purely notional question because inquiring minds would like to know.

 

Does anyone know anyone who has spun a CTLS?

 

If so, any unusual characteristics?

 

This is a question prompted by my grandson's term paper. Honest Injun. And neither of us are test pilots. :rolleyes:

[Doug]

I haven't spun the CTSW. However, I have explored spin avoidance and seen how the airframe tries to start rotating while practicing stalls. I have to go back and forth from sailplane mode to airplane mode and remember that the CT (mine, anyway) needs right rudder with power on at high angles of attack. If I forget, the airplane reminds me as it tries to fall off as it stalls.

 

I doubt that the CT would have any nasty habits in the spin, but that would probably depend on whether you had the flaps at -6. However, I remember the first time I spun a Grob 103, and the first good indication of a spin developing from pro-spin inputs is that the airplane is on its back. So you never know....

 

Doug

[opticsguy]

I was practicing turns while stalled (aileron only with a little rudder) and if I banked about 45 to the left it would break. Letting go of the stick immediately got things under control. Continued aileron and rudder input would probably have spun it. This was 0 flaps.

[Flying Bozo]

NC Bill,

I have not spun my CTSW but I previously had a European glider that had -12 and +55 flaps. With the -12 the spin entry was docile and not demanding at all and was almost difficult to enter the spin. As more flap was introduced the entry was quicker and more demanding to keep it from winding up rapidly. I suspect that the CTSW might have the same differences in spin entries with -6 and +40 but I have not yet put it into a spin.

Larry

CTSW

[Tom Baker]

NC Bill,

I have not spun my CTSW but I previously had a European glider that had -12 and +55 flaps. With the -12 the spin entry was docile and not demanding at all and was almost difficult to enter the spin. As more flap was introduced the entry was quicker and more demanding to keep it from winding up rapidly. I suspect that the CTSW might have the same differences in spin entries with -6 and +40 but I have not yet put it into a spin.

Larry

CTSW

 

The only time I have had the CTSW break fard and drop the nose on a stall was with 40 flaps. It was also a rough and gusty day making it hard to keep the ball centered. Tom

[sandpiper]

Try this. A 15 degree banked turn with flaps 15 and RPM about 3000. Put the ball to the outside of the turn one ball width with bottom rudder (skid) and gently increase the back pressure until it stalls. This can be educational as mine breaks to the inside of the turn so if you lack experience you might want to have an experienced instructor on board. Recovery is straightforward using normal stall recovery techniques but it you hold it I am sure it would easily spin. However, since spins are prohibited, at that point you would become a test pilot if you did not recover. Don't go there. Remember what happened to the Skycatcher on two separate occassions during certification when they were spinning it.