radios and auto pilot

[pmesmer]

HI ROB____ I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. I HAVE WRITTEN A COMPLETE EXPLANATION IN THE PILOTS LOUNGE. I STAND BY MY STATEMENT ALTHOUGH IT NEEDED FURTHER EXPLANATION. PILOTS LOUNGE FOR THE WHOLE STORY.

[Oracle427]

I don't see the post in the pilots lounge, but I do not understand how a slip to a landing can be considered dangerous. I have been flying tailwheel for close to 70 hours and I make the entire curving approach from downwind into final and touchdown in a slip just so I can see where I am going. The entire time I am holding a lot of cross control input and around 20 to 30 degrees bank.

Yesterday I did my second BFR and had to use this very technique for a simulated engine failure at midfield downwind.

This is a technique taught to all pilots and is in the FAA handbooks. It is also a task in the PTS.

Edited to fix phone spellchecker

[Great Ozzie]

HI ROB____ I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. I HAVE WRITTEN A COMPLETE EXPLANATION IN THE PILOTS LOUNGE. I STAND BY MY STATEMENT ALTHOUGH IT NEEDED FURTHER EXPLANATION. PILOTS LOUNGE FOR THE WHOLE STORY.

Ok sir. Looking forward to (as Paul Harvey would say) "the rest of the story. Thanks.

I have been flying radishes....

Flying what?

[Oracle427]

LOL, smartphone spellcheckers are a wonderful thing.

I miss listening to Paul Harvey.

[Nick - A2A]

Yeah, I'd always understood judicious use of a cross-controlled approach to be a very standard way of shedding excess altitude/airspeed in small unswept wing types, whether tricycle or, er, radish! I've never been quite sure whether it's properly called a 'side-slip' or a 'forward-slip' though...

Nick

[Great Ozzie]

Kershner again (Student Pilot's Manual):

Aerodynamically, the airplane doesn’t know the difference between a sideslip or forward slip. You’ll set up the situation as necessary to get the proper path over the ground. The forward slip is used to lose altitude while following your original flight path and is considered as a means of losing altitude faster without picking up excess speed, as would be done in a dive. The sideslip is normally used to correct for wind drift (as you will see later in crosswind landings) or to change the flight path of the airplane as you increase the angle of descent.

[Nick - A2A]

Thanks Rob - that rings a bell now that you mention it. Oddly, I find that I tend to use forward-slips quite readily from steep approaches, yet in a crosswind I find a crabbed approach is easier to fly for any length of time. Of course, I'm just talking about FSX here, and 'unrealistic' hardware to boot, but the T-6 has caused me to examine my crosswind approaches a bit more critically of late...

...And my crosswind landings even more critically!

Nick

[pmesmer]

HI ROB_____ KEEP IN MIND THAT ALL YOUR STUDENTS WILL TAKE WITH THEM EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TAUGHT THEM. SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE ONE OR MORE WILL BECOME AIRLINE PILOTS AND WILL BE FLYING THE MODERN SWEPT WING JETS. IF THEY USE WHAT YOU HAVE TAUGHT THEM ABOUT CROSSWIND APPROACHES, THEY COULD BE LIVING ON BORROWED TIME. TWO OF MY STUDENTS BECAME AIRLINE PILOTS____ ONE WITH EASTERN AND ONE WITH U.S.AIR. OVER THE YEARS THEY HAVE THANKED ME FOR WHAT I HAD TAUGHT THEM ABOUT CROSSWIND APPROACHES. I KNOW OF AT LEAST 4 ACCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF UNCOORDINATED APPROACHES. ONE IN PHILADELPHIA, ONE IN CHARLESTON WEST VA. ONE IN ATLANTA AND ONE IN CHARLOTTE, SC.
I HAVE ALL THE RATINGS OUT THERE INCLUDING AN ATP____ OVER 30 YEARS OF FLYING EXPERIENCE AND 45 YEARS IN AVIATION BUT ALL THOSE RATINGS AND YEARS MEAN NOTHING WHEN IT COMES TO PROCEDURE AND TECHNIQUE. AS THE YEARS GO BY WE CONTINUE TO LEARN. ONE F.A.A EXAMINER TOLD ME AS HE HANDED ME MY NEW RATING___" HERE___ THIS IS A LICENSE TO GO LEARN HOW TO FLY". I LAUGHED THINKING I ALREADY KNOW HOW TO FLY. I HAVE ALL THESE RATINGS. AS TIME PASSED, I BEGAN TO REALIZE HOW RIGHT HE WAS. ANYWAY____ FOOD FOR THOUGHT. PETE MESMER

[pmesmer]

HI GUYS_____ I WROTE A LENGTHY POST IN THE PILOTS LOUNGE ABOUT CROSSWIND APPROACHES. I JUST CHECKED THE LOUNGE AND IT IS NOT THERE. DON'T KNOW WHY. IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SERIOUS DISCUSSION ON THIS SUBJECT YOU CAN E-MAIL ME AT [email protected] I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU. I DON'T THINK TECH SUPPORT IS THE PLACE TO HOLD A SERIOUS DISCUSSION ON THIS SUBJECT.

[Nick - A2A]

Hi Pete,

Not sure where your post would have got to, but perhaps you should consider opening a new one. I think it could lead to a good discussion and I've found a couple of articles which may be of interest. I agree a tech support forum isn't the best place for this, but you should also be cautious about posting your email address on a forum: it can tend to lead in an increase in spam emails if you're not careful.

Regards,
Nick

[pmesmer]

TO ORACLE 427_____THIS DISCUSSION IS NOT ABOUT A SIDE SLIP TO A LANDING. IT'S ABOUT UNCOORDINATED CROSSWIND APPROACHES. A SIDE SLIP IS COMMON PROCEDURE FOR LOSING ALTITUDE RAPIDLY ON AN APPROACH. INCIDENTALLY, YOUR TECHNIQUE OF A CURVED APPROACH WITH A TOUCHDOWN IN A SIDE SLIP IS VERY POOR. IT PUTS UNNECESSARY LOADS ON THE LANDING GEAR AND IS AN INVITATION TO A GROUND LOOP. (ESPECIALLY IN THE T-6) HOW ABOUT FLYING A RECTANGULAR PATTERN. TRY PRACTICING POWER OFF SPOT LANDINGS IN A RECTANGULAR PATTERN.

TO NICK_____ THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT E-MAIL. I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT SPAM. I'LL TRY TO POST AGAIN IN THE LOUNGE. IS THERE ANY RESTRICTION ON LENGTH OF POSTS?. I THINK THIS DISCUSSION IS TOO IMPORTANT TO LET SLIP BY. MY OFFER ABOUT E-MAIL STILL STANDS.

[Nick - A2A]

Pete,

I believe the post length is some 65,000 characters so that should be plenty. However, it's generally best to avoid writing posts all in capitals as it makes them harder to read and is sometimes considered a little 'shouty' on the internet!

Thanks,
Nick

[pmesmer]

OH OH___ I JUST MADE THE POST AND IT WAS ALL IN CAPITALS. I JUST DO THAT BECAUSE IT IS EASIER. DON'T MEAN TO BE "SHOUTY "

[Oracle427]

Ok, I see what you mean about slipping instead of crabbing to correct for a crosswind.

I crab until short final and then kick into a forward slip for touchdown, easy peasy.

A rectangular pattern in a B75N1 or a J3 frankly feels very weird to me. You just straighten up before touchdown, again no side loads, no drama and you can actually see where you are going. I wouldn't do this in a PA-18 generally, because the forward visibility is excellent.

I'm not saying that one way is better than the other, but this is the first time I have ever heard that slipping is *always* bad and shouldn't be done even in light aircraft.

[pmesmer]

ORACLE 427____ I have flown the F4u Corsair, the P-51 Mustang and the T-28 Trojan in addition to my T-6 in real life. Beautiful airplanes. I have always flown a rectangular pattern. It's standard procedure. Incidentally, I have many hours in a J-3 cub instructing. I love the old bird.