RV-12; Dead Stick Landing Video

[flyboy1963]

Great video...great lesson.
I took out my calculator and pencil, and tried to figure the route where you glide about 12 miles to lose the 4800' until touchdown!
I hate to admit, but instead of panic, I got bored!...... and fast-forwarded thru the video to the end!

but my point is; wouldn't it be nice to do this 100 times in flight sim, trying a slip etc. and NOT making the field about 50 times, just to illustrate all the various scenarios....head-wind, vs tailwind to extend the glide etc..
Then going out to the plane and doing it again, for real.
( you -7 guys have it made since there's a MS flite sim model available....anyone tried it?)

[sandifer]

Larry, that's a nice bit of flying. Some folks seem to get a little too scientific when it comes to trying to figure out how far they can glide to a landing spot. All you have to do is learn the angle below the horizon your airplane can glide to! And adjust for wind as best as you can. I would imagine you were doing nothing but watching the angle of airport lay below the horizon during the whole episode. Nice job.

I'm also impressed by the gliding capability of the -12. In an emergency situation, I've often thought about the pros and cons of shallow gliding airplanes vs. steep gliding airplanes, and which one I'd rather be in. If I'm undoubtedly within gliding distance, I'd prefer to be in a steep gliding airplane with very steep slipping potential, as you have better control over putting the plane down exactly where you want without coming up short or overshooting. Of course, if the closest landing spot is out of gliding range, you'll want a shallower gliding airpane in order to reach your landing spot, even if you may give up some ability to vary your approach angle.

Sorry for the non-RV content (again), but I shot this below just to show an airplane on the opposite end of the approach angle spectrum, and how you can drop it in from impossibly high angles. I do this for fun, as much as for practice, and it feels like cheating it's so easy to put exactly where you want. It really opens up the "window" of angle below the horizon that you must hit. Regarding hitting the "window", it all boils down to knowing your airplane regardless of type, but I feel like I have a wider margin for error in the Pitts on the final approach, even if I'm not going to glide laterally nearly as far as something like the RV-12. Now...if only there was a sport airplane out there that glides like a -12 and slips like a Pitts. But I think those things are mutually exclusive.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AaBCIZRspA

[Neal@F14]

Definitely worthy of the "Slips with Flaps" t-shirt!

[Bob Redman]

Thanks Larry,

I enjoyed the video.

I have agreed to conduct a first flight of an RV-12 in a few weeks. I would be grateful if you would tell me the clean stall, and best glide range speeds (Indicated), both at full fuel solo take-off weight.

Thanks

[sailvi767]

One interesting thing on dead stick landings pilots often get wrong. What has a better glide ratio? A RV a max gross weight or a RV at a lighter weight? Many make the wrong assumption when training for this however with the exception of the 12 I suspect the difference is not much.
George

[XOverZero]

Originally Posted by sailvi767

...What has a better glide ratio? A RV a max gross weight or a RV at a lighter weight? ...I suspect the difference is not much.

Suspicion is confirmed. An aircraft's best glide angle (L/Dmax) is a function of its aerodynamic design, i.e., its shape. The max glide ratio is the same light or heavy. What changes is the speed at which L/Dmax occurs. The heavier the wing loading is, the greater is the airspeed for max glide.

[RPorter]

Ill definetly be putting this one in my favorites...great video work and I sure learned a lot! Never thought the glide rate was THAT good!

[rvbuilder2002]

Originally Posted by Bob Redman

Thanks Larry,

I enjoyed the video.

I have agreed to conduct a first flight of an RV-12 in a few weeks. I would be grateful if you would tell me the clean stall, and best glide range speeds (Indicated), both at full fuel solo take-off weight.

Thanks

Bob,
I'm not Larry, but may I suggest the following.

The RV-12 was designed to meet the U.S. light sport requirements. That means the no flap stall speed (at gross weight) can't be more than 45 kts.
I believe all of the speed specs are listed in the POH for the airplane.

I would suggest that all of this info is meaningless for the first flight until you take actions to prove that the airspeed indicator is reading correct values. Such as sneek up on a stall and see what the indicated airspeed is.
And if you do that, knowing what the speeds are supposed to be isn't important for a first flight... only knowing what the indicated speed actaully is at stall matters.

[Bob Redman]

Thanks Scott,

Your advice appreciated. I agree position error will be another unknown.

I do not plan on a stall during the first flight, just gentle handling, then a landing to check for leaks, spare parts and security of all remaining bits.

The factory performance states max AUW clean stall speed is 47mph or about 41Kts, so I guess best glide would be about 1.4Vs, or 57Kts.

Indicated airspeed figures from another airframe would help decisions if the first flight plan goes awry.

Larry's video sure is a big help in judging glide flight path, but if the engine quits I bet I end up high on finals.

Regards

[DaveLS]

Per the RV-12 POH Skyview page 6-10

Flaps up to maximize glide
Maximum gliding distance airspeed is 85 knots cas
Minimum decent airspeed is 60 knots cas
Final approach speed of 60 knots cas (55 knots cas minimum).

Aircraft weight is not specified.
Flaps DOWN AFTER intended point of landing assured.


-Dave