Another RV-8 airshow video

[spinomaly]

Thanks for sharing.

[eddieseve]

Fabulous, looks like you had the prefect afternoon, I loved the way the smoke hung around through most of you manoeuvres, it must have been a blast seeing that too from your perspective.

Cheers

[sandifer]

Seriously, that was one of the funnest RV videos I've seen.

Now, please tell me to STFU if you're tired of aerobatic critiquing, but I have a question on those hammerheads I saw - why aft stick during the pivot? IMO, that's contributing to the fact the they were torquing (rolling left during the pivot) which can be seen half way through the pivot, and also in the roll heading after the pivot has stopped. A slight bit of forward stick is what should be used during a left rudder pivot...unless your engine turns the opposite direction.

When I was first learning to do hammers, I learned after some initial frustration that the degree and timing of the forward stick input is critical to controlling torquing during the hammer pivot in a high performance airplane - it's not just the right aileron input, which I did see. I understand you guys are running composite Hartzells, which means reduced torque and gyro effect during the hammers, and less forward stick needed than with a metal prop. Should still need a touch of forward stick, though.

That's it. Nice job!

[jthocker]

Eric,
I don't get tired of the critique! I noticed the same thing in the video about the hammers and was thinking about the need for fwd stick and when to apply it. It's kinda nice to use the video as a training tool! Also, I went out the other day and practiced slow rolls with tail cam and "cowl cam"(facing aft) and that was helpful too. Airshow again tomorrow, so I'll put your tips to use!

Best regards,

Jon

[sandifer]

Originally Posted by jthocker

and was thinking about the need for fwd stick and when to apply it.

There's a well-known aerobatic book that says it's "imperative" to apply the rudder, right aileron, and forward stick in a 1-2-3 sequence during the hammer. Well, I guarantee that will mess you up in high-peformance airplanes where the prop torque may require some right aileron before the pivot, and forward stick will need to be applied perfectly simultaneously with the left rudder in order to prevent torquing.

If you're in an airplane with a very slow pivot, and with a low power-to-weight ratio that requires the pivot to be started with a fair amount of vertical speed still remaining (i.e. Stearman or Citabria), applying forward stick simultaneously with the rudder input may cause you to pitch foward off plane due to the fact that the slow pivot, small prop-to-airframe mass ratio, and remaining airspeed cause the forward stick input to be unnecessary (and even error producing) until at some point after the pivot is initiated.

However, in high-performance airplanes like the RV, they will pivot with much less vertical speed, and will be more torque/gyro affected than a low-performing airplane. Here, it will be important to apply forward stick at the right time - either simultaneous with, or an instant after the left rudder input in order to keep the pivot "on-plane". The Pitts S-1S can be pivoted from virtually zero vertical speed, and if the forward stick (and the right amount of it) is not applied perfectly simultaneous with the left rudder, it'll torque every time no matter what you do with the ailerons. Each airplane is slightly different, and you just need to play around with it to see what works best.

Originally Posted by jthocker

It's kinda nice to use the video as a training tool!

Yep, next best thing to good ground critiquing. I've shot a bunch of stuff, and picked up on a lot of little things upon review.

[algrajek]

Show off! Just kidding.
Nice video Badger. Give me a call if you are EVER home
Nordo

[donaziza]

Beautiful flying Jon. I do the same thing, but I do em at 7000'. Gives me over a mile to the ground to fix my screw ups. And screw ups I do make.

[wjb]

Wonderful! Makes we wanna attack the pro-seal this weekend ... yes, it's that time!

[Steve Melton]

hey, that's some good flying!

[Geico266]

Very cool.