Left wing drop at stall.

[Captain Avgas]

I flew a friend's RV6A recently so he could concentrate on inputting his Dynon AOA set-up parameters. One of the set-ups called for taking the aircraft to a power-off stall which I did. At the stall the aircraft had a sudden and attention grabbing left wing drop. I did this same maneouvre several times with the same result. In each case the left wing dropped severely at the stall with the stick full aft and the rudder neutral. Recovery was obtained with positive control inputs (stick to neutral, right rudder).

I mentioned this to another friend who flies an RV7 and he stated that his aircraft also drops the left wing at a power-off stall. He said he believed the left wing drop was normal in the RV....but I am not so sure of this.

I did a number of power-off stalls in a Vans RV6A when I did my transition training with Mike Seagar and there was no sudden left wing drop. If my memory serves me right (it was quite a few years ago) it was possible to keep the plane wings level in the stall with the stick full aft just by slight rudder inputs.

I am guessing therefore that my friend's planes may not be rigged to perfect tolerances.

I'd certainly like to know if other RV pilots out there think that a sudden left wing drop is normal at a power-off stall in an RV6 or RV7.

[N208ET]

me thinks, try adding a touch of power and stall, see what happens.

Randy

[Dean_aeroleds]

The prop is still spinning, right? Which way does the prop turn? Is the airplane rolling in the opposite direction when you stall?

[Brantel]

RV's are sensitive to power levels and how much rudder you are inputing during the stall. I can make mine drop either wing or no wing depending on how I manipulate it. Try a full power on stall if you want some excitement but you might want to be current with your unusual attitude/upset training.

[noelf]

...and at gross weight & full fuel, power off, prop windmilling @ 800rpm, stalls with a RIGHT WING drop. Not severe, but it does drop noticeably. To get to gross weight, I added weights in the passenger seat.

At 200 lbs under gross, the stall is with wings level. Wheel pants were not installed.

Now @ gross weight, wheel pants and fairings installed, power off, the stall is with a right wing drop, and although I would not call it severe, it is more pronounced than before.

With the wheel pants and fairings installed, I now have a heavy right wing in level flight. I am presently using the manual aileron trim to balance this out. I will be addressing the heavy wing on the next few flights, and then see if the stall characteristics change.

edit...Ball is always centered.

[John Clark]

Originally Posted by Brantel

RV's are sensitive to power levels and how much rudder you are inputing during the stall. I can make mine drop either wing or no wing depending on how I manipulate it. Try a full power on stall if you want some excitement but you might want to be current with your unusual attitude/upset training.

I agree with Brantel, my '8' will break either way by very slightly cross controlling. Normal airplane stuff.

John Clark ATP, CFI
FAA FAAST Team Member
EAA Flight Advisor
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA

[Flybuddy2]

Interesting thread. My 6A stalls straight with flaps up, but with flaps down it rolls off to the left (ball centered, power off).

[rv9av8tr]

Interestingly, my -9A stalls straight ahead while maintaing neutral ball at idle power. BUT... while carrying about 1200 rpm doing accellerated stalls, the left wing ALWAYS drops first, regardless of left or right turn in the stall. My assumption is that it's related to engine torque.

[Finley Atherton]

I suspect flap rigging can be an issue.
My 9A used to have a pronounced left wing drop in a full flap stall. Since then I tweaked the flap rigging using a home made wing top alignment tool rather than simply lining up the flap with the aileron. Stalls are now pretty much level with maybe a slight left wing drop with full flap depending on power and lateral weight distribution.

Fin
9A

[Dean_aeroleds]

Originally Posted by rv9av8tr

Interestingly, my -9A stalls straight ahead while maintaing neutral ball at idle power. BUT... while carrying about 1200 rpm doing accellerated stalls, the left wing ALWAYS drops first, regardless of left or right turn in the stall. My assumption is that it's related to engine torque.

That is my suspicion as well... if the prop turns clockwise as viewed from the cockpit, then the torque would drop the left wing in a stall... prop goes clockwise, wing goes counterclockwise (left wing down).