 |
| June 2016 |
 |
 By Reggie
Paulk, Editor - In the Loop
The competition season is underway.
Check out the IAC's contest calendar.
Understanding the mechanics of spins is just a small part of spin recognition and recovery training.
The May issue of Sport Aerobatics featured two articles relating to spins.
If those articles did anything, I hope they encouraged those of you who may not have received such training to do so.
A recent accident video demonstrates all too well the importance of training.
In the video, a light sport airplane can be seen climbing away from the runway at a precariously slow airspeed, flaps fully extended, while banking to the right.
The framing of the video is such that the control inputs can clearly be seen.
As the airplane turns crosswind to downwind, the bank angle shallows out, but the rudder is being pushed aggressively to the right.
The pilot appears to be trying to avoid tall power lines directly ahead, so is pulling back on the stick and applying more and more right rudder—until the airplane stalls abruptly and enters a classic spin into the ground, with fatal consequences.
The pilot's planning was inadequate.
The power lines were a known and obvious obstacle, and the airplane was not properly configured or allowed to climb out straight ahead until clear of obstacles.
For reasons unknown, the choice was made to try to continue turning inside the power lines with inadequate airspeed.
Contest spins and inadvertent spins are two different beasts.
Spins that occur due to known control inputs and deliberate action are much easier to recognize and control.
Inadvertent spins are much more incapacitating due to their inadvertent nature.
It is important to recognize and recover from both, and proper flight instruction is the answer.
Aerobatic flight instruction is some of the best you can receive in order to gain the skills necessary to fly the airplane well while being able to expend mental energy on the tasks at hand.
For a list of aerobatic flight schools in your area,
just click here.
|
|
10 Cool Things about www.IAC.org
If I do say so myself
DJ Molny, IAC
Webmaster
The new and improved IAC website went live a little more than three years ago.
Since then, we've quietly added more features and content, and today there are more than 1,000 pages of material and some capabilities that you might not be aware of.
Many of these features are for members only, so be sure to log in to get the full experience.
- We have an archive of more than 1,250 aerobatic sequences.
You can filter by type (Known, Free, Unknown), year(s), and category.
Look under the Pubs/Archives menu.
We don't have many Free programs, so if you want to share, please e-mail yours to webmaster@iac.org.
PDFs are preferred, but Aresti, OpenAero, or image files will work.
- Current and aspiring judges can take advantage of online testing and self-paced training, and any member can view the list of current judges.
You can also see all of your judging, assisting, and competition flying since 2006.
Look under Programs > Judges.
- The Tech Tips manuals, published between 1971 and 1990, contain a wealth of information for aircraft builders, maintainers, and pilots.
Look under the Pubs/Archives menu.
- The main website is tightly integrated with the IAC contest database.
Thanks to IAC director Doug Lovell and JaSPer author Bob Buckley, it contains every score from every judge for every figure of every flight by every pilot in every contest (!) since 2006, as well as some interesting metrics about judge performance.
To get there, click on Competition > Chapter Contests > Results.
- The beautiful banner photos are all member contributions.
We're always looking for more, especially grassroots aircraft and people.
Think clipped Cubs, Taylorcrafts, RVs, and other homebuilts, banquets, judges lines, tech inspectors, ramp dancers, etc.
Send your favorites to webmaster@iac.org.
- The website is powered by 100 percent open-source software running on a cloud server.
This makes it easy to maintain and easy on the club's budget.
- The venerable "CD packet" is now reorganized as webpages.
You can find it, along with many other useful links, under Competition > Supporting Info.
Many thanks to Lorrie Penner for her hard work on this voluminous material!
- The Yellow Pages directory lists all of our officers, directors, and committee members.
Clicking on a name will bring up that person's contact info.
It's amazing how many people volunteer their time and skills to make our club work.
Navigate to About > Leadership, then look for the Yellow Pages link.
- We host a directory of more than 150 aerobatic flight schools in the United States and around the world, ranging from large operations to individual instructors.
And there's no charge to add a listing.
Visit Where to Begin > Aerobatic Schools.
- If you can't find what you're looking for, try the Search box.
It's hiding in plain sight, in the right-hand sidebar.
Visit the IAC Website >> |
|
Recreational Aerobatics
Gordon Penner, MCFI-A
Aerobatics is not stunt flying.
It is precision flying.
And yes, Dorothy, there is such a thing as gentle aerobatics.
The International Aerobatic Club is not a competition-only organization.
Only about 10 percent of members compete and, in the end, competition is not what aerobatics is about.
Competition is just one avenue of expression.
Aerobatics is about the pure freedom of flight in all forms.
Aerobatics is about safety and recovery training.
Aerobatics is about being able to confidently and safely fly in all corners of the aircraft envelope.
Aerobatics is about the sheer joy this kind of flying brings.
Aerobatics is about how this kind of training brings a pilot’s confidence level up and fear level down.
All of these things enhance flight safety, as well as being a heck of a lot of fun.
One does not need to compete to feel these effects or to gain these benefits.
We will break down the extent of the aerobatic spectrum and show where easy, gentle, recreational aerobatics reside in that spectrum.
We will also discuss performing aerobatics in experimental aircraft that have aerobatic capability as a side dish, not as the main course.
Read more >>
|
|
|
IAC TechWatch
In-flight throttle arm failure–Pitts S-1T
By Steve Johnson, Former Chair, IAC Safety Committee
The IAC's
TechWatch forum is a great place to visit to connect with aerobatic pilots about safety issues that come up from time to time.
Former IAC safety chair Steve Johnson weighs in on tip-up canopies.
"I had an in-flight problem with my Pitts today just after a complete engine major overhaul, Steve said."While at 2,500 AGL, my power didn't feel right.
I checked the manifold pressure and noted it was 19 inches.
I tried to set full power and nothing happened.
I tried idle power and nothing happened.
Landed safely after shutting off the engine on final and slipping it in." Read more >>
|
|
|
|
 Aerobatics
A new perspective
Spencer Suderman via YouTube
Spin record holder Spencer Suderman mounted a gyro-stabilized camera in his Pitts and then proceeded to roll and loop the airplane.
The perspective is truly unique and one you probably haven't seen before.
Watch as the airplane flies around the camera >>
|
|
 Upset Recovery and Spin Training
FlightChops via YouTube
This is a private pilot's experience with upset recovery training in a Citabria–a wonderful grassroots airplane.
It's a long video, but a good introduction to going about getting some instruction for yourself.
Watch video >>
|
|
Last month's mystery photo was of an aerobatic
box—not too difficult, huh?
This month's airplane is obviously a Citabria–can you tell what variant?
E-mail your answer to Reggie
|
|
SUBMIT CANDIDATES FOR ANNUAL NON-FLYING AWARDS BY JUNE 15
Each year, the membership of the IAC nominates outstanding volunteers to be recognized for their contributions to the sport of aerobatics.
This is an excellent opportunity to give recognition to an outstanding IAC member who spends valuable time volunteering for the benefit of many.
Let's recognize our unsung heroes for 2015!
Make an online nomination >>
DATES SET FOR 2017 U.S.
NATIONALS
Dates for the 2017 U.S.
National Aerobatic Championships have now been set: September 24-29, 2017, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Oshkosh offers the best facilities in the world for an aviation event by virtue of its development over the last 45 years as the site for EAA AirVenture.
IAC has invested heavily in upgrading its own pavilion there and it will serve as headquarters for the contest.
The box will be over the airfield.
Also being planned are other activities during the week, such as evening social events at the EAA Nature Center and closing ceremonies and an awards banquet at the EAA Museum's Founder’s Wing–the place where EAA's annual Hall of Fame ceremonies are held.
In the coming months, those plans will go forward and we will keep you up to date in these pages and on the IAC's website.
REGISTER FOR 2016 IAC AIRVENTURE AIRCRAFT PARKING
The 2016 IAC AirVenture aircraft parking registration is
now open! It is not required to register ahead of time, but it is always appreciated for planning purposes.
Register here >>
Don't forget to check out the EAA AirVenture website for planning
information.
IAC TO MOVE U.S.
NATIONALS IN 2017
IAC president Mike Heuer announced in his monthly Sport Aerobatics column for May the recent decision by the board of directors to move the U.S.
National Aerobatic Championships to Oshkosh in 2017.
"On March 19, at our IAC board meeting in Oshkosh, your directors reviewed all of the bids and voted by overwhelming majority to move the U.S.
Nationals to Oshkosh in 2017," Mike said.
Read the entire announcement here >>
NEED TO CONTACT SOMEONE AT THE IAC?
Check out the IAC Yellow Pages and get
in touch with the people in the know.
NEW IAC MERCHANDISE NOW ONLINE
Most of
IAC's new Unlimited Collection of merchandise, which we debuted at AirVenture, can now be found on the EAA online store.
Go to the link for photos, more information, and ordering. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
To make sure you continue receiving our emails to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders),
please add intheloop@eaa.org to your address book or safe sender list.
|
|
