RV Aerobatic Flyingand

Aerobatic Competition

Overview•Why aerobatics?•What is required?•Who can do it?•Where can I do it?•How to do it in a RV.

What is Aerobatic Flying

Per the FAR’s, aerobatic flight is any flight attitude that is not necessary for normal flight.

Typically, aerobatics is thought of as air show flying, hot dogging or “stunt” flying.

Why Learn Aerobatics?•It is very fun!•How does your a/c stall with the power off?•Power on?•Have you done spins? Spins are the primary result of bad stalls•Sunday afternoon loops & rolls are great fun, but can be dangerous if done wrong

Why Learn Aerobatics?

•Number 2 cause of GA accidents is stall/spin during landing & takeoff •If you stall your a/c in a slip or skid, how does it react?•Wake turbulence is real. Will you respond properly? Most don’t.

Learn to fly in all ranges of the envelope

How does your aircraft handle at max speed & at 40 MPH? Can you fly at Vs+1 or Vs-1??

Recognizing/dealing with high speed and low speed stalls. Departure (power on) stalls in straight & turning flight At what airspeed will an aircraft stall?

Spins – In slipping or skidding flight, which way will the aircraft depart if stalled?

Why Learn Aerobatics?

Can you land your aircraft at the demonstrated crosswind component? Practice at altitude first!

Slips – when can an aircraft be slipped, why slip if you have flaps?

Will your aircraft really climb at Vx? Continuously?Engine & oil temp issues? Streaming fuel from high deck angle?

Why Learn Aerobatics?

Unusual Attitude TrainingUpset Recovery TrainingTrue unusual attitudes are more safely practiced in aerobatic aircraft than in normal category airplanes. When near inverted in an upset, a hard push must come first, then a roll. Recognize the unusual attitude, respond correctly & timely

Spin TrainingAerodynamics of spins, Phases - Incipient, Developed, RecoveryIncipient spin Recovery - recognizing the spin early, minimal altitude loss, regain control quickly & preciselyHow much altitude loss per turn?

Why Learn Aerobatics?

Aerobatic flight in the US is controlled by the FAA:

BUT…..

•No acro below 1,500 feet AGL•Not within 5 miles of an airport•Not within 4 miles of an airway or VOR

These rules can be waived for air shows and aerobatic contests:

•Acro below 1,500 feet to the surface•Acro over an airport•Acro within Class E, D, C, B airspace•Acro within 4 miles of a VOR•Airspeeds below 10,000 feet

What is our Aerobatic FlyingIn reality, aerobatic training teaches the pilot to use

the full capability of his/her aircraft, to know & understand the limitations of the aircraft, and to learn to safely expand

the envelope of both pilot & aircraft

What is Aerobatic FlyingSunday Afternoon loops & rolls – safety, energy management, G management, airspeed management

Competition Aerobatics – Judged by peers, lots of mental work while flying figures, must stay within 1,000 meter square box, Aresti diagrams, types of flights: Knowns, Freestyles, Unknowns

Air shows & display flying – Demonstrations, entertainment, low altitude safety, energy management, teaching the non-flying public

What is “required”?

• Legal practice area – as discussed• Aerobatic airframe – Yes!! • Parachute – Absolutely

That’s all!!

Types of Aircraft used in Competition

•Luscombe, Great Lakes, Stearman, Waco, Ryan, Pitts Special, Extra, C-150 Aerobat, EAA Acro Sport, Smith Miniplane, RV-3, RV-4, RV-6, Citabria, Decathlon, Zlin, Tiger Moth, Sukhoi, Stampe, Bucker, SBach, MX, Edge, etc.•Any aerobatic aircraft is OK!

ParachutesParachutes• Different sizes – smaller is lighter, carries less weight • Different speed limitations – 135 Kts, 180 Kts• Different shapes – Seat, Back, Chair, must fit you and

the airplane!!• Repack by a licensed rigger – every 180 days• Age – after 20 years, riggers less likely to sign off

What is “nice”?

• “G” meter - For Learning the “feel”• Sighting Device – Helps a lot!• Inverted Oil - Above Sportsman*• Inverted Fuel - Above Sportsman*• Fuel Injection - Above Sportsman*• Constant Speed Prop - Helps• Helmet - Hard or Soft• Ratcheting Lap Belt - Helps

*For sustained inverted flight

Who can do it?

• Air show performers• Aerobatic competitors• Sunday afternoon pilots•You!!

Aerobatic Competitionin the USA

•Governed by the IAC, International Aerobatic Club, a division of EAA

•Five categories: Primary through Unlimited

•Lower categories have higher floors and fewer, simpler figures

You…Can practice on your own (FAR 91.303)

X Not over congested areasX Not over open air assembly of personsX Not within airport class B, C, D or EX Not within 4 nm of center of airwayX Not below 1500 feet AGLX Not when vis is less than 3 miles Can take a passenger (need two chutes) Will benefit from ground critique

Competition AerobaticsFly in a fixed box marked on the ground

Figures must be geometrically correct

3-7 Judges score each figure based on flaws from perfect

Primary - 1,500’ floor, sequence is the same from year to year, no sustained inverted flight, +4/-1Gz, 3 flights, all same

Sportsman - 1,500’ floor, Known sequence changes annually, no sustained inverted flight, may have Free, +5/-1Gz, 3 flights, may be all same

Intermediate - 1,200’ floor, Known sequence changes, sustained inverted flight, snap rolls. must have Free, will fly Unknown, +6/-3Gz, 3 flights, all different

Advanced - 200M floor, Known sequence changes, significant inverted flight, must have Free, will fly Unknown, +6-8/-5Gz, 3 flights, all different

Unlimited - 100M floor, Known sequence changes, mostly inverted flight/negative Gz, must have Free, will fly Unknown, significant power required for altitude/energy requirements, +8-10/-5-7Gz, 3 flights, all different

Contest FlightsKnown or “Q” – First flight of a contest, Qualifying flight, has all the elements for that category, but is slightly simpler.

Freestyle – Developed by each pilot, to showcase his airframe’s attributes. Monoplanes have more vertical lines, Biplanes have more rolls on horizontal lines. Must meet difficulty and element requirements. Not required in Primary or Sportsman.

Unknown – Given to pilots 12 hours before flying. Difficulty may equal Known or Free. May have high Gz or high mental requirements or both!! Not flown in Primary or Sportsman. No practice flights allowed, only hand flying.

Contest Basic Rules•Loops & partial loops must be round and of equal radius•Lines must be horizontal, 45o, or vertical to the horizon•Rolls on lines must be in the middle of the line•Roll/loop combinations must have no line between; Immelman or split S•Lower categories have small penalties for breaks or outs, higher categories have large penalties• Going low is disqualification or huge penalty

Loop is round, no changes in radius, starts & finishes at same altitude, score = 10.0

Loop not round, pinched at top, pinched 4th qtr, starts & finishes at different altitudes, score = 5.5

Good 45o line, roll in the middle of the line, down line is vertical, score = 10.0

1st line shallow, 2nd line steeper & longer, down line not vertical, score = 6.0

Primary Sequence Sportsman Sequence

Contest Requirements•Belong to EAA & IAC•Carry 1 million dollars a/c contest liability –typically free, may cost $25-$50 per year•Have personal parachute, signed in date within last 180 days•A/C paperwork – AROW, copy of current annual/condition inspection•Pilot paperwork – Certificate, Medical (if necessary), IAC card, proof of insurance

•Most contests run Fri/Sat or Sat/Sun.•Arrive 1 day early for practice & registration•Bring the required paperwork, copies OK•Tech inspection of a/c & paperwork •Registration & contest fees; about $70-$130•Fly in the box for practice & coaching•Learn all you can•Don’t go Low!!!

Contest Requirements

How do we do this in an RV?

• Calculate W&B – lighter is better!• Prepare aircraft – remove loose items• Learn unusual attitude/spin recovery• Build on four basic maneuvers; loop,

roll, spin, hammerhead• Develop/Fly a sequence

Weight & Balance

As confirmed with Van's aircraft on 12/16/05, for any RV which has wing tanks, aerobatic gross weight does NOT include fuel in the wing tanks. Said differently, the pilot may compute (and not exceed) the published Aerobatic Gross Weight figure for his/her model, then add fuel on top of it up to the Normal/Utility category gross weight of the aircraft.

Aircraft W&B must be within aerobatic limits

Prepare Aircraft

• Fuel for flight plus 30 minute reserve*• Load within weight & balance limits• Oil level• Empennage security• Control surface security• Loose items in cockpit• Planned flight sequence

*Not required at contests per IAC Waiver

Prior to every flight

MX & RV Spins

MX2 – 12 Secondsfor 3 turns

RV4 – 9 Secondsfor 3 turns

MX2 3 Turn SpinNose View

RV4 3 Turn SpinNose View

MX2 3 Turn SpinLeft Wing View

RV4 3 Turn SpinLeft Wing View

Altitude loss the same for both aircraft!

MX & RV Spins

Both aircraft used about 1,500 feet for 3 turn spins with full recovery to level flight.

Competition only uses 2 turn spins, ever!

Nearly Identical Spins!!

Unusual attitude/spin recovery

• THROTTLE – IDLE• CONTROLS – LET GO/FORCE TO NEUTRAL• WAIT FOR 100 KNOTS/Vy• RECOVER FROM DIVE

MEMORY ITEMSSpin

Recovery Systems

Pick one! Practice it!

Stick with it!

• Beggs-Mueller• PARE

• Finnegan

Four Basic Maneuvers

1. Loops – ¼ to full loops2. Hammerheads – several entries/exits3. Rolling Elements - may be added to any base figure4. Spins – 1 to 2 turns at ¼ turn increments

Loops

• Entry at 2.5 x Vs to 95% Vne (125 – 190) • Full power, 3.5 to 4.0 “G”, right rudder as req.• Ease up on “G” at 135-deg, Check wing tips• Sight horizon, ¼ - ½ “G” over the top.• Smoothly apply 4.5-5.0 “G” in 2nd half• Ease to level off at entry altitude

Loop basics in Immelman, Cuban 8, Split S,Square Loop, Humpty

Spins

• Entry at level flight, idle, full stall• At stall, full aft stick, full left/right rudder• Recover with opposite rudder first, then stick

forward• Set vertical line down – required for contests• Pull to level, apply power

Snap rolls are accelerated spins!

Aileron Roll - Introduction• Entry 2.5 Vs to 95% Vne (125 – 190)• Pitch up 10 degrees – flight path will be ballistic,

arcing• Check pitch, full left/right aileron• NO back pressure, maintain full aileron• Finish nose below horizon, then recover to level

flight

Competition Roll• Entry 125 – 190, level flight path –throughout roll• Slight nose up, during half to full left/right aileron• Blend in opposite rudder to first 90 degrees• Blend out opposite rudder through 180 degrees• Forward stick approaching 180 degrees• Blend in top rudder approaching 270 degrees• Reduce rudder to maintain line at 360 degrees• Blend in aft stick approaching 360 degrees

Hammerhead• Enter at 130+ knots• Full power, pull to vertical – use sight device!• Increasing right rudder pressure in up line• Check wingtips on horizon – use sight device!• Kick full left rudder at top, opposite aileron• Opposite rudder to stop on vertical down line• Hold vertical down line for 3 count – use sight device!• Recover to level flight

Pitfalls/Dangers• Falling out of Loops – spins• Botched Hammerheads – spins• Spins – poor recovery, over-controlling• Rolls – dishing out, barreling second 1/2

Know your spin recovery techniqueand practice it often!!

Fig 1 Loop - Start ~160 mph, pull 4 G to 135o inverted, ease off & float top, throttle back, smoothly pull again to level bottom, full throttle.

Fig 2 ½ Cuban - Start with 160 mph again, pull as with loop, float top, throttle back, set inverted 45 line, count 1,2,3, roll to upright, count 1,2 still on 45 line, pull to level.

Fig 3 Competition roll.

Fig 4 Competition 180o turn - bank to >60o, then pull around turn, stop pull, then un-bank to level.

Fig 5 competition 270o turn - same as 180, finishing on Y axis.

Fig 6 Competition roll - on Y axis.

Fly Well!Stay in the Box!Win a Trophy!

The End!