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Stability and Control 3:
Stalls and Spins (High Angle of Attack)

Theoretical Course Content

In a combination of online course slides and self-study of USAF Test Pilot School textbook [1], you will develop a detailed theoretical understanding of:

Roll Coupling

  • Review of rotational physics and equations of motion (especially rotational part).
  • Inertial Coupling:
  • Ixz Effect: the effect of the only off-diagonal product moment of the moment of inertia matrix which is in general non-zero for left-right mirror symmetric aircraft.
  • Aerodynamic Coupling:

Stalls, Departure from Controlled Flight, Spins

  • Stalls
  • Definition of a Spin
  • Test Phases
  • Susceptibility and Resistance to Departures and Spins
  • Directional Departure Parameter
  • Lateral Control Departure Parameter
  • Spin Modes and Spin Mode Modifiers
  • Spin Phases
  • Spinning Motion
  • The Wings-Level Prototype Spin: simple example of rotational motion
  • Sideslip, Bank Angle and Helix Angle
  • Spin Characteristics of Fuselage-Loaded Aircraft
  • Inverted Spins
    Which One Spins Faster? Flat Spins vs Accelerated Spins
  • Stall Flight Tests
  • Spin Flight Tests
  • Pilot Proficiency
  • Data Requirements
  • Emergency Recovery Devices
  • Spin Entries Techniques (Upright, Tactical, Inverted)
  • Recovery Techniques (Out-of-Control Recovery, Spin Recovery)

Flight Test and Data Analysis Exercises

These flight tests are to be flown in a flight simulator like X-Plane on your home computer. The data recorded during these tests is then analyzed with the iPython notebooks in our flight test GitHub repository.

Exercises for this course are still to be developed and are work in progress. We highly recommend you experience spins in an aircraft firsthand in the meantime. Contact us to arrange a flight.

References

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