Avoid Rotor Roulette
Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 11:59 amI hate sounding preachy but something that should be common knowledge is apparently not getting enough attention: How to avoid being the star of a Rotor Roulette video!
If you study Joey's now infamous videos, you can see that in almost every case, the gliders got turned when the pilot allowed the nose to come up and they slowed down.
Think about how we turn on purpose: We give sideways input for roll, then initiate the maneuver by pushing the bar out and coordinating the turn.(Also known as a "J" turn)
So, given that turbulence will often try and lift a wing (roll input), the LAST thing you want to do is let the nose up and coordinate it!!! The FIRST thing you want to do is PULL IN and roll towards the lifting wing.
My landings are not always perfect but I've flown on some really crappy days and so far I've managed to avoid being the subject of Rotor Roulette.
How? By flying fast until the glider is into ground effect. The higher speed gives you more authority over a lifting wing and keeps a tip from stalling.
Going too fast can lead to trouble in itself, but if the recent speed gliding videos haven't inspired everyone to conquer high-speed PIO's then this should!
If you study Joey's now infamous videos, you can see that in almost every case, the gliders got turned when the pilot allowed the nose to come up and they slowed down.
Think about how we turn on purpose: We give sideways input for roll, then initiate the maneuver by pushing the bar out and coordinating the turn.(Also known as a "J" turn)
So, given that turbulence will often try and lift a wing (roll input), the LAST thing you want to do is let the nose up and coordinate it!!! The FIRST thing you want to do is PULL IN and roll towards the lifting wing.
My landings are not always perfect but I've flown on some really crappy days and so far I've managed to avoid being the subject of Rotor Roulette.
How? By flying fast until the glider is into ground effect. The higher speed gives you more authority over a lifting wing and keeps a tip from stalling.
Going too fast can lead to trouble in itself, but if the recent speed gliding videos haven't inspired everyone to conquer high-speed PIO's then this should!