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Re: Europa-List: Stall spin characteristics

Subject: Re: Europa-List: Stall spin characteristics
From: GRAHAM SINGLETON <grahamsingleton@btinternet.com>
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 16:07:47
Bill=0Athe stall characteristics are dependent on the quality and accuracy 
of the =0Aleading edge. LE is relatively small radius and its all too easy 
to sand the =0Abump off with the effects you mention. In UK we are told to 
use stall strips or =0Aa stall warner.=0AStall strips are recommended and i
f carefully adjusted will calm the stall. Get =0Ahold of the digital print 
out of the section and make templates every foot or so =0Aspanwise. Then sp
end hours and hours getting the section right. There is a tiny =0Abump unde
r the LE which is important but hard to spot.=0AGraham=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A___
_____________________________=0AFrom: William McClellan <wilwood@earthlink.
net>=0ATo: "Europa-List@matronics.com" <Europa-List@matronics.com>=0ASent: 
Tuesday, 3 August, 2010 16:50:07=0ASubject: Europa-List: Stall spin charact
@earthlink.net>=0A=0AI understand that the Europa is very prone to abruptly
 dropping a wing, trying =0Ato enter a spin, when stalled with full flaps i
n the landing configuration.  On =0Athe other hand, in the clean, unflapped
 configuration the stall is very benign.  =0AI wonder if this is true of al
l Europa's or only some depending on the =0Aparticulars of that builders en
d product and possible modifications.  I have =0Anearly 1000 hrs in a Citab
ria with very much of it flying into short =0A"backcountry" dirt strips req
uiring significant STOL characteristics.  I don't =0Ahave flaps so regularl
y use severe straight and banked slips.  The Citabria is a =0A"dirty" plane
 compared to the "very clean" Europa so I believe the use of severe =0Aslip
s in the Europa is never warranted.  My experience with very clean planes, 
I =0Aalso have 1000 hours in my high performance glider and since the air b
rakes work =0Aso well, severe slipping is not needed...though some less tha
n ultra clean =0Agliders, ie, trainers, can make use of severe slipping!=0A
.  It seems likely that Cliff Shaw's accident was a result of this abrupt s
pin =0Astall characteristic in landing configuration.  I have a rule (thoug
h not =0Aunique), "never skid a turn", keeping a nice margin above stall.  
It seems that =0Athe Europa (and probably all super clean planes, for insta
nce the Cirrus), have =0Aa propensity to severe stall spin in landing confi
guration.  I understand that =0Amany Europa pilots land with an airspeed up
 to 65 but this uses a greater =0Alanding distance considering the stall sp
eed is in the 40's.  Europa's original =0Atouted mission was short field, p
asture strips.  For those who often use this =0Ashort field capability, I w
ould like to know the particulars to make the Europa =0Aperform safely in t
his manner.  Not having piloted a Europa, but am close to =0Afinishing my b
uild, I am curious to these questions.=0ABill McClellan=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A
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