The Vulcan XH558 & General Aviation Thread

[Richie]

During the war they reckon it was common place with new pilots onto spitfires and P51's as the prop was so big... throttling up too quickly creates the same issue (so I am told) I can see how doing so would make that happen that's for sure.

I know when landing especially on grass runways the pilots had to three point it or risk a prop.

[quicksilver-wsr]

Even when the aircraft is static, the wash from the propeller can cause sufficient lift at the tailplane to raise the rear end of the aircraft right up, so application of throttle becomes a key issue.

Nigel

[Speedfab]

How did he manage that in the first place? Slammed the wheel brakes on? Fell down the hill? It's an uncommon sort of an accident...

Taildragger 101, first lesson of the first day: Taxiing and beginning your takeoff roll, have the stick in your lap, IE: full up elevator so that the prop wash puts some downforce on the tail feathers and keeps the CG behind the main gear as God, Wilbur, and Orville intended. Also makes it easier for your feet to do the rudder dance when all those fun p-factor and gyroscopic precession effects start their shenanigans around the whirly thing at the front.

Looking at that one closer angle video, elevators appear flat until the poo is already rapidly approaching the fan, and he kicked some rudder way too late as well. All those narrow main gear planes that retract the wheels outward like Spitfires and ME109s apparently weren't the easiest things to handle on the ground in the first place. Crying damn shame about that airframe.

Hey Bill, is that boat done yet?

[Renegadenemo]

Crying damn shame about that airframe.

Hey Bill, is that boat done yet?

no doubt our old mate, Steve Vizard at Airframe Assemblies will have it licked back into shape in no time. They've mended much worse. What boat?

[kneeslider]

Ouch. I bet that isn't going to be cheap to sort out.

It looks like a classic tailwheel gyroscopic prop issue. As I have said before, the more power you have, and the bigger the prop, the more airflow over the control surfaces you need to keep it all nicely balanced. Looks like the tail came up, and just kept on going.

While it is true that managing this is really page one, lesson one of operating a taildragger, it is also true that bad habits creep up, and you become used to doing things in a certain routine, but maybe going 1% faster with raising the tail, or 1% quicker between closed throttle and open, and then it bites very hard when you over step. Its unusual to end up upside down on the takeoff roll, most of the time the typical accident is a relatively harmless ground loop, with little or no damage because the rudder lacks authority at low airspeed, clearly if you have enough power, then you can overcome the elevator authority too. Worth bearing in mind, even if no one is likely to let me loose in a warbird any time soon.

[Renegadenemo]

The only other accident of that type I've come across was Paul Morgan from Ilmor but I think he hit some soggy grass or a drainage ditch or something and he was killed.

[Black Knight]

From head on the right gear hits either a pothole or & puddle & then looks like it's thrown up. From the other angle it just looks like too much power too soon.

It's a shame as it had only just had a brand new set of wings fitted, can't believe that state they were in. Looks like HFL will be busy again.

[Black Knight]

ARCO engineers have been & looked it over & are confident it'll be back in the air in no time at all.

[Richie]

But is this a pucker spit, or yet another data plate on a recreated airframe ?

[Richie]

Love the dramatic headphone toss onto the wings.