REFLECTOR: Testing forward CG

Brian Michalk via Reflector reflector at tvbf.org
Wed Sep 24 22:00:48 CDT 2014


In my flight tests, as I move the CG farther forward, I notice that I am 
unable to get the airplane to stall in straight flight. Instead if 
stalling, the Vm begins to increase.  Vm is the minimum speed to 
maintain altitude, and is something I check on each flight, because it's 
the speed below which I am unable to flare for a landing.

I don't have a specific CG in mind, but when I have 380 lbs in the front 
seats, I run out of elevator authority for landing at normal air 
speeds.  I really need to carry more speed on final than I'm comfortable 
with.  With this weight in the front, I'm flying approach at 95kts.  My 
Vm is 80kts.

My next check is to see the actual elevator travel from the neutral 
position.  I believe I'm very close to the book values, but maybe I need 
more elevator travel.  If my problem is not elevator travel, I'm 
thinking about testing VG's on the canard, starting out with only one VG 
per side to see if this helps.  I know VG's on the canard only are 
verboten, but if one does deep stall testing, and clears the aft CG 
regime, then is this still forbidden?


More information about the Reflector mailing list