REFLECTOR: OT Plane hits an apartment building in NYC

[Emanuel Lewis]

The turning radius is not a function of the aircraft, per se, it is a 
function of the aircraft's TAS and bank angle.  For those mathematically 
inclined:
r(ft)~v squared (kts) / 11.26 tan (phi), where phi is the bank angle.
At a 45 degree bank angle 100 kts will give you a radius of about 900', at 
150 kts the radius goes up to about 2000'.
The width of the East River is about 1600', so we are talking about an 800' 
radius.  To have an 800' turning radius at 100 kts you need a bank angle of 
about 52 degrees, at 150 kts the bank angle would have to be about 67 
degrees.  There was a 15 - 25 kt wind out of the east to add to the problem.
I have flown the corridor in my Velocity.  You fly to the right of the 
centerline of the river (either Hudson or East) and make your turns to the 
left to reverse course.
Need I say more.
Manny Lewis
CFI/II

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Dibble" <aminetech at bluefrog.com>
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2006 10:40 AM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: OT Plane hits an apartment building in NYC


> This is starting to make some sense, but the instructor should have been 
> able to make the required steep U-turn.  Wonder if they forgot about the 
> reg that says you
> can violate any regulation (ie B airspace) if deemed necessary for safety.
> Is there any data on the turning diameter for a Velocity as a function of 
> bank angle/speed?
>
> John
>
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