Reducing Spin Rate

[Cliff Bastow]

I am trying to push myself a little with the ultimate aim of maybe taking my B.

I am getting on ok but I find that when I try a spin with my Travel Air the spin rate is very fast, so much so that I struggle to bring it out of the spin in the right direction.

Should I reduce the rates on the Rudder or Aileron or am I doing something else wrong?

I would add that it is very reluctant to stall. It just floats along getting a bit mushy, so seems to need rudder and Aileron to make it spin otherwise it goes into a spiral dive instead.

Thanks for any help.

Edited By Cliff Bastow on 20/08/2014 14:55:38

[chris Bond - Bondaero]

I presume you are not putting in any aileron

Is the cog far enough back?

[Cliff Bastow]

Sorry meant to put Rudder and Aileron rates. I put in rudder and aileron to make it spin, If I dont add aileron it goes into a spiral dive instead.

Cg is as advertised so could be a bit conservative.

Edited By Cliff Bastow on 20/08/2014 14:54:44

[reg shaw]

Moving the CofG back will help it enter and spin, but I doubt it'll help the recovery much. What are you doing to stop the spin? Neutral elevator and opposite rudder, balancing with aileron is the norm, but keep the nose down to get the speed up before pullout. It might be you just need a bit more practice with the spins, stopping 1/2 - 3/4 turns before you want to perhaps.

Ian.

[Cliff Bastow]

Thanks Reg, Deffinately need more practice but the problem i am having is that the spin rate is so fast its difficult to count them and start the recovery at the correct pont.

[J D 8]

The spin rate may just be a trait of the Travel Air,perhaps someone else who has one can comment?

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

I'd try moving the CG back a little at a time, as Ian says. Try to get it spinning well without ailerons.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I think you might be flicking into the spin too fast. Slow it right down, down, down. Keep feeding in up elevator to hold altitude, then just before you're about to get a straight ahead stall - bang in the rudder to stall the inside wing. Done that way you shouldn't need to touch the ailerons to make it spin. She should drop the inner wing - while the outside wing should not go up above the level the plane was at - ie its isn't a roll, its a pure wing drop. That should make the entrance to the spin slower.

The spin itself will then be slower because a true spin is an auto-rotation, the speed of which is governed by how much kinetic energy the model had on entry, all of which is converted to rotational kinetic energy in the spin. So, enter slower and you spin slower.

BEB