Simon Chaddock Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 Just to add to the definition a bit further some glider airbrakes also act as speed limiting brakes in that they would keep the glider below VNE even in a vertical dive. Slingsby had such fitted on many of their wooden gliders. Very comforting if you got really out of sorts when climbing in cloud as simply apply full airbrake and sit tight. It did not matter what attitude the glider was in as it would not get broken. You just had to hope there was enough height to sort things out safely once you came clear of the cloud. I have only once seen this done when a two seat instructional flight just off a 2000' aerotow suddenly went into a true vertical dive to only level off for a direct approach and landing. We ran up to where it stopped to see what was wrong. The pupil had been violently sick and being a side by side cockpit the very experienced instructor decided to get down ASAP before the smell made him sick too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 The T31 glider does have spoilers on the top wing surface. They are quite small and remarkably well forward. I guess with its rather high drag configuration it didn't need anything more powerful. Furthermore most T31 were flown by the ATC from RAF airfields so they had plenty of landing space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 2 hours ago, Simon Chaddock said: I have only once seen this done when a two seat instructional flight just off a 2000' aerotow suddenly went into a true vertical dive to only level off for a direct approach and landing. While I was learning, my instructor (the legendary John Jeffries) talked me through such an approach from 4000’ after a wave flight. A memorable experience… After that, I only recall using air brakes at high speed once, while trying to descend below cloud in an ASW20 and getting close to the rough air VNE - the suction was very significant and came as quite a surprise even though I was expecting it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piers Bowlan Posted August 10 Share Posted August 10 If the objective is to make the approach and landing into a small field easier then personally I would do as Martin suggested earlier, reflex both the ailerons upwards for landing. You could use a three position flap switch on your Tx if it has the mixing feature. The T 31M has very large ailerons and I think this would be highly effective for killing lift and steepening the approach. I have used this to good effect on my gliders in the past. PatMc’s suggestion is also a good one, I must try it sometime. Spoilers might give you scale fidelity but are a lot of work/complication when with just a bit of transmitter programming you can achieve much the same flying characteristics. Just my 2p worth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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