No Do Overs! Defined Minimum Maneuvering Speed or D.M.M.S.

[Cherrybark]

My initial instruction and the subsequent teaching I did as a CFI/Glider was with auto tow launches. Chop the top off something bit old Pontiac so the driver and passenger can see the glider, stretch out 1000' feet of rope, hook up the glider, give the appropriate signals, and you're off. Once the glider leaves the ground the stick is eased all the way back and held in your lap till the top of the tow. Real world rope brakes are a fact of life and instruction includes multiple simulated breaks with the instructor surprising the student by releasing the hook. You quickly learn the instant response of stick forward before you start working on the problem of whether to land straight ahead or do a 180. Top of a good tow might be 750' - 800'. A rope break in the 500' range makes for a tough decision. Slip for a straight ahead landing or turn and have any headwind become a headwind as you try and land back at the take off point. Fun times and the club charged $0.50 a flight.

[tracstarr]

I watched this the other day. Great video. I was never taught this in my training nor was there any emphasis on the need to make that push instinct and instant. It's something I want/need to work on for sure.

Additionally, does anyone know with the G3X if you have any options/settings to add an indicator for something like this?

[PaulSS]

Keep it simple and just remember 45kts in a Kitfox as your min manoeuvring speed.

[PapuaPilot]

Additionally, does anyone know with the G3X if you have any options/settings to add an indicator for something like this?

It appears that there are 4 custom speeds that you can program on the G3X in the Aircraft Configuration page. The instructor in the video suggests marking 1.404 times your stall speed. This speed could be slightly different for various Kitfox models, but you could program the DMMS on the airspeed tape.

Another option would be to use the AOA indicator as a reference for a safe maneuvering speed. The AOA will compensate for changes in aircraft weight and DA. When you setup the AOA Garmin suggests using 1.5 Vs as the speed when the AOA will first appears on the PFD. They also suggest having the approach target AOA at 1.3 Vs, which is the green dot. Awareness of being too slow could be as soon as the AOA appears on the PFD screen. Always keep the AOA in the green and well above the 1.3 Vs dot.

[Rik]

So are the AOA's merely trying to you keep you at >1.3Vs?

[jiott]

I believe that the DMMS can be defined for any configuration you want; it makes the most sense to me to define it in my normal landing configuration (1/2 flaps).

You never want to pull flaps on an engine out situation if you want to maximize your glide distance. Best glide is speed is always set with clean configuration. Only after the landing spot is assured would you pull flaps to add drag and steepen your approach.

[aviator79]

You never want to pull flaps on an engine out situation if you want to maximize your glide distance.

Thanks for saying this Jim. I hear other flight instructors tell students things like "The first 15 degrees of flaps give you more lift than drag, after that, they give you more drag than lift." Unless your airplane is of a very stupid design, this is a false statement that leads people to do dumb things like try to add flaps to extend their glide.

[109JB]

Thanks for saying this Jim...

Not entirely true. You should always use what the POH/AFM says to use and not rules of thumb one way or another.

In the case of at least one airplane that I know of, the DA20-A1 Katana, the best glide is accomplished with T/O flaps and not full up. This is likely because the "0 degree" flap setting is a reflexed position for increased cruise performance. Now later versions of the Katana aren't the same and use flaps up (Cruise position) for best glide angle.

In the case of the Kitfox, at least my KF IV, the flaps have an infinitely variable range and are also used as the pitch trim. In the takeoff position there is a fair amount of up flap still available. So is glide in a Kitfox better with flaps fully up, at takeoff position, or somewhere else???

[rcbif]

My initial instruction and the subsequent teaching I did as a CFI/Glider was with auto tow launches.

Started with gliders as well. Those 200ft, 180 turn rope break drills get the blood flowing.

When I was doing my powered transition training, I had the tenancy to go nose down a bit too long for stall recovery, dive during landings, and fly level building up speed a bit too long during the go-arounds.

The Cessna felt like a brick that could stall at any moment in the pattern to me, and I tended to over compensate by using the only power a glider pilot has - pushing the nose down.

[David47]

I watched this video and wondered why this isn’t part of basic pilot training. I’ve never had an engine out on takeoff, other than my instructor reaching over and pulling the throttle, but it would be a disarming feeling if you’d never experienced it before. This is a great video, to the point I’ve included an additional step in my check list when I’m pre takeoff. In bold letter: Think Engine Failure.