Since You Asked

Rudder vs. Aileron Recoveries

Hi Rod,

While practicing stall recoveries in a Cessna 150, my instructor - as well as several aviation books - cautioned me against trying to pick up a dropping wing by using the ailerons to avoid stalling even further on the lowered aileron side. Only use rudder input, they said. Don't flirt with spin country. That's fine with me. Why then does the Cessna 150's pilot's operating handbook state otherwise? In the stall section it reads, "In case of roll, use ailerons to return wings level, then neutralize aileron control." No mention of rudder. Who's right?

Sincerely,
Arthur

Greetings Arthur,

First, thanks for using the term dropping instead of dropping off. When instructors tell their students not to use ailerons to pick up a wing that is dropping off, this causes some students to wonder why they're not flying airplanes with stronger wing bolts. (And we wonder why stalls make some people nervous.) Your instructor is right

in terms of not using an aileron to pick up a dropping (stalled) wing. As you know, a lowered aileron increases the angle of attack on that wing. Attempting to lift an already stalled (or nearly stalled) wing will surely exacerbate the stall.

I believe the answer to your question lies in the section of the pilot's operating handbook (POH) from which you're quoting. Although I'm not sure which make and model your POH refers to, most POHs have separate sections for stall and spin recoveries. Since you're reading from the stall section, the advice found there probably applies to wings that are no longer stalled. In this case, it's expected that you'll return the wings to level flight with the ailerons.

In the spin section of your POH, I'm sure you won't find any mention of using ailerons to raise a stalled wing. In fact, you can easily accelerate spin entry by attempting to raise a stalled wing with the ailerons. It's more likely that your POH contains advice similar to what stall/spin guru Rich Stowell recommends in his book P.A.R.E.: The Emergency Spin Recovery Procedure. Without going into detail, P.A.R.E. represents the flight control sequence for spin recovery: power (off), ailerons (neutral and flaps up), rudder (full opposite - heavy), and elevator (to reduce the angle of attack).

Instrument Training Aircraft

Dear Mr. Machado,

I currently have 80 hours of flight time and am ready to begin my instrument training in a couple of weeks. The FBO where I will be doing my training has four Cessna 172s, a Cessna 182, and two Mooneys (M20F and M20J). I would like to get away from using the 172s because they're always rented. I have no idea as to the condition of the 182. Putting the obvious differences in cost aside, do you think the Mooney is a good choice for an instrument training airplane?

Thanks,
Beale

Greetings Beale,

First, let me say this: If time and money weren't an issue, you could purchase a used Boeing 747 and do your instrument training in it. The major benefit there is that you'd never have to worry about being home for dinner because you could bring the family with you. The downside is that it would take a lot longer to get the rating.

The same goes for complex general aviation airplanes. With all else being equal, it will probably take between five and 15 hours longer to get your instrument rating in a complex airplane - any complex airplane, whether Cessna, Piper, Mooney, or Boeing. This is especially true if all your time is in noncomplex airplanes.

I find it a little more difficult to teach the basics of attitude instrument flying in complex airplanes. Problems such as thermal engine shock, the airplane's complexity, its heavy-handedness, etc., can make introductory instrument training difficult. Learning to handle a complex airplane properly is a different skill set that I feel should be learned separately from introductory instrument instruction.

If you do decide to use one of these airplanes, please consider using a flight simulator or flight training device for the initial part of your flight training. It's especially helpful if this simulator closely replicates the complex airplane in which you'll do the flying part of your training. Simulators allow your instructor to teach attitude flying skills with great efficiency.

If you elect to train in a Mooney, rest assured that it's as good a trainer as any other complex airplane.

Rudder For Turn Entries

Dear Rod,

I am a new pilot who is still sloppy in turn initiation, especially in the pattern. The symptom of this problem is the number of times the turn coordinator tells me that I need right rudder in a left turn. I hesitate to add right rudder because it will flatten me out (or so I think) when I really want to remain in the turn. Could you suggest a sequence for initiating a turn - rudder and then aileron, or vice versa, or both at the same time?

Thanks so much,
Mike

Greetings Mike,

If the ball says that you need right rudder to coordinate the turn, add right rudder and counteract any change in bank with aileron. Trust the ball; it doesn't lie. (Although I did read a report about an airplane with a turn coordinator that was twisted 16 degrees on the panel, causing the inclinometer's ball to fall to one side. I hope the pilot didn't try to keep the ball centered on that flight).

When entering a turn, apply aileron and the appropriate amount of rudder simultaneously. I use the words appropriate amount because it's possible that you may not even need to apply left rudder when entering a climbing left-hand turn thanks to our good friends p-factor, torque, propeller slipstream, and gyroscopic precession. Remember, the main purpose of rudder is to compensate for a lowered aileron's adverse yaw, which tends to move the nose opposite to the direction you desire to turn. Once the turn is established, manipulate the ailerons as necessary to maintain the desired angle of bank and apply whatever rudder pressure is needed to keep the airplane flying coordinated.

As you gain more experience, you'll find that you don't even need to refer to the ball in the inclinometer to tell you if you're flying coordinated. The feeling on your derriere as well as a visual reference to the nose will give you all the information that you need.

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