SIDE SLIP (PURPOSE)

[Chaz]

Not to sound stupid by asking a stupid question but something ive never pursued or enquired more about, but i would like to hear what is the purpose of a SIDESLIP

Is it a evasive tactic, maybe to avoid a head-on with a 747 , is it to get to the ground quickly in case of bad weather . I do know that it is a violent action as ive done it during training but just a tad unsure about its actual purpose.

Please guys no laffing, have had a bad day at the office as it is already.

Your's in Flying
CHAZ

[Pepper]

Hi Chaz, sideslip you can use to loose hight if you are too high on finals, hope this helps

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Sideslipping is a way to change your rate of decent withut affecting the lift..

It's not good for the plane to land with any sideways velocity (relative to the ground, of course), but in a taildragger it can make the next few seconds downright unpleasant! For that reason, and the fact that slips give better descent control than flaps (youcan change the amount of drag without changing the amount of lift - coming outof a slip doesn't result in a period of sink like raising the flaps does...

Was tought when flaps were not common and most training aeries were tailwheelers and still used by competition (precision) and bush pilots. You can for EG put plane in a slip, drop at 1000ft a min and simply by centering the ball be back flying at approach speed with zero or little sink rate....

I use da slip in the RV and also in a couple of the club cessna's I use as they have doge flap motors. Full flaps and try to go around - NOT....

PS
Get some training and test what you are comfirtable with at altitude. Keep speed higher than normal especially in landing phase...

[CloudBase]

If done properly, a sideslip is usually a safer, more predictable method of losing altitude. Slow flight methods like "kissing the stall" have inherent dangers and should not be attempted close to the ground. Spirals and s-turns take you away from your flight path and can make you lose sight of your landing spot.

With a sideslip you can control the rate of descent by the amount of rudder and stick input very accurately and you stay on the flight path looking in the same direction all the time. Your airspeed remains constant so you control the safety envelope. A sideslip can safely be held to relatively close to the ground before correcting and lining up for touch-down.

With a gyroplane there is the added advantage that; if you are in a hover - flying at zero airspeed - and you sideslip, you effectively fly sideways - unlike a helicopter, you do however lose altitude in a hovering sideslip.

[Fairy Flycatcher]

Chaz, do you mean side-slip (3-axis) or slipping turn (trikes)? I know many people who call a slipping turn in a trike a side-slip, and I think you mentioned somewhere that you fly trikes

[CloudBase]

SO can one actually sideslip a gyro cloudbase
I know it cant be done in a trike as they have no rudder

Yip, apart from the rotating wing a gyroplane is essentially a 3-axis aircraft and controls like one. The rudder on most gyroplanes are fairly large so you have got a lot of control authority. Because the wing (rotor) hinges freely on the rotorhub you do not have to fight the inertial effects of the wing tips both in entering or exiting a sideslip. It's therefore possible to more agressively side-slip a gyroplane safely than on most fixed wings, I think.

Mmmmm, having said that - in pitch and roll a gyroplane (like a helicopter) is also a weight shift aircraft because as you change the angle of the rotorhead, the position change of the undercarriage initiates the roll. The helo jocks doesn't like it when you tell e'm they fly weight-shift aeries.

[lamercyfly]

Hi folk.

Slipping turns in weigh-shift flexwing trikes can be a very exhilirating manoeuvre, which if executed well is a safe, but advanced piloting manoeuvre.

No trike will enter the manoeuvre unless by pilot input. This input can either be controlled, or through poor piloting skills. It can also be induced during very, very bad turbulence. The common cause is by going into a bank first, and then trying to speed up secondly. If you want to fly a fast turn, FIRST get speed, THEN bank into the turn. This is quite safe to do. Very safe actually, as you can then even realease the bar a little to create some extra lift while in the turn if you need to. However, doing it the other way around ie. FIRST bank and THEN increase speed, is very, very dangerous, especially low to ground, as if your wing likes slipping, then this is where it happens.

Note that some wings I have flown do allow this poor piloting input. The older very stable wings will not go into a slip, even if you try. So, if you have been flying like this in the past, ie, you are turning from base to finals, and your sequence is first bank then pull bar, and you then climb into one of the new wings, and do the same , you will see your arse!!!

I have used this technique to avoid a very, very near miss with a R22. I also use it extensively in spot landing. I also use it for fun in my Aeros 14.8 wings. Why I mention the wing, is that not all trike wings will enter into a slip. Some on the other hand, are quite dangerous, and will gladly fall out of the sky. losing up to 400-600feet in about 2 seconds, then going into a ballistic wing over in the opposite direction!!!!!

So, do not practice this manoeuvre without lots of height, and start gently. ie, roll only to 20degrees, and only pull the bar in a little, and release the bar early. Slowly build up to 45deg Bank with hauling the bar in and holding it on the point of 'absolute weighlessness for about 4 seconds'.

But, be warned. this CAN BE A DANGEROUS MANEUVRE, AND I DO NOT ADVOCATE IT WITHOUT USING AN INSTRUCTOR WHO IS HAPPY TO TEACH THE MANEUVRE. I ALSO DO NOT ADVOCATE GOING TO THE POINT OF WEIGHTLESSNESS!!!!

here follows a quote from La Mercy Trike Training Manual:

THE SIDE SLIPPING TURN

A sideslipping turn is an advanced manoeuvre which is effective for a temporary rapid height loss.

USES: Collision avoidance

Height loss when turning finals from a tight base in a
glide approach

Positionaing / height loss in a forced landing

ENTRY: Roll positively to approximately 45 degress bank and
simultaneously move the bar back. .

The aircraft will then slip towards the lower wing and lose
height rapidly. Release the bar back to
neutral/trim and fly out of the resultant dive .The
manoeuvre can only be maintained for a
relatively short period of time without a significant build up
of airspeed. The heading change will normally be limited to
approximately 90 degrees.

THIS IS AN ADVANCED MANOEUVRE NOT WITHIN THE CAPABILITIES OF ALL STUDENT PILOTS.

THIS EXERCISE MAY NOT BE PERFORMED WHILE STUDENT IS FLYING SOLO, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY AUTHORISED AND UNDER GROUND RADIO SUPERVISION.

There you have it.

Enjoy the sensation, or stay away!

Talk later

[kb]

Dave - lesson's on sunday??

[DarkHelmet]

Scary stuff... I would like to attend an advance flying class some day... Until then... I will just read what you say

[Ratman]

I know it cant be done in a trike as they have no rudder

Now u tell us Demon!

I used to rely on a sideslip quite often on having stuffed up finals when I was still gliding - often a last resort to get into short fields when you only have one go at it. Took a while to get used to the differences in glide ratios when converting from one glider to the next - sideslip proved very useful here again in getting some drag out of the 'floaters'.

Guess I'll just have to get the approaches right now ! At least still have the option of the go around now - and as you said before - no dishonour in that.

[Wart]

Got into slipping turn in the trike on Saturday purely through the effects of a NW coming up and over the ridge

Corrected it and was given a congrats by my instructor for doing so

[C205]

Also did sideslips in a glider. Was demonstrated a type of turning/side slip (since no rudder) on the trike.

[CloudBase]

Saw a picture of a delta wing with a empenage and rudder in an EAA magazine. Does anyone know anything 'bout a plane like that? Wonder if it handles like a weight-shift but with rudder and elevator like a 3-axis.

[Chaz]

Heya Folks

My FIRST topic ever here on Microlighters.

Your's in Walking
CHAZ

[DarkHelmet]

...and very interesting - I re-read it all!