Foward slips to landing
Hello everyone - I am 2 flights away from my PPL!
Foward slips to landings seems to be the last skill that is dogging me a bit. I've been up w/2 different instructors and each explained it to me differently, and it seemed like when we actually slipped to land, THEY were the ones doing the flying. Any tips, hints, pieces of advice, characteristics to look for/avoid would be very much appreciated. Thanks everyone! Mike |
These are my FAVORITE!
I just remember, left aileron, right rudder....you should be lining up with the runway out your side window. There is a "v" in mine in the corner, and I use that as my visual to follow my track all the way down. I straighten out right before roundout and flare..... I was afraid of cross controlling with these when i first did them - just watch your a/s. I would also go up and just practice a TON of short approaches with these! Congrats on your upcoming checkride! MHM |
Originally Posted by MikeInTx
(Post 128621)
Hello everyone - I am 2 flights away from my PPL!
Foward slips to landings seems to be the last skill that is dogging me a bit. I've been up w/2 different instructors and each explained it to me differently, and it seemed like when we actually slipped to land, THEY were the ones doing the flying. Any tips, hints, pieces of advice, characteristics to look for/avoid would be very much appreciated. Thanks everyone! Mike Make sure you are putting the wing down into the wind. Dipping your wing downwind results in a less effective slip and is not safe in a crosswind; when you transition from forward slip to side-slip, you want to have that wing already down into the wind. A good simple way to break it down when you start out is: 1)The amount of rudder deflection in the forward slip controls the rate of descent (more rudder=greater sink) The second half of the rudder deflection usually has a lot more effect than the first half. 2)Aileron input controls drift from side to side (aka helps you keep it on the centerline) This is obviously a simplified way to think about a forward slip, as the rudder and aileron do not operate independently in a slip (for example: if you are slipping left wing down and the airplane is drifting left, you can correct by reducing left aileron and adding right rudder), but its a good way to start to think about it. Also, remember that most airspeed indicators are not accurate when the aircraft is in a forward slip. Keep the same pitch attitude in the slip as you had before starting it, and your airspeed should remain safe. A lot of people drop the nose considerably when slipping because they are trying to lose altitude. The increased airspeed will usually result in using as much runway as if you hadn;t slipped in the first place. Hopefully that makes sense |
And don't forget that if you have a crosswind, as you start recovering from the slip, you want to transition to your crosswind correction, so that you still maintain centerline and land appropriately (left main tire touchdown first, if a left crosswind, etc)
They really are a lot of fun. |
One other thing from looking at your avtar, Mike, is some Cessna's have a placard saying "avoid slips with flaps extended". I guess you could still practice them but understand the reason for he limitation and it's application for the checkride.
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When at a safe altitude line the nose up with a reference point, now bank the airplane in either direction but use just enough rudder to keep the nose of the aircraft pointing at the reference. Now slowly remove the aileron input towards the other direction while slowly removing rudder and applying opposite rudder as needed to do the same.
This will get you comfortable with the sideward forces and awkwardness of the forward slip. It may also improve your crosswind technique. I believe these are called "dutch rolls." |
Originally Posted by ImperialxRat
(Post 129073)
And don't forget that if you have a crosswind, as you start recovering from the slip, you want to transition to your crosswind correction, so that you still maintain centerline and land appropriately (left main tire touchdown first, if a left crosswind, etc)
You can "kick out the crab" as early as you wish on final, but it takes more effort to maintain a sideslip and the latter are only useful on touchdown. Valid reasons not to sideslip in passenger aircraft are that passengers appreciate a level ride and low wing aircraft have limited clearance under the wing in many cases, so for them a sideslip on short final will scrape an engine, causing excitement and sometimes videos. The above descriptions of crabbing, slipping, and forward slipping seem correct to me, but no one mentioned a real problem you can get into with poorly done forward slips that occurs when you enter at an excessive airspeed. To get yourself down in a hurry you tend to want to do a forward slip, ok but this can increase airspeed so much you end up defeating the purpose and landing long due to excess speed. The solution is not to start a forward slip until a sufficiently low airspeed is obtained. Counterintuitive as it may be is that there is an upper limit on the successful application of a forward slip. If you start a forward slip at greater than about 65 knots in a C172 and use lots of forward pitch you will pick up speed like crazy. But, if you actually slow the airplane down by pitching up a few seconds before starting the manuever, say 60 kts, you can then lose lots of altitude. The plane will drop like a rock and not pick up airspeed. I am not sure why this happens aerodynamically except that maybe the lower dynamic pressure allows fuller rudder deflection in proportion to the lift factor and the drag factor stays ahead of the increase in speed due to trade of altitude. One of my better instructors watched me fumble this a few times and informed me you need to start forward slips at a lower speed. I have seen the placard about not slipping with flaps, but it wasn't in a late model 172. By late I mean coming after the november series. More info, anyone? I always use flaps when doing forward slips because it increases drag and increases the decent angle. -Cub |
The "Avoid Slips with Flaps Extended" placard is there to prevent you from stalling the horizontal stab, resulting in an aggressive pitch-down close to the ground which obviously you don't want. However I have never felt this happen even with full flaps and a full rudder slip. Go up and try it at a couple thousand feet. I bet if you got slow it would. Has anyone else had it happen? The previous post about airspeed in a forward slip is right. If you start at to high speed, the airplane won't want to come down.
Also remember that the slip can be used for emergency altitude loss during a forced landing. Use is anywhere in the landing pattern if you are really high. On base, lower the wing towards the runway and hold it with opposite rudder. To turn final, just swap rudders. Once the turn is complete, put the opposite rudder back in. When you are ready to take the forward slip out, all you have to do is relax the rudder you are holding until the nose is straight down the runway. I teach people to count to three while they slowly neutralize the rudder. This makes a nice smooth transition that won't make your passengers puke, if they haven;t already.:D |
Originally Posted by CubCAPTAIN
(Post 129103)
The "Avoid Slips with Flaps Extended" placard is there to prevent you from stalling the horizontal stab, resulting in an aggressive pitch-down close to the ground which obviously you don't want. However I have never felt this happen even with full flaps and a full rudder slip. Go up and try it at a couple thousand feet. I bet if you got slow it would. Has anyone else had it happen? The previous post about airspeed in a forward slip is right. If you start at to high speed, the airplane won't want to come down.
Also remember that the slip can be used for emergency altitude loss during a forced landing. Use is anywhere in the landing pattern if you are really high. On base, lower the wing towards the runway and hold it with opposite rudder. To turn final, just swap rudders. Once the turn is complete, put the opposite rudder back in. When you are ready to take the forward slip out, all you have to do is relax the rudder you are holding until the nose is straight down the runway. I teach people to count to three while they slowly neutralize the rudder. This makes a nice smooth transition that won't make your passengers puke, if they haven;t already.:D |
The do not slip with flaps placard normally indicates that you may not slip with FULL flaps, but does not limit slipping with partial flap extension. The reason is that the full flap extension, up to 40 degree on some 172's, can effectively blank out airflow over the tail in a slip and cause a tail stall, as earlier stated. Check the POH; I believe that the limitation was for full flap only, but this is from the dark corners of my mind, as it has been a while since I have flown a 172.
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As far as I remember (which is not much) not doing forward slips with flaps extended in a Cessna is a recommendation, not a prohibition. I think the wording in the POH was something like, "Forward slips with flaps fully extended not recommended."
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makes sense...
That makes sense because older 172s have a 40 degree electric flap setting. I flew a C172N with that on it but I do not remember there being a forward slip placard. Time to look for cockpit photos online.... By the way, the 40 degree setting was nearly useless and if it caused spins no wonder they took it away. It added some drag but was hardly worth the delay in retraction time.
By the way, anyone care to comment on whether it is safe or not do forward slips to a crosswind. The wind hits the airplane from the side and you broadside the oncoming wind; is this a recipe for disaster? Generally forward slips are done in winds coming straight down the runway, but they can be used to slow the aircraft in crosswinds by turning away from the wind. Right wind, hard left rudder, turn the airplane so it gets broadsided by the crosswind; pitch down hard and let the right aileron deflect upward to control the path. Obviously this wouldn't be useful for very long due to directional loss, but I wonder how much you run the risk of stalling the left wing since it is now in the turbulent wake of the rest of the airplane. I am leery of testing full forward slip in quartering crosswinds at low altitude because I fear the airplane may whipstall like the dreaded late-turn-to-final scenario. Or, maybe because the angle of attack is low in a forward slip the possibility of one wing stalling is negligible. Comments? |
Originally Posted by skirtinstorms
(Post 129163)
As far as I remember (which is not much) not doing forward slips with flaps extended in a Cessna is a recommendation, not a prohibition. I think the wording in the POH was something like, "Forward slips with flaps fully extended not recommended."
Brian |
Originally Posted by Cubdriver
(Post 129087)
I have seen the placard about not slipping with flaps, but it wasn't in a late model 172. By late I mean coming after the november series. More info, anyone? I always use flaps when doing forward slips because it increases drag and increases the decent angle.
-Cub I would suggest complying with the published limitations for your aircraft...read the POH, different cessnas are different, but I do not recall a limitation on slips with partial flaps, only full flaps. With that being said the story about flaps blocking airflow and stalling the rudder is an old wive's tale. The real issue was turbulent airflow causing buffeting, which would probably be harmless, but might scare or confuse an inexperienced pilot. |
I've done forward slips with full flaps on a 172 and felt the buffet. It's minor.
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Originally Posted by Brian Z
(Post 129201)
You are correct. I had this same converastion with my instructor today during my pre-solo brief. Here is what I came up with. The direct verbage from page 4-48 of the 172S PIM is "Steep slips with flap settings greater than 20* can cause a slight tendency for the elevator to oscillate under certain combinations of airspeed, sideslip angle and center of gravity loadings." Here is another quote from page 4-49 of the same PIM, "If flap settings of greater than 20* are used in sideslips with full ruddder deflection some elevator oscillation may be felt at normal approach speeds. However, this does not affect control of the airplane." I beleive it is that last sentance that makes it a recommentation not to perform them as to a prohibation.
Brian The 172S is different. I got checked out in one a few years ago, and I remember seeing that in the POH. Some older Cessnas do have a limitation for full flap slips, as the one I got my private in did. As for the tail stall being an old wives tale...turbulent airflow over an airfoil is the beginnings of a stall, and with a slow enough airspeed, or sudden change in relative wind, it would be very easy for a tail stall to develop. I agree that it can probably be done and has been many times, but the recommendation and / or limitation is based on what can happen, not what will happen every time. |
Originally Posted by sigep_nm
(Post 129111)
So you are recommeding to a new private pilot to go become a test pilot by disregarding a placard in the aircraft? I suppose he should maybe go spin an arrow too.
Actually it would not be disregarding a placard. The placard uses the word "avoid" and it implies to "avoid" doing this during landing (aka close to the ground). Think about it this way: I doubt the POH would recommend practicing a power off stall on final approach, but there is obviously nothing wrong with practicing power off stalls at a safe altitude. And yes he should go spin an aircraft (not an arrow) with a qualified instructor. People who avoid learning how their aircraft stalls, spins, tail stalls, etc because of safety concerns are actually less safe as pilots. If recovery technique is not a natural instinct, you'll be dead if and when it happens close to the ground. |
Originally Posted by CubCAPTAIN
(Post 129442)
Actually it would not be disregarding a placard. The placard uses the word "avoid" and it implies to "avoid" doing this during landing (aka close to the ground). Think about it this way: I doubt the POH would recommend practicing a power off stall on final approach, but there is obviously nothing wrong with practicing power off stalls at a safe altitude. And yes he should go spin an aircraft (not an arrow) with a qualified instructor. People who avoid learning how their aircraft stalls, spins, tail stalls, etc because of safety concerns are actually less safe as pilots. If recovery technique is not a natural instinct, you'll be dead if and when it happens close to the ground.
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Originally Posted by de727ups
(Post 129257)
I've done forward slips with full flaps on a 172 and felt the buffet. It's minor.
And yeah, everyone should know how and practice forward slips in my opinion. Starting with them in the practice area and moving towards doing them on landing. Either way, use a straight-line reference(runway, road, power lines, etc...) to get used to how much rudder/aileron mixing you need to maintain a straight course. |
The N model only had 30 degrees of flaps. I've owned both.
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Well I don't think I was imagining 40 degree setting in the 172N that I took my instrument checkride in.
Here's something I surfed up: "...not until the 1981 model year was the maximum flap extension reduced from 40 to 30 degrees." http://search.netscape.com/ns/boomfr...2FA02P0136.asp C172Ps were the last of the 1980's Skyhawks, and were introduced in 1981 according to wikipedia. So, my guess is that was where the 40 setting actually ended, when the P was introduced. I never found much use for the 40 degree setting as it slowed down touch n goes due to retraction time. I think they were for super-short field landings which no one does anymore, perhaps a sales gimmick. As far as I know they only only added drag which is of little value when forward slipping because that does it so much better. |
Originally Posted by VTcharter
(Post 129370)
in did. As for the tail stall being an old wives tale...turbulent airflow over an airfoil is the beginnings of a stall, and with a slow enough airspeed, or sudden change in relative wind, it would be very easy for a tail stall to develop.
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I looked up the TCDS for the 172N. I had a seaplane, so that's where I got the 30 degrees of flaps, from. The landplane did have 40 degrees. The P models and newer had 30 degrees.
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Originally Posted by de727ups
(Post 129813)
I looked up the TCDS for the 172N. I had a seaplane, so that's where I got the 30 degrees of flaps, from. The landplane did have 40 degrees. The P models and newer had 30 degrees.
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One more thing...
There are also some models that want you to avoid prolonged slips due to fuel starvation.....good to know in my opinion!
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