Gyro Hover flight

[Ugly Duckling]

Really? Surely a fixed wing at zero indicated airspeed is stalled and falling/spinning? How can it be flying? Not being facetious, I'm geniunely curious? Jean.

Spoken like someone who’s never left a pitot cover on

The "airspeed live" call out was a good indication of the oversight

[20048]

I can make a C172 and 182 fly at zero indicated airspeed too! Am I actually hovering?

Indicated Airspeed?

[southside]

I can make a C172 and 182 fly at zero indicated airspeed too! Am I actually hovering?

Indicated Airspeed?

I have done this too in a C182 many years ago. One can ‘hang it on the prop’

Obviously at a safe altitude to demonstrate the performance. Or lack thereof. Whatever you want to call it. Definitely not on the good side of the drag curve. But it can be done.

The C182 is a fantastic aeroplane. When you compare it to the C172, you can put the 182 into a steep turn, one or two up trims and sit on your hands and it will sit like you are, perfectly… while you observe the bomber pilots fighting the fire below you.

[Whirly]

The late Dirk de Vos showed it to me in a C210, on take off.

Whirly.

[Captain Gyro]

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/p1mzdofw ... pakbx&dl=0

Here's a video I made of a vertical descent in my gyro. The rotor RPM only slightly drops in the vertical descent, but then maintains its value, and one can remain in this state, as long as one has altitude to lose. Have done this from 10 000ft all the way to SL. Nice quick way of getting down.

[Mike Wissing]

I can make a C172 and 182 fly at zero indicated airspeed too! Am I actually hovering?

Indicated Airspeed?

If that’s a question, yes indeedy!
It’s a great demo for a student to see if they understand how that is possible!

[Mike Wissing]

I can make a C172 and 182 fly at zero indicated airspeed too! Am I actually hovering?

Really? Surely a fixed wing at zero indicated airspeed is stalled and falling/spinning? How can it be flying? Not being facetious, I'm geniunely curious?

Jean.

Jean, to understand why I stated zero INDICATED airspeed is a clue. The air impacting the pitot tube is at such a high angle of attack as to give a false reading on the ASI. The aircraft is not stalled, even though it may be behind the power curve and pretty close to stalling.
This is best attempted with an instructor on board who is not scared of high nose attitudes!
You are welcome to pm me if you’d like a more in-depth response.

[Mike Wissing]

Really? Surely a fixed wing at zero indicated airspeed is stalled and falling/spinning? How can it be flying? Not being facetious, I'm geniunely curious? Jean.

Spoken like someone who’s never left a pitot cover on

The cure for having left your pitot cover on is to turn on pitot heat……burns through the nylon sleeveand bobs your uncle, live airspeed again.

[mikev]

TC wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2024 1:33 pm
jtresfon wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2024 10:40 am
Really? Surely a fixed wing at zero indicated airspeed is stalled and falling/spinning? How can it be flying? Not being facetious, I'm geniunely curious? Jean.
Spoken like someone who’s never left a pitot cover on
The cure for having left your pitot cover on is to turn on pitot heat……burns through the nylon sleeveand bobs your uncle, live airspeed again.

I hovered my Savannah MXP740V twice.

Wind was about 32 Km/h+ and I used about 70% power, full flaps.

Both instances were over my own runway, those that had been there will know there are no objects causing wind inconsistencies.

Height was at 1,5M (Low enough for the undercarriage to handle the shock should I sink through) and I actually had it gaining a little when power was (GENTLY!!!) increased and descending when decreased with both hovering parts of the flight lasting about a minute.

Both instances ended when I realized the folly of gaining only bragging rights for the potential fat bill if things went pear shaped!

I must mention that my Savannah was built with the Leading edge slats wing, left completely unpainted with only the oxidization proofing between plates, especially for the max Low-and Slow effect. Power off stall was below 25 mph, how much, I don't know as ASI read Zero due to the AOA.

So, yes! Fixed wings can hover!!

[AJW]

During the 90's when I was in Ladysmith and they still had proper airshows, I can recall on more than one occasion where the crop sprayer flew backwards during his display.

Cornell should remember this as well, not sure how old he was back then.

[Volo]

I remember an aircraft tracking backwards across the field @ Virginia airfield ( Durban ) @ an airshow in the 50s
The term flying Jeep has stuck in my mind - I have an idea it was that aircraft that Frank Perssons father owned ?

[MaverickKevin]

Aircraft tracking backwards or demonstrating zero groundspeed, I don't feel are "hovering", as a fixed wing aircraft cannot do that in zero wind conditions.