Subject: Stall proof
From: Paul
Date: 1/13/2001, 6:20 PM


DENIS SMITH wrote:

 Sometimes we bury ourselves with numbers.  In
the
 regime most of us fly a stall is defined by a
 situation where the angle of attack of a
lifting (read
 wing) surface exceeds a point where smooth
airflow is
 possible and separation of the airflow over
the top of
 the wing causes loss of lift and that sinking
 sensation most of us have experienced.  The
reason
 canard type aircraft claim to be stall proof
is that
 the mechanism they use for pitch control has
 insufficient authority to put the wing at a
high
 enough angle of attack to cause the wing to
stall
 during normal (whatever that means)
operations.
 Typically, angle of attack required to stall
an
 airfoil is the same regardless of airspeed.
Your spam
 can will stall at 45, 100, or 150mph if that
angle of
 attack is exceeded.  Whether it is caused by
control
 input, wind shear, updraft, or whatever, it is
angle
 of attack that is critical.  Paul is right
that any
 airfoil can be stalled.  Usually the "Stall
Proof"
 folks are just saying that whatever pitch
mechanism
 they are using has insufficient authority to
put the
 main airfoil at an angle of attack where a
stall will
 occur.

Alfonso Lebron-Berges wrote:

I agree with this definition. Now, centering on
the Canard issue, any
comments about "Deep stall"? I guess you fall in a
more or less
stable attitude but fall anyway and if I am not
wrong it is a very
difficult situation to ge out of.

Alfonso Lebrón-Bergés

DENIS SMITH wrote:

Very difficult to get out of!!  Maybe an aft cg
problem.  Not enough weight forward to force the
canard down far enough to get the main wing angle of
attack out of the stall regime.  Not good!!!


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