23 February 2011

RV-smile



The "RV-smile" is the goofy grin/smile that remains on your face for several days after flying in an RV...

Yesterday I was planning on going on a flight through the Franschoek Valley to Theewaterskloof Dam in the Cubby, but when I got to the plane I saw that the left tire was in the process of going flat (thorns are evil and puncture fix doesn't always work). So that plan flew out the window.

But, there was a seat open on an RV-8, so I went flying in that instead. Doing some aerobatics and formation flying makes up for the fact that I can't log the hours.

And the formation flying, wow! It's amazing seeing another aircraft that close to you, with the mountains forming the perfect backdrop.



We flew in formation to the Franschoek Valley, and then split up. We did some aerobatics while the people in the other aircraft watched, and then they did aerobatics while we watched. Watching aerobatics from the ground is amazing, but watching them from the air is breathtaking!

I felt like I was in a dog fight; craning your head around to keep the other aircraft in sight is hard work. And that was only at about 160kts. Imagine doing that at 500kts or more!



Loops, Rolls, Barrel Rolls, Stall Turns, Half Cuban Eight's, Steep Turns, and some other things I can't remember the names of. He also demonstrated that stalling has nothing to do with airspeed; it's a function of your angle of attack. While I know this from studying Principles of Flight, it was one of the first times I got to experience it; pulling the nose up, you turn 90 degrees and pull back on the stick until the aircraft begins to buffet (the sign of an approaching stall), you then release the back-pressure slightly, roll the wings level, and climb gently. Great fun.



I think the highest amount of G's that we pulled was 3.5, and I still don't think that the blood has fully returned to my brain yet. After a mere 30 minutes I was tired and sweaty, and ready to have a nap. So I have great respect for fighter pilots and aerobatic pilots. It's going to be a while before I'm "Aerobatic fit"!



I also have great respect for the people that do air-to-air photography from aircraft with small cockpits. Trying to focus on the other aircraft through the glass(or plastic) of your canopy is a challenge; you need to deal with turbulance and reflections, and you need to be very careful and avoid hitting the canopy with the lens.



All-in-all, another awesome experience. And I'd still love to have an RV-8.

Now, Navigation is calling my name. What an anti-climax.

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