windy stall turn judging

[Del Rykert]

Lance
    What I do and watch for is the CG staying on track. If the pilot corrects and maintains track of CG as it slows except for while approaching and stalled which plane will drift with wind they get highest score. I have awarded nines for planes that only actually rotated 90 º in the stalled part allowing for wind blowing in or out, not down runway as track was only showing minor flaw in vertical. It appears ugly when flown in 30mph wind. I believe the most skilled pilots minimize the ugly appearance by using high idle or good stick finesse to make it look easy. 
     In your question I assume you are describing down the runway which don't happen often at contest I attend.

                         del 
               NSRCA - 473
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Lance Van Nostrand 
  To: discussion at nsrca.org 
  Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2004 11:20 PM
  Subject: windy stall turn judging


  I have a question about the best basic approach to doing a stall turn into a 20mph headwind (judging from the recent posts, this is probably something we are all struggling with).  The question has to do with the actual turn itself.  Which is better (or is there another way):
  1. Pull up from horizontal with plane leaning into the wind so it's track is vertical.  As the plane slows, maintain an angle into the wind to minimize blowback.  Stall turn with plane at an angle and then tuck the nose asap (the elevator isn't effective when the plane is not moving forward, but becomes effective after the turn pretty quickly).

  Appearance: Stall turn looks flat.  After turn the plane is pointed downwind a bit so when the elevator tuck kicks in the plane seems to ungracefully snake back onto a downline.  
  Advantage: plane deviates from the perfectly coincident up/downlines the least, but it sure deviates.

  2. Pull up from horizontal with plane leaning into wind so it's track is vertical.  As the plane slows pull the nose up so the stall turn looks somewhat normal and pretty.  tuck the nose on the downline.

  Appearance: Looks most like a calm day stall turn, but it can cause a significant wind shift for the up/downlines.

  This question plagued me today during my practice and although I could do it either way, they both looked ugly.  Is there a way to make these look good and stay on heading?
  --Lance
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