[NSRCA-discussion] Flying into the sun????????????????

[Keith Black]

Don't watch the plane go into the sun, move your eyes to the other side and wait to see your plane appear. If you allow yourself to focus directly at the sun your eyes won't be useful when the plane does come out. I've used the one eye trick, it works but so does not looking at the sun. Art Wagner would tell you to put your fingers into PCM lock until the plane re-appears. This is a good plan for saving the airplane, but may distort your geometry if you need a pull right where the sun happens to be. 

At Temple my Avalanche ended up with the plane dead center in the sun when I needed to snap. I looked away and hit the sticks just like I always do, then looked on the other side and sure enough, it emerged just as it was supposed to. Maybe a bit off heading, but not bad considering I wasn't looking at it when I snapped. My caller Gray Fowler said "yea, your inverted" as I re-appeared. I could have probably flown through without snapping and the judges wouldn't have known :-D.

What helps a HUGE amount is being familiar with your pattern when flying in these conditions. It's not good to be flying a pattern you're not familiar with in the sun! Which puts most all Sportsman, and pilots that have just moved up, in a very scary situation on Saturday morning! 

Probably the worst situation is what appears to have happened in Pensacola where someone entered the sun low on the horizon when landing.  That's a pull and hit the power moment, then land down wind! Hind-sight... eh?

Keith
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: John Pavlick 
  To: NSRCA Mailing List 
  Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 12:10 AM
  Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Flying into the sun????????????????


  Ben,
   Well as the story goes with bikers: "There are only 2 kinds of bikers: those who have gone down, and those who are goin' down!" You will fly through the Sun some day. It's just a matter of time. The best defense is a pair of Zurich sunglasses. These have saved me a few times. Also, the "close one eye" trick seems to help. If you're aware of these things now, when it happens, you'll be ready. Not if - when!

  John Pavlick
  http://www.idseng.com
    


   -----Original Message-----
  From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Ben Hail
  Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 8:45 AM
  To: NSRCA Mailing List
  Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Flying into the sun????????????????


    The other day, I noticed a post about a pilot that flew into the sun and lost his plane. I think it was the Pensacola contest. I've been flying for a long time, and have never flown even near the sun. Why and how is that possible, I just don't understand how anyone could do such a thing.

    Thanks, Ben....


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