[NSRCA-discussion] Snap Entry

[Mark Atwood]

It can't simply be a heavily yawed aileron roll though, as the roll rate
greatly exceeds my aileron roll rate.  Something else has to be happening...

With regard to initiating all three controls at the same time...I seem to
recall a time when MANY used a snap switch to do their snap rolls.  Maybe
not in FAI, but certainly in all the lower classes.   I'm sure some still
do.  I don't recall those being zeroed by definition, nor being clearly able
to tell who used them.

-M


On 6/30/08 9:05 PM, "seefo at san.rr.com" <seefo at san.rr.com> wrote:

> Just to stir the pot a little further..
> 
> I'm not sure a contemporary pattern plane can generate enough pitch rate to
> reach critical angle of attack and properly perform a snap roll. I think it's
> far more likely that we're seeing nothing but a heavily yawed aileron roll,
> with the pitch break only being shown to judges to convince them there is
> actually a stall happening, when in fact there is not.
> 
> If a snap cannot occur using ONLY elevator and rudder, then the wing is not
> stalling. Aileron inputs into a snap actually inhibit flow separation, as the
> inboard wing angle of attack is drastically reduced, and the outboard wing AoA
> is drastically increased.
> 
> But since there is no way to actually determine what is happening
> aerodynamically on an F3A airplane, the best a pilot can do is fly the
> airplane to what the judges expect to see based upon the rules. It really
> doesn't matter what the control inputs are if the airplane LOOKS like it's
> doing the right maneuver.
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