[NSRCA-discussion] Snap

[Bob Richards]

If the plane is in knife-edge flight, you are mostly looking at the top or bottom of the plane. How can you observe a pitch break in that instance? If the pitch break is the complete (or biggest) tell-all of a true snap, then the maneuver schedule should be chosen to put the plane in the best position possible to observe this criteria.


--- On Mon, 10/12/09, Ed Alt <ed_alt at hotmail.com> wrote:





So, in all seriousness this time, allow me to explain what happens in the knife edge snap.  Here goes:
 
Short version: Everything works the same as a wings level snap. 
 
Longer version: The only difference is, the wing starts out completely unloaded and rapidly transitions to being loaded due to the sudden pitch change, and as it reaches the critical angle of attack, the same exact things happen.  The autorotation is due to a wing panel stalling, and it makes no fundamental difference which way the airplane is pointing when you do it.  Now, you do need to perform the correct technique with the rudder before & after to keep it flying on fuselage and propellor thrust vector lift, lest the ground rise up and smite thy model.  
 
Ed
 
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