Copter, Schmopter

AggieMike88

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
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Denton, TX
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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
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KDTO (Denton Enterprise)
Who needs a rotary wing to hover an aircraft....

We nearly did it in 55WB tonight (1975 C182P, see ground speed lower left).
 

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Is your prop not a rotary wing?
 
Is your prop not a rotary wing?

I would agree that it is a rotary airfoil but doesn't fulfill a dictionary definition of "wing"

" an airfoil that develops a major part of the lift which supports a heavier-than-air aircraft"
 
I would agree that it is a rotary airfoil but doesn't fulfill a dictionary definition of "wing"

" an airfoil that develops a major part of the lift which supports a heavier-than-air aircraft"

There are some aerobatic propeller planes that can meet that criteria.
 
Always fun. I've gotten -23kt groundspeed in a 172R at 11.5 over St. Louis a few years back.

And a few weeks back, I was doing aerial photography up near KCMI and had 50kt. winds at 600AGL; At the controller's request, I "hovered" right over the airport in a 172RG. He's seen it before on radar, but had never seen it up close from the ground like that; Said it looked weird...
 
Hovering a plane is easy, just bolt a treadmill to the wheels before you takeoff.
 
I landed a Taylorcraft F19 backwards at the nut tree airport in kommiefornia on my first dual cross country. Must have been 1988 or 89 and the instructor wanted to make sure I had some real world experience with wind. Nut tree frequently had fairly high winds straight down the runway so off we went. I had to use power to make it to the first turnoff and when I reduced it to land the plane started going backwards down the runway. Once I got it on the ground I used the brakes to stop....terrifying for a low timer. He made me taxi up to the turnoff and then taxi back for takeoff. A very good demonstration of why correct control inputs were important in the wind....
I had a few good flights and landings in my BC12-65 too. Watching cars passing you on the road is always a little disconcerting on a cross country. Some tower controllers get upset when you make the first turnoff on a runway that only has turnoffs at the end too.....just need a good steady wind in the right direction.

Frank
 
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