the hammerhead (or stall turn)

N

NZflyer

Filing Flight Plan
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Nov 21, 2007
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New Zealand
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NZflyer
Hi all,
just thought I'd throw this one out in the open. When I was getting into the yak, my hammerheads were fairly average - kicking in (right) rudder too early leaving a messy looking figure from the ground perspective. In the S2B now, I am getting lot's of tuck under I think. Haven't had any critiquing of course as it is a job but even with feeding a bit of right rudder towards the top of the figure before giving it full left rudder and forward right stick to help it round, I seem to be tucking the nose under on the down line. I wonder if I need to try netralising elevator or something?
My client today wouldn't have noticed a thing of course but all the while i am sitting there scratching my head!

Anyone else got comments to make on the infamous hammer?

NZflyer
 
NZ,

The Pitts shouldn't require a great deal of forward elevator to remain on line.

I'd guess that if you are in fact tucking under on the turn it's because you're a bit on your back on the up line and you may also be making the turn a bit late. Get someone on the ground to help you find the correct up line and use a string for a while to help you determine when to turn.

As for making the turn itself, here's how I learned it. As the airplane slows and runs out of energy, find the spot on the horizon behind the left wing. As you turn keep your eyes there and make sure the nose of the airplane comes through the same spot on the horizon - whatever you need to do with the stick, make sure this happens. As the nose comes through the horizon, keep looking at the spot and make sure the right wing comes to the same spot. Again, do whatever you need to do with the stick to make sure this happens. For me the stick was always moving around during the turn. I could never just put it in one place and make a nice hammerhead.

Now, go find someone to watch you from the ground. :yes:
 
NZflyer said:
Anyone else got comments to make on the infamous hammer?
Click to expand...
Gosh, where do I begin? I've done it wrong every way possible. Except for the inverted hammerspin, but I came close to that once (or twice). I lose so much oil doing them that I don't do them often enough to do them well.

I still dream of perfect timing in that sweet spot at the top. :)
 
Diana said:
Gosh, where do I begin? I've done it wrong every way possible. Except for the inverted hammerspin, but I came close to that once (or twice). I lose so much oil doing them that I don't do them often enough to do them well.

I still dream of perfect timing in that sweet spot at the top. :)
Click to expand...

Hey Diana, sounds like you need to upgrade to a Decathalon with inverted systems. Coming from a Citabria, I think you'd feel right at home once you adapt to the wing.
 
Hi gibbons, interesting. I have heard about that method of watching a point on horizon and slicing wing through it so to speak, never actually tried doing it that way. Yes I do need ground critiquing, a bit hard when you are taking joyriders all day...but it can be arranged, we fly near the town over the lake here often so with the smoke system on (company policy!!) it should be a bit easier to see. Maybe I am not as tucked under as it seems as everything looks different with that wing on top. We do have a sight gauge but it's no use as we are buried in mountains!!

On another topic, it's only taken a couple of sorties to start getting the snap rolls to resemble something half sensible. :D

Great vids Diana, :) love the music too. It doesn't look easy in the wee Decathlon but towards the end they looked pretty damn good. :D
 
gibbons said:
As for making the turn itself, here's how I learned it. As the airplane slows and runs out of energy, find the spot on the horizon behind the left wing. As you turn keep your eyes there and make sure the nose of the airplane comes through the same spot on the horizon - whatever you need to do with the stick, make sure this happens. As the nose comes through the horizon, keep looking at the spot and make sure the right wing comes to the same spot.
Click to expand...

This works Real Good, at least if Chip wasn't lying on my last couple. ;) Nobody watching or videotaping from the ground, unfortunately. It sure made sense though, and I didn't have to think too hard about what I was doing with the stick.
 
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