Post by magnifiscent on Oct 16, 2013 13:06:10 GMT -8
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandelle
This is a seemingly simple that allows a plane to turn much more sharply than a simple bank would allow. Chandelles not only result in a 180 degree course change, but also a climb. This will sacrifice speed at the expense of storing up some energy. At the end of the Chandelle you will be traveling slower than when you started.
A few key things to note:
- The chandelle requires smooth and steady application of rudder throughout the turn. This will decrease drag from the tail and result in better conservation of speed.
- Throttle should be increased to full while performing the chandelle to prevent stalling. Since you are climbing, your speed is converted to altitude. You must add more power to maintain good lift through this maneuver.
The devil, as with most things, is in the details. Failure to carefully apply rudder and power throughout the maneuver can cause you to lose much more speed than necessary, robbing you of that All-Important Energy. At the very least, you will have lost more energy than your opponent. At worst, you could stall or go into a spin.
The pilot enters a chandelle at a pre-determined airspeed in the normal cruising range for the aircraft. To begin the maneuver the pilot first rolls the aircraft in the desired direction with the controls (the ailerons), and quickly but smoothly establishes a medium banked turn. In most small aircraft (cruising speeds of 100–175 KIAS) this bank will be about 30° to 40°. This will begin a turn of the aircraft in the direction of bank. Simultaneously, full power is applied and a smooth pitch up is started with the controls (the elevators on the empennage). The angle of bank stays constant during the first 90° of the change of heading, while the pitch angle increases steadily. At the 90° point in the change of heading, the aircraft has the maximum pitch angle (which should be close to the critical angle of attack at the level stall speed of the aircraft). During the second 90° of the change of heading, the pitch angle is held constant, while the bank angle is smoothly decreased to reach 0° of bank, the end of the turn and return to straight-and-level flight at exactly the reciprocal heading (180° away from the heading at the start of the maneuver), and with the airspeed close to the stall speed. The aircraft should not lose altitude during the last part of the maneuver, nor during the recovery, when engine power may be used to re-establish normal cruising speed on the new heading. The decreasing bank angle together with the decreasing airspeed during the second half of the chandelle will maintain a constant turn rate. The turn needs to be kept coordinated by applying the correct amount of rudder throughout the maneuver.
This is a seemingly simple that allows a plane to turn much more sharply than a simple bank would allow. Chandelles not only result in a 180 degree course change, but also a climb. This will sacrifice speed at the expense of storing up some energy. At the end of the Chandelle you will be traveling slower than when you started.
A few key things to note:
- The chandelle requires smooth and steady application of rudder throughout the turn. This will decrease drag from the tail and result in better conservation of speed.
- Throttle should be increased to full while performing the chandelle to prevent stalling. Since you are climbing, your speed is converted to altitude. You must add more power to maintain good lift through this maneuver.
The devil, as with most things, is in the details. Failure to carefully apply rudder and power throughout the maneuver can cause you to lose much more speed than necessary, robbing you of that All-Important Energy. At the very least, you will have lost more energy than your opponent. At worst, you could stall or go into a spin.
