Forward Slips Part Two

[ShawnC]

Today I got the latest issue of AOPA Flight Training Magizine, I was pleasently surprised to find a rather well written article about Forward slips. It covers the Pro & Cons, and debunks some rather old wifes tales.

I highly suggest that people on both sides of the issue read the article.

BTW: I much prefer the flight training magizine, to the normal AOPA mag, I'm thinking about joining just so I can continue my subcription.

 

[bigD]

That definitely was a good article. I'm a huge fan of the forward slip, and love doing them. It's a shame that a lot of people don't like them. A couple of years ago, the young woman who worked at the front desk of my local FBO was complaining to me about failing her private pilot checkride. Apparently when the examiner failed the engine on downwind, he called her base for her, which put her relatively high on final. Even with the plane dirtied up, she couldn't get it down onto the runway (without risking going off the end), and she took it around. He failed her. Keep in mind that the examiner didn't call her base at midfield or anything - it was at some point after she was abeam the numbers, and this is to a 5,000 foot runway.

So she's a pissed because she thought he brought her in too tight. I asked if she considered a forward slip, and she said, "Well, he didn't tell me to do one, so I figured I wasn't being tested on that. Besides, they feel really strange to me, so I don't like to do them."



I think they're great fun, personally. Although I'm pretty careful about setting up my approach so one isn't necessary if I have skittish passengers with me!

 

[chrisdahut24]

Yeah, FlyChicaga has a good idea. I take them out to the practice area and Just slip it all the way down from one altitude to another. Once they feel comfortable doing it at altitude, and can do it correctly, then I introduce it on landings.
I'm not really too sure what the big deal is about them though. It's the same thing as a side slip except your using more aileron and rudder, and the nose isn't going to be lined up with the runway. But there again, I could certainly understand some anxiety about it: Your putting the plane into the most uncoordinated position possible, at a slow airspeed and closer to stall (spin alert!)- all nice and close to the ground!

 

[DJS]

Slip Sliding Away

I pretty much count on doing a forward slip every time I land at my home field (Crest-S36) at night. You have big old douglas firs all around that you can't see, so you make sure you stay up high until you're certain you're not over trees, then chop power, full flaps, and slip for all your worth.

My CFI made sure I knew how to do them well, and it was on my private checkride (engine out drill, was going for one field, the DE said, nope, can't use that one, use the one closer, so I had to slip in...no sweat).

...Dave

 

[Singlecoil]

It's the same thing as a side slip except your using more aileron and rudder, and the nose isn't going to be lined up with the runway.

There is a great deal of confusion about the difference between the two and probably a lot of different opinions......BUT.....

The main difference is that in a forward slip, you are moving forward through the air mass. In a side slip, you are moving sideways through the airmass.

Some airplanes are certified for side slips, but not forward slips, like the DC-6. Forward slips generally displace the fuel in the tank more than a sideslip, hence the time limit you will see on other airplanes on forward slips (like max 30 seconds.) I'm sure Avbug can provide a more concise answer.

 

[tothelineplz]

Singlecoil is on the right course on this one. May I add that this is an interesting thread which discusses something often glossed over during pilot training.

A side slip and a forward slip are two entirely different tasks/maneuvers.

I'd like to keep this thread active and therefore contribute the following for discussion and maintain the following idea:

The forward slip should be treated as an "emergency pocedure" (unless, of course, you're flying a machine without flaps).

A pilot is not necessarily close to the stall speed when performing this maneuver. In fact, reliance on the ASI during this maneuver can prove to be faulty and not in the best interest of all concerned (depending on which side the slip is performed and the location of the pitot/static components).

Forward slips in the landing configuration (which assumes full flaps for most GA metal) is ill-advised not only because cavitation of the engine driven/electrical (sometimes called auxiliary) fuel pumps and/or disruption of fuel flow to the powerplant, but also for aerodynamic (airflow disruption) reasons beyond the scope of this posting.

I've always taught (from an airmanship standpoint) that a forward slip only becomes necessary as a last resort and primarily results from lack of planning while performing a basic ground reference maneuver called a rectangular course. To intentionally perform a forward slip, as one poster says, "for all your worth" can be a pre-cursor to an NTSB investigation. But, I guess if you're worth more dead than alive then...AEtna, I'm glad I met ya'.

One final comment for this posting...

How often do our CFI's out there teach their students to perform another glossed over maneuver called the "go-around" which becomes necessary when the "last resort" doesn't pan out.

Always leave yourself an out!

BTW...interesting story about the student pilot on her Private Pilot check ride. Reflects poorly on her instructor if you ask me. Perhaps she should ask for a refund for services not rendered?

That is all...

 

[ShawnC]

To the line,
You really need to read the article. Frankly your postion is one of the ones that it addresses.

 

[bigD]

totheline - it's funny to hear your comments regarding the forward slip, considering your high amount of time. That's not to say that you're wrong - I'm interested in hearing from various people what their take is on this. It's just that it's usually the high timers that sit around lamenting the fact that good stick and rudder skills are a lost art, and stuff like the forward slip isn't done much anymore.

I didn't know the intructor of the woman all that well, so I can't vouch for him or his ability to teach. It seemed obvious that the examiner expected her to slip it in - otherwise I don't see why he would have called her base in that situation.

 

[HappyFlying]

I do forwards slips quite often just because they are fun and it tickles the old hangar rats sitting on the bench at the FBO. The non-pilots in the tower get a bit excited sometimes when they see a 150 whizzing over the numbers sideways. Also, I use slips to even out my fuel after I have been parked on a hill. Mostly I'm just goofing off but I do try to keep up my stick and rudder skills.

 

[cvsfly]

Just to add. This is for light planes mostly. Plan accordingly and you don't have to do it at all. Can be upsetting and uncomfortable for passengers.