Question about trikes? Stall/spin?

[Rally]

I was just wondering I had a friend that died in a Apollo Trike last night. It was seen spiralling out the sky. Can a Trike (basically a hang glider with a engine) go into a spin or is this a as some people have said a structural failure? I am kinda confused because I know it does'nt have a rudder so if it did spin it could'nt recover, but I am not familiar enough with these types of airplanes does anybody have any insight?

Thanks

 

[avbug]

With no details at all, only speculation is possible, and that's not professional. A trike refers to the undercarriage on variously configured aircraft, commonly applied to a rogollo type semi-rigid triangle wing (trike doesn't refer to the wing). Yes, a spin is possible, and no, a rudder is not required for recovery.

Recovery may or may not be possible, and in most cases, spin characteristics for these aircraft have not been explored, nor difinitive recovery techniques established. Training is usually minimal.

Spin characteristics vary widely in the same aircraft with different aircraft loadings, center of gravity positioning, etc, and the recovery techniques or even the possibility of recovery can vary as well.

Sorry to hear of the loss of your friend.

 

[tomgoodman]

Hang gliders

One of my F/Os was an avid hang glider pilot, and he claimed it was much safer without an engine than with one (less to go wrong, I suppose). He did warn of one bizarre danger, called a "cloud suck", in which a strong updraft can exceed your max descent capability. Supposedly, one could end up hypoxic and frozen. It's one of the many adventures I had no desire to try out.

 

[flyalot]

Very sad!

Spin is not common for a hanglider. Spiral yes. With the trike set up the C.G. could be out of range. One possible way to spin. Another thing that happens is called "lock out". This happens when G's pass the point of strengh. You become a passanger.

Goodman-What you hear shouldn't scare you. Tons of fun to be had at every level. Cloud suck- That is real. Use your head and you won't ever have to go into the white room.

 

[Rally]

You are right about speculation Avbug. Thanks for your guys responses. We have to let the lettered organizations do there investigation. I'm sure they will be interested since it is a LSA and just imported into the country and with all the LSA stuff going on. Its hard to figure out what is right and wrong from witnesses. Even pilot witnesses don't give correct info. You heard things like "I saw a white flash and the aircraft spiraled down" Who knows, really a non pilot witness does'nt know the difference between a spin or a spiral or whether the aircraft came apart.

Thanks

 

[crash-proof]

I don't have the back story to this one, but looks like the guy was really asking for it.
Warning - hard to watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_vbrMUCuZE

so, yeah I guess they can spin?

Another interesting compilation about early trikes. Check out the BRS chute firing off in the last sequence!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk-psmXzYCE

 

[avbug]

I don't have the back story to this one, but looks like the guy was really asking for it.

I'll bite. What about that video makes you suggest the pilot had it coming. I saw a loss of control which didn't appear recoverable. What in your expert observation would suggest that the pilot deserved what he got, caused it, or had it coming???

 

[crash-proof]

No expert advice here by a long shot, just an observation.

Would you think that if he was flying the trike under normal conditions as opposed to aerobatics he would have had the same fate? Tell me would YOU fly a trike in the same way he did?


ps. guess I'm not worthy of a "brightspark" bestowment

 

[avbug]

No expert advice here by a long shot, just an observation.

A very, very poor one, then. Your observation is that the pilot had it coming? You state you have no information on the event, you know nothin about it, but the pilot deserved what he got, he had it coming, "the guy was really asking for it."

You don't know what he was doing that might have caused it, if there was a mechanical failure, if an unplanned inflight condition caused control issues...you just believe he was really asking for it.

What a professional example of uneducated, uninformed speculation? In one short paragraph you profess your own ignorance, then pass judgement.

What would I think? I wasn't there, don't know the circumstances, and don't care to speculate. I don't know that he was engaging in unusual flight practices, and don't know his experience level, the purpose of his flight, or what part of that operation was intended and what wasn't. One might safely infer that the conclusion of the filmed event wasn't intentional, but beyond that you don't know, and state that you don't know, what was going on. Never the less, you've decided that the pilot had it coming...based on your own imaginings and ignorance. Beauty, mate.

You don't know what on earth it is you're saying or talking about, but you're thrilled to death about it anyway.