Serious Question

[UA-RESURRECTED]

An aircraft is maintaining altitude and flying at a very, very slow speed....not even 1 knot above stalling.

The pilot takes the yoke and quickly snaps it over to the right. Will the left wing immediately stall? Will the aircraft roll over to the left? Will it enter a spin?

...or are there simply too many factors such as the design of the wing structure to answer this question?

 

[MauleSkinner]

An aircraft is maintaining altitude and flying at a very, very slow speed....not even 1 knot above stalling.

The pilot takes the yoke and quickly snaps it over to the right. Will the left wing immediately stall? Will the aircraft roll over to the left? Will it enter a spin?

...or are there simply too many factors such as the design of the wing structure to answer this question?

I'd pick the last answer

some airplanes have enough washout so that "not even 1 knot above stalling" leaves substantially more margin in the area of the aileron. Otherwise, any of the answers plus "will it roll to the right?" would be possibilities.

Fly safe!

David

 

[Bandit60]

Try it and let me know how it works out

 

[EMB Skillz]

Idiot! The wing will not stall until you add back pressure and increase the angle of attack. Why don't you go try it.


Moderator reviewed

 

[dragland]

I would tend to think the airplane will roll right as you have commanded it. The stall starts at the wing root and moves outward so you will still have some aileron effectiveness in a typical trainer even in the stall, although at reduced amount. The plane shouldn’t enter a spin unless you are in an uncoordinated condition (ball not centered), but that is characteristic of the airplane. Two different airplanes of the same year and model may have slightly different characteristics. At my flight school we have two 152 II’s and one breaks hard to the left and the other is pretty much neutral, I think it has to do with rigging, maybe not, but I am not a self proclaimed “expert”.
I would tend to think the plane in your example will enter a stall, due to the loss of lift since you are changing the all of the vertical component of lift to some vertical lift and some horizontal lift (since you started a turn) but as long as your coordinated you should not enter a spin.
As far as the plane not stalling until you add backpressure, I would say that is true, UNTIL you increase the load factor (which is what you are doing when you turn). My advice would be to have an instructor show you some cross-controlled stalls, which might help you see and understand the forces at work. And no, you’re NOT an idiot for asking a question such as this, and I agree, go and do some (with an instructor), your mileage may vary. If anyone else has any better or clearer information that proves me right or wrong please share it, I, as everyone else, am still learning.
Be careful,
dragland

 

[Metro752]

An aircraft is maintaining altitude and flying at a very, very slow speed....not even 1 knot above stalling.

The pilot takes the yoke and quickly snaps it over to the right. Will the left wing immediately stall? Will the aircraft roll over to the left? Will it enter a spin?

...or are there simply too many factors such as the design of the wing structure to answer this question?

if a tree falls in the middle of the woods and nobody is around to hear it, will it still make noise?

 

[tomgoodman]

An aircraft is maintaining altitude and flying at a very, very slow speed....not even 1 knot above stalling.

The pilot takes the yoke and quickly snaps it over to the right. Will the left wing immediately stall? Will the aircraft roll over to the left? Will it enter a spin?

...or are there simply too many factors such as the design of the wing structure to answer this question?

In swept-wing airplanes, expect a drag-induced yaw, immediately followed by a yaw-induced roll, a "departure", and possibly an unrecoverable flat spin, with engine flameout to boot. Altitude loss can be spectacular.

 

[mhcasey]

Hey Tom, who did you fly for? My Dad's been flying 75/767's for ~5 years.

 

[tomgoodman]

USAF, then Delta.

 

[Fugawe]

Idiot! The wing will not stall until you add back pressure and increase the angle of attack. Why don't you go try it.

Wow. I'd really love to have you as an instructor.

Fugawe

 

[Gryphon]

In swept-wing airplanes, expect a drag-induced yaw, immediately followed by a yaw-induced roll, a "departure", and possibly an unrecoverable flat spin, with engine flameout to boot. Altitude loss can be spectacular.

Don't ya just hate when that happens???

 

[Way2Broke]

Didn't EMB Skillz get banned from FI? Nice guy!

 

[Skyboy722]

An aircraft is maintaining altitude and flying at a very, very slow speed....not even 1 knot above stalling.

The pilot takes the yoke and quickly snaps it over to the right. Will the left wing immediately stall? Will the aircraft roll over to the left? Will it enter a spin?

...or are there simply too many factors such as the design of the wing structure to answer this question?

UA-
This is NOT a stupid question at all, and in fact shows your understanding of the concept. Most aircraft have design elements to prevent it, but there are many aircraft that will do exactly what you described.

 

[flyer172r]

if a tree falls in the middle of the woods and nobody is around to hear it, will it still make noise?

Yes, it's a freakin' tree!

 

[kingsize]

The stall starts at the wing root and moves outward

Depends on the aircraft. Some stall from wingtip inwards depending on the sweep of the wing. Usually designers palce the ailerons/spoilers at the part of the wing experiencing stall last.

 

[EMB Skillz]

Yes, it's a freakin' tree!

That is what the guv'mnt would have you believe.

 

[tomgoodman]

Departures/deep stalls/flat spins

Don't ya just hate when that happens???

It's deliberately attempted only in experimental test flights. The aircraft will be equipped with a "spin chute" mounted on a tripod extending from the tail, for use as a last resort. Deploying it gets the nose down, allowing airspeed recovery, but it is preferable to demonstrate that a technique such as "pitch rocking" will break the deep stall. Otherwise re-design or aircraft limitations may be necessary, since operational airplanes will have no spin chute. If a fighter aircraft has a corner of the "envelope" where it must not venture, some pilot will get there anyway. Besides, a skillful adversary can make use of this liability.

 

[Gutenberg]

wouldn't increasing the AOA via lowering the aileron on the wing you're trying to raise cause that side to stall? or would the washout prevent the outboard part of the wing from stalling? All i know is I've done steep turns at 40 knots in a 172 with not even a buffet. Near MGW, too. seems like the more you figure out in aviation, the more you need to figure out.

 

[nosehair]

I've done steep turns at 40 knots in a 172 with not even a buffet.

...and you held altitude? Consistently? I mean like a full 360 with no altitude loss @ 40kts?