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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 1013.PDF
•982 FLIGHT International, 20 June 1963 In the Air . . . A peel-off, making full use of the Cosmic Wind's virtually full-span ailerons and elevator return to Redhill to check things on the ground and proceeded to try the stalls. This was interesting insofar as the long-span ailerons would stall one wing at well above the real stalling speed. From about 70 m.p.h. downwards I managed to stall one or other wing with aileron, then achieved full-blooded aileron reversal and finally got the stick firmly back at close to 60 m.p.h. The nose hardly dropped and there was ample rudder to juggle the aircraft downhill in a level attitude. There was no apparent inclination to spin, but I lost well over 1,000ft during the slow and rather experimental deceleration to the full stall. There was virtually no warning of any of the stalling phenomena and a stalled wing dropped hard and noisily, though not too far. Overall impression was of distinctive but surprisingly civilized stalling behaviour, and I derived great confidence from it. I next made increasingly steep turns and found that the Wind would snap into a stall extremely firmly but, if the back pressure was immediately released, would just as immediately re-establish normal flight. There was again no undue tendency to flick in the rolling sense. I found that I could pull two extra g (3g indicated) at 95 m.p.h. and well over 5g at 170 m.p.h., the first figure presaging very good manoeuvre capability for the initial approach to landing. 1 next tried slightly upward rolls at 130 m.p.h. and found that they could be made at the rate of approximately one per second without the need for any rudder or elevator co-ordination—just like a jet fighter. Four or five consecutive rolls in level flight tended to end up rather nose-down simply because the flight trajectory tended to droop. I did not try to hold the nose up because I was very keen to avoid stopping the engine, but experienced Wind-men do upward bunts with the engine giving no power. My first loop from 170 m.p.h. included a couple of rough g-breaks as I was too keen not to lose speed at the top, but subsequent loops were complicated only by having to make fairly precise use of the sensitive rudder. The Wind responds directionally to changes in speed and power rather in the manner of a Spitfire and will skid considerably at the top of a zoom from a fast speed to a low one. Rudder loads were rather lower than is comfortable for such precise control with a powerful surface. I looped at 160 m.p.h. and felt that the aircraft would quite happily have looped from an entry speed perhaps 15 m.p.h. lower. In all accelerated manoeuvring the g-stall had to be watched, but I did not once flick over on my back. Engine r.p.m. tended very rapidly to exceed the book limit in a dive at anything over 170 m.p.h. but could be held in check by normal use of the throttle. There may have been some constant-speeding effect, but it was not conspicuous. It was very noticeable that engine thrust acted through the centre of the aircraft and produced virtually no detectable trim-changes. Although the landing was still an unknown factor, 1 was now really enthusiastic about the Wind and returned to Redhill to clear up this final point. 1 flew the downwind leg at 120 m.p.h. and 500ft, as instructed, and turned in late for a long straight-in approach, again slightly across a gentle wind. It was very difficult to reduce speed and lose height at the same time, but by carefully juggling both and throttling well back I managed to set up a very shallow approach at 85 m.p.h. to cross the threshold at about 15ft. In view of the obvious tendency to float for some distance this seemed a fraction high, so I opened up and made another circuit. This time I arrived a fraction slower and lower, there being much more sink available at 80 m.p.h. than at 85. The float was indeed lengthy and visibility not too good over the nose, but control was so precise and easy that I found I could accurately brush the wheels on the ground when the time came. After landing, I had to continue to hold the stick central for some time before the Wind finally seemed to give up and let the stick back. Directional control on the ground was excellent and the actual run not too long, though the usual bucking made progress rather blurred. Provided one achieves a key position—speed and height correct over the threshold—there are no problems at all and landing is delightfully easy. Speed and height on the final approach have to be juggled just as they do in any low-drag aircraft, but the overshoot is sufficiently positive to make another try well worth making if there is any doubt. My second landing was in a fairly strong cross- wind, but by approaching slightly wing-low I had no trouble in cancelling drift and felt absolutely no effects once on the ground One could approach rather more slowly but at the risk of experienc ing the various pre-stall phenomena, particularly in bumpy weather. Main object of my second flight, made after some energetic chain smoking and swapping of experiences, was in close formation with the Tiger Club's Super Cub while James Gilbert took the accom panying pictures. At a relatively modest 100 m.p.h. the Wind handled absolutely precisely and could be tucked close in under the Cub's wings without any difficulty, although the rudder was a trifle over-powerful for small corrections. The engine did cut during my second take-off, but I quickly half-closed the throttle and it picked up again. My theory is that increasing ram pressure with a fully open throttle-butterfly gives insufficient intake depression without a full head of fuel to maintain flow. Closing the throttle slightly would increase depression, and such action did in fact cause the engine to restart. The reactions of club-trained pilots to the Wind seem to vary a good deal. They do have to become accustomed to reacting promptly to an incipient stall out of a steep turn, which is unusual in the average club aircraft nowadays. They also have to learn to live with rather slippery characteristics, particularly during the approach. But the hurdles are not major ones; and if these small points of technique are understood the Cosmic Wind presents no problems (except for that fuel cut-off knob). To my mind, it is quite the most exhilarating small aircraft in the British Isles.
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