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Are there any pilots who have had experience with unexpected cloud encounters[?]In other words, like flying with a hood, as you would for IFR training..... although I haven't done any[:0] What would you do if you found yourself in zero visibility, totally immersed in cloud, can't see a thing, and have no idea idea of which way is up, left, right or down?Helicopter flight instructors say that without instruments, your lifespan can be measured in seconds (depending on altitude of course), when visibility becomes zero or close to it, due to spatial disorientation. Any comments appreciated.Hoges
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You'd have to consider Carburettor Icing... put the heat on, that might be a start, beyond that I can't help save to speculate that you could consider cutting throttle for a stick back vertical descent, at least you know it is going down, maybe not the desired direction but it is a start... I'll let the experts finish this one due to my novice status.Cheers,Nick
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Birdman would know best - he got stuck in a cloud of smoke - ask him how he survived.
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Your Instructor was right Scott, except that it may be a bit longer than seconds. In the USA their basic training did not used to include any significient training under the hood. An article in a magazine back then pointed out then that a private pilot flying into total cloud at 4000 ft has approx four minutes of his and his passengers lives left. For those of you that have never flown under the hood, it is an unnerving and educating experience. You have a certain period of disbelief and distrust in the instruments and until you get over this and relax, you will always feel that the aircraft is in a different attitude than it actually is. Your senses are equipped to cope with visual inputs and the balance senses in your ear are equipped to measure G force stability, which you can have in any coordinated manouvere, as well as in straight and level. You may be able to maintain level for some a short time but it will get you in the end.If your Gyro was trimmed for stable vertical descent hands off (and you resisted the temtpation to touch the stick) then that may save your life.Tim McClure
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I you read "which way is up" on the "fly'n tails" of this forum Scott,it describes my only 'blind' experiance.And its not one I'd like to repeat.Prevention is the best cure,just don't do it.If ,on the other hand,you get caught unawares like I did the only defence I'd try in total blindness in a gyro would be to cut power to idle and decend virticaly or parachute.Hopefuly you can still see the yaw string,if you fly one,keep it pointing to the heavens.The worst scinario would be to hit the deck in a virtical decent,which would be much better than the next best option.Ignorance is bliss............but only till you realise you were.
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Nicely explained Birdy.Aussie Paul.[
]www.firebirdgyros.com
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Tim,I assume that you mean the gyro was in the straight and level position before you did this, ie, if you were in a turn or elected to turn would your method still be valid?With clouds there is usually a bit of turbulence, which may affect your trimmed position, how would this bear on what you would do?Cheers,Nick.
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You can create/practice, this event every time you get in the air.......simply go to 2 or 3 thou....shut your eyes,shut the throttle,use all your instincts etc, count to 20, open your eyes and see how you went.I managed to get to 5. NEVER AGAIN. safe flying...A1014RDC
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When caught in cloud, sometimes you can see a brighter spot which will be the sun and so give a sense of direction. I used to use a bat and ball and later an A/H along with the yaw sting while fixing on constant airspeed (this was in a FW). Despite this, it was surprising that airspeed would usually change unfavorably and when you break cloud you were at a different bank angle than you thought. Once it starts to go, its pretty hard to correct as you have to ignor your senses. Overall, IMHO, cloud is not a good place to be. [B)]Thanks for the tip on practicing with closed eyes, I'll try it when I get back in the air [
] Dave
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Dave,Please don't. You lose all references when you close your eyes, even the yaw string as Birdy mentioned. I don't want to read about you.Nick.
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There is cloud and there is cloud....KEEP OUT...of the lot. Then you want have a problem. Definately don't practice the closed eyes bit, it does'nt work, believe me. I got to 5, that was too far. It's better to be down here wishing you were up there, rather than wishing you were down there, rather than up here. Safe flying......A1014RDC
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Absolutely and hallelulya brother!
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Thanks for the input all. I'll read your story too, Birdy.Happy New Year
]Hoges
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quote:Originally posted by NiqueNaqueTim,if you were in a turn or elected to turn would your method still be valid?With clouds there is usually a bit of turbulence, which may affect your trimmed position, Nick, a statically stable gyro should descend like a parachute if it is correctly trimmed to do so - even through turbulance. Unfortunately the human factor will come in and most pilots will not believe that their gyro is descending level and they will try to correct what they perceive to be an out of level condition.During the second world war Spitfire pilots were often caught out with complete cloud cover returning to England after a sortie. With no artificial horizon, they put their aircraft into a spin and left it in that condition until they broke cloud and then recovered and flew back to base under the cloud. - brave pilots.Tim McClure
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The only way to fly clouds!Image Insert:
33.36
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