Accelerated Stalls

[Tralika]

Did you perform accelerated stalls during your Phase 1 Flight Testing? Accelerated stalls are not aerobatic maneuvers and I'm sure the Highlander air-frame is capable enough for it. I'd like to hear opinions one way or the other.

[av8rps]

I found it very hard to do an accelerated stall in my Highlander as it just hangs on and on no matter what the bank angle. I only tested it in steep bank angles, not high speed pull ups. I'm not a big fan of high G pull ups in anything less than an aerobatic mount that is designed for high G's on the airframe.

I've also found that my Highlander doesn't really do a departure stall. If I keep the throttle wide open and the stick all the way back in my gut, the plane just keeps flying along, even though the nose is pretty much straight up. Obviously it will stall if I pull some power off, but I've never owned an aircraft before that wouldn't stall if the power was kept on and the nose pulled way up.

One can't really appreciate how special these airplanes are until you push them to their limits. They perform so much better than anything else at the outer limits of the flight envelope that it is still sometimes hard to believe. Or for that matter, figure out...

[moving2time]

Are you guys talking about the Highlander, the SS, or both. The SS is not the same as the Highlander. It has a completely different wing and the slats so it is important to clarify which aircraft you are talking about. I have experienced the full power climb non stall in the SS so I believe it performs like that but I have not done the same in a Highlander. if you have experienced that in the Highlander that is nice to know since I will be building the Highlander. Thanks. Joe B

[Tralika]

I agree that an aggressive pitch up stall in an aircraft not approved for aerobatics like the Highlander wouldn't be a good idea. I've made up a flight testing program based on the guidelines in AC 90-89b. Accelerated Stalls will be done power off at a 30degree bank, flaps up then working my way through full flaps. I'll do two series starting at minimum weight with a forward CG and ending with gross weight with an aft CG. I've never flown a plane that wouldn't stall power on. Most of the time I practice power on stalls with less than full power because the pitch attitude gets so steep. My flight test sheet for power on stalls in the Highlander starts with power at 3500rpm and works up from there. I'm not sure if I'll go to full power. The only thing I want to prove is that the airplane is safe. I don't have anything to prove to myself. I unintentionally stalled a glider inverted at the top of a loop once. That was pretty exciting! I'm going to do my best to make sure nothing like that happens with the Highlander.

[av8rps]

Sorry Joe, I should have identified that I was talking about my Highlander.

I know the Super STOL is an amazing airplane with the leading edge slats, huge flaps, and spoilers, but the Highlander is pretty amazing too. Especially if you make an effort to keep the empty weight down on it. I like all that Steve Henry has done with his modifications on his Highlander, but I still feel strongly that the Highlander is an exceptionally capable aircraft even in its original stock configuration. But I guess Steve proved that with his first video of his first Highlander.

Tralika, I think your testing procedures are top notch. I didn't build my Highlander so I didn't do the the phase 1 testing. Not that I couldn't do that still, but I have to say that I've never experienced anything in a Highlander I would consider unsafe. Overall I would consider it one of the safest, most predictable light aircraft ever built. But I like your approach to testing as that is the way we should all do it.