Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) : Discussion and Group Therapy Thread

[bd139]

It is nice, isn't it Most occupations seem to have such slang in-jokes that aren't used in other circumstances.

Given the minuscule amount of force necessary to move the stick, the concept of bending it is unthinkable.

I always assumed it meant the same as it does in model aircraft - you've slammed the stick all the way to the stops and still pulling.

That's why I grudgingly forced myself to learn to be a "pinch flyer".

Basically, yes, that's what it means. For beginners, however, it refers to their tendency to rotate too early/hard to get away from the dangerous hard stuff.

Pinch flying a glider is also possible, but normally you don't - especially during a winch launch where you need to pull back the stick with a little force.

What you won't feel in an R/C model is that as you fly slower and closer to the stall point[1] then there is less airflow over the control surfaces. That not only makes the stick feel very light and disconnected but also increases the chance that you will reach the stick's endstop because the aircraft hasn't responded enough to your input. You are taught to feel the stick "waving around in the breeze" then wake up and go faster.

[1] in a weak thermal you get best lift by flying just above the stall (and spin!) point. In a strong thermal you are banking at 70degrees, pulling 3G, and feeling your jowls move towards your feet.

Sounds like hell. Would rather have a couple of CFM56's shoving me along.

At least if you do something wrong it indicates to you verbally that you're a retard.

[tggzzz]

I always assumed it meant the same as it does in model aircraft - you've slammed the stick all the way to the stops and still pulling.

That's why I grudgingly forced myself to learn to be a "pinch flyer".

Basically, yes, that's what it means. For beginners, however, it refers to their tendency to rotate too early/hard to get away from the dangerous hard stuff.

Pinch flying a glider is also possible, but normally you don't - especially during a winch launch where you need to pull back the stick with a little force.

What you won't feel in an R/C model is that as you fly slower and closer to the stall point[1] then there is less airflow over the control surfaces. That not only makes the stick feel very light and disconnected but also increases the chance that you will reach the stick's endstop because the aircraft hasn't responded enough to your input. You are taught to feel the stick "waving around in the breeze" then wake up and go faster.

[1] in a weak thermal you get best lift by flying just above the stall (and spin!) point. In a strong thermal you are banking at 70degrees, pulling 3G, and feeling your jowls move towards your feet.

Sounds like hell. Would rather have a couple of CFM56's shoving me along.

At least if you do something wrong it indicates to you verbally that you're a retard.

Don't need to be told anything in a glider. If you do something wrong in a glider one of three things happens: it gets very quiet (and the stick waves around), or the horizon moves fast upwards and/or in circles[1], or you feel like the HHGttG's bowl of petunias. If you can't take that hint, you've merely improved the species. As for being told where to go... ha ha ha[2].

Having said that, I do remember seeing an arrival which almost reached the runway. Apparently the conversation just before that between two highly rated instructors was "Are you flying this thing" "No, I thought you were". Or watching an instructor at the end of a race spin in from 200ft - and walk away.

As for hell...
Anything with a ducted fan on the wings == a cruise liner. (My idea of hell on earth: Hotel Shopping Mall California with norovirus and people you don't want to talk to).
Anything with an open fan in front == a car. (Pictures move past the windows. You have difficulty staying awake)
Anything without an engine == a bicycle (It becomes part of you and you move through the scenery. You continually sense through the seat of your pants what you are going to be able to do)

[1] familiar airplane and airfield, but not at 2800ft. (1:06 long)

More interesting to start at 1000ft. It is a standard way of losing altitude fast. (0:24 long)

[2] Good luck ATC Go on, count them if you can (2:40 long, but don't watch it all!)

[bd139]

Sounds like hell. Would rather have a couple of CFM56's shoving me along.

At least if you do something wrong it indicates to you verbally that you're a retard.

Don't need to be told anything in a glider. If you do something wrong in a glider one of three things happens: it gets very quiet (and the stick waves around), or the horizon moves fast upwards and/or in circles[1], or you feel like the HHGttG's bowl of petunias. If you can't take that hint, you've merely improved the species. As for being told where to go... ha ha ha[2].

Having said that, I do remember seeing an arrival which almost reached the runway. Apparently the conversation just before that between two highly rated instructors was "Are you flying this thing" "No, I thought you were". Or watching an instructor at the end of a race spin in from 200ft - and walk away.

As for hell...
Anything with a ducted fan on the wings == a cruise liner. (My idea of hell on earth: Hotel Shopping Mall California with norovirus and people you don't want to talk to).
Anything with an open fan in front == a car. (Pictures move past the windows. You have difficulty staying awake)
Anything without an engine == a bicycle (It becomes part of you and you move through the scenery. You continually sense through the seat of your pants what you are going to be able to do)

[1] familiar airplane and airfield, but not at 2800ft. (1:06 long)

...

More interesting to start at 1000ft. It is a standard way of losing altitude fast. (0:24 long)

...

[2] Good luck ATC Go on, count them if you can (2:40 long, but don't watch it all!)

...

In the interest of keeping the discussion in gliding balanced the other extreme is shitting your pants for the last 1-2 minutes of the flight, narrowly clipping tree tops and eventually landing in a field with some bemused looking cows and hobbling off to found some leaves to clean up with while wondering how you're going to get the glider back to the air strip...

Bliss...

View...

IMG_3736.jpeg

Other view...

DSC_5244.jpeg

[tggzzz]

Sounds like hell. Would rather have a couple of CFM56's shoving me along.

At least if you do something wrong it indicates to you verbally that you're a retard.

Don't need to be told anything in a glider. If you do something wrong in a glider one of three things happens: it gets very quiet (and the stick waves around), or the horizon moves fast upwards and/or in circles[1], or you feel like the HHGttG's bowl of petunias. If you can't take that hint, you've merely improved the species. As for being told where to go... ha ha ha[2].

Having said that, I do remember seeing an arrival which almost reached the runway. Apparently the conversation just before that between two highly rated instructors was "Are you flying this thing" "No, I thought you were". Or watching an instructor at the end of a race spin in from 200ft - and walk away.

As for hell...
Anything with a ducted fan on the wings == a cruise liner. (My idea of hell on earth: Hotel Shopping Mall California with norovirus and people you don't want to talk to).
Anything with an open fan in front == a car. (Pictures move past the windows. You have difficulty staying awake)
Anything without an engine == a bicycle (It becomes part of you and you move through the scenery. You continually sense through the seat of your pants what you are going to be able to do)

[1] familiar airplane and airfield, but not at 2800ft. (1:06 long)

...

More interesting to start at 1000ft. It is a standard way of losing altitude fast. (0:24 long)

...

[2] Good luck ATC Go on, count them if you can (2:40 long, but don't watch it all!)

...

In the interest of keeping the discussion in gliding balanced the other extreme is shitting your pants for the last 1-2 minutes of the flight, narrowly clipping tree tops and eventually landing in a field with some bemused looking cows and hobbling off to found some leaves to clean up with while wondering how you're going to get the glider back to the air strip...

Bliss...

Where's your video of Fluke 25 + a dowel? Much more interesting.

Trees? Perhaps you were thinking of this famous video, which seriously embarrassed Airbus.

Gliders do it right:

best from 0:35 to 0:55

worth watching all 3:30, to see "pilot A" check the airfield at 2:50. Shame they didn't show the landing a couple of hundred metres after the video ends.