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Stability Demonstration

Yaw Stability

  • Establish S&L flight, trimmed out
  • Make a significant depression on the left or right rudder
  • Release and observe how the airplane reestablishes straight flight
  • Use the analogy of an arrow that wants to fly straight

Roll Stability

  • Establish a small bank (< 10 °)
  • Release controls and observe how airplane slows comes back to level
  • Notice how this doesn't happen with banks angles >20°

Pitch Stability

  • Raise the nose slightly and release it
  • Observe the airplane
    • Slow down and lower the nose
    • Speed back up and raise the nose
  • The pitch oscillations slowly damper out, returns us back to our level pitch attitude