Flat Spin

[rddaos]

I have been trying to practice spin recovery in the Corvalis.  But I cannot get the plane to go into a spin.  I've heard that it should be easy, just go into a steep climb, and once the stall horn goes off, apply full rudder.  The only thing I've been able to accomplish is a normal dive, not a flat spin.  Does the corvalis flight model not emulate spin behavior?

Thanks!

[MaidenFan]

I can't get any plane to spin

[rddaos]

Perhaps this is a limitation in the flight physics of xplane??  You would think that based on xplane's flight model, real world behavior, like spins, would be easy to replicate.

[JGregory]

What you are finding out is that the C400 (real-world and the JGX simulation) is "difficult" to spin.  The stall characteristics of the aircraft are very "docile" and it is actually very difficult to enter a spin at all.

Here are some quotes from "real world" Columbia/Cessna 400 owner/operators regarding spins...

"The FAA definition of a spin is both wings stalled, if because of wing design you still have enough smooth air flow over the wings to maintain aileron effectiveness, you are not stalled, you are only in an unusual attitude. You use coordinated yoke and rudder to resume normal flight. That is the whole point of spin resistance."

"During my Lancair (original name of Columbia) flight training, Sam demonstrated full stalls with full control deflection without a single sign of dipping a wing or tendency to enter a spin." ... "While I haven't really "abused" the controls in a Lancair during a stall, it seemed such a non-event with "quick" left/right aileron input that I consider it a very safe demonstration of the Lancair design."

"I have never experienced any wing drops or unexpected behavior under pretty extreme conditions of realistic' aerodynamic abuse (cross controls etc). The bottom line is that I'm quite sure that the Columbia cannot spin when all the safeguards are in place."

So it appears that X-Plane is simulating the behavior of the C400 just right

Hope this information helps.

Jim