Stampe SV4 aerobatics course by Mike Parkerstow Note : This course has been written for aircraft equipped with the original Renault engine, with a clockwise rotating prop (as seen from cockpit). It must be adapted for aircrafts equipped with Lycoming engines. SOP : Take off, climb to 1500. Half roll inverted for climb nose aspect (fuel tank to horizon). Student will learn to accept inverted flight. At working altitude, roll back to erect. At safe height (3000 to 5000 ft AAL), perform aerobatic safety check. Check area is clear. Lesson I : Aileron roll. Between 100 and 120 mph, roll L + R using aileron only. Nose will dish below horizon in roll, more in direction of propeller, i.e. prop will drag nose further if roll is in direction of rotation. Now put nose 30° above horizon. Aircraft will now roll out on or just below horizon. Perform both L + R. Now student can do aileron rolls L + R. Finish the lesson with recoveries from vertical. Dive to 2400 rpm and 120 mph. Pull up to vertical increasing to full throttle as the nose pulls up above horizon. At vertical, get student to compare wing tip strut to horizon. Hold on slight aileron/rudder as required to keep vertical, then : 1. If aircraft tail slides, hold controls firmly neutral. Close throttle. Allow aircraft to depart nose down. Follow with controls, roll wings level to horizon and increase power. Same as standard stall recovery. 2. If aircraft hammerheads, same recovery as nose drops. Keep controls firmly neutral in departure. 3. Aircraft may slip sideways L or R. In which case a stall or wing over may be used to recover. Show student but leave finer points to a further lesson. Recover back to airfield allowing student further aileron rolls to build confidence. Lesson II : Loop. Using road/rail ground feature, allow student to find 2400 rpm dive speed (120 mph). Then as he gets to 2400 rpm, he should now be automatically throttling back. At 120 mph, perform a consistent 3G pull up, continuing to pull aircraft over the top, and checking ground feature is still in front/behind you. As aircraft flies over the top and nose drops, reduce throttle with constant G pull back up to horizon with power going on as the nose achieves horizon. Get student to follow through with you, and then allow him to achieve it himself. Then vary loop to allow aircraft to wander L or R over the top. Get student to understand ground feature importance and correction by use of rudder. Student may become tired through use of sustained G, so recover back to the field if this occurs, giving him more rolling practice on route. Lesson III : Spinning. Climb to safe high (5000 ft), and perform standard aerobatic checks. Entry off stall.

At aircraft stalling speed (45 mph), with high nose attitude and flight idle, firmly apply full back stick with L or R rudder, noting direction of ground feature below. After 2 turns, standard spin recovery : − Opposite rudder. − Forward stick. − As rotation stops, ease stick central and then pull back to horizon applying power. Note how much of a turn was used in recovery. Usually, aircraft will recover quickly against prop rotation (1/4 turn). Spin in same direction as propeller rotation will take double or more. Having assessed this, try 2 turn spins L + R to recover on line feature. Recover back the airfield allowing student more rolling practice. Also, if time permits, show him the more accurate slow roll, starting and finishing at the same height and direction. Lesson IV : Building up sequence of manoeuvres. 1)

Half cuban eight

At 120 mph, pull up to loop overtop. Allow nose to drop to 45°. Hold line, and ½ roll from inverted to erect. 2)

Full cuban eight

At 120 mph, pull up into loop. As nose drops below horizon, hold 45° line. Keep power on until 2400 rpm, the reduce slightly (you should still have 120 mph since aircraft achieved 2400 rpm). ½ roll from inverted to erect. Then pull up again to loop. Over the top, allow nose to drop to 45° and hold it., and ½ roll back out to erect. You should now be in exactly the same direction as before. Examine line feature direction below. Recover to airfield. This time, use ½ rolls only for student to assess. Fuel tank position to horizon. Push/pull as required to maintain level inverted flight. Get student to follow through until this is understood.

Lesson V : Follow up of Cuban eight. 1)

Reverse half cuban eight

At 120 mph, pull up to 60°. Check attitude (wing tip struts and horizon). Hold attitude with elevator. ½ roll holding attitude. Allow aircraft to reduce speed and pull over top. Then standard recovery as for loop. 2)

Reverse cuban eight.

At 120 mph, same as above, but instead of recovering to horizon, hold 120 mph and pull up again to 60°. ½ roll as before. Allow aircraft speed to reduce. Pulling over the top, reduce power and recover up to horizon back on line. Recover back to airfield practising ½ rolls to inverted and back to erect. Lesson VI : Slow rolls. This manoeuvre requires most patience and practice. 1. Roll to 90° knife edge L or R. Note aircraft nose drops (further if in direction of prop rotation). Use top rudder to correct to 90°horizon knife edge position. Get student to follow through with you. 2. Roll to 90° knife edge position opposite direction. Note aircraft nose drops, and required rudder input is different (effect of prop rotation). Get student to follow through with you. 3. Then roll to inverted, and get student to roll back to erect. If more top rudder required during manoeuvre, help student understand this. 4. Get student to roll to inverted, again helping with top rudder if required, and hold inverted. Once happy with aspect, get him to roll out to erect. This normally results in aircraft dishing out with low nose. Most students are so satisfied in arriving correctly inverted, that they forget to apply rudder again in the 3rd part of the roll. This requires the most practice. Recover to airfield rolling L & R.

Lesson VII : Roll off top (Immelman).

Dive to obtain 140 mph and 2400 rpm. Pull up to loop. As aircraft approaches top of loop, apply full power and push stick forward to hold inverted at top. Allow aircraft to accelerate, then roll back to erect flight. Speed will still be slow so allow aircraft to accelerate. Dangers :

If roll input is made to early, aircraft will flick into spin. Practice L & R rolls, as students have a habit of getting handed, that is rolling in one direction only. This will give problems later in keeping straight in crosswinds.

Recover back to airfield practicing full L 1 r rolls. Lesson VIII : Stall turn. At 120 mph and 2400 rpm, pull to vertical using wing tip struts to horizon. Hold vertical until speed reduces to about 60 mph. Apply full rudder L or Right. Allow aircraft to fall in direction of rudder application. As aircraft hits vertical, straight dive, central rudder, reduce power and recover to horizon reapplying power exactly 180° to direction you started. Perform same in other direction.

Dangers :

If speed is allowed to reduce too slow, aircraft will fall off vertical and can roll off line. Also, engine can stop at zero G. Full power is needed to induce propwash over rudder and elevator controls for aircraft to achieve stall turn. Opposite aileron may be required in small application to hold aircraft straight in vertical..

Recover to airfield giving more rolling practice.

Lesson IX : First full sequence. 5000 ft, SOP, line feature and into wind. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

140 mph : loop roll off top. 65 mph : 2 turns spin R. 120 mph : ½ Cuban eight. 100-120 mph : slow roll L. 120 mph : stall turn L. 120 mph : cuban eight. 100-120 mph : slow roll R. 120 mph : ½ reverse Cuban eight.

Lesson X : 4 point roll / 8 point roll. Start at 120 mph / 2400 rpm, and note line feature. 1. Roll onto 90° knife edge. Centre stick. Hold with top rudder. 2. Roll onto 180° inverted flight. Centre stick. Push to horizon to maintain height. 3. Roll onto 90° opposite knife edge. Centre stick. Hold with top rudder. 4. Roll back to erect flight. Note direction and height maintained. For 8 points, perform same as above, but at 45° points. Much practice is required to achieve this manoeuvre. MAIN BASIC COURSE COMPLETED.

Lesson XI : Sequences. Loop – stall turn R – slow roll L – ½ cuban eight – slow roll R.

2 turns spin R – cuban eight – loop with roll off top – 1 turn spin left – 4 point roll R – stall turn R.