Had a pretty cool thing happen today while I was out flying with my instructor. The winds aloft for 4000 feet were about 270 at 35. We decided to see how low we could go during slow flight. After a couple minutes, we got the ground speed down to 7 knots!!! Haha.. it was pretty damn cool. We were just "floating" over the interstate!
Anyone else ever take a plane below 10 knots groundspeed while flying?
-Adam
Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
Yea thats a blast when you can do that. We had the Super Cub at 0kts ground speed, so theorhetically a hover. Its fun also in the clipper (Robinson R44) to watch the GS go down to zero, then start climbing....as we are going backwards 
ATCT
ATCT
Trikes are for kids!
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
What was generating the ground speed?
Reason I ask is that DME groundspeed is only correct when flying directly TO or FROM the station. When you are flying tangent to the station the rate of change is so slow I've seen groundspeed drop to zero while doing 180 knots in a Cessna 404.
Was this GPS generated?
Funny, but in all the years I flew STOL airplanes, good ones, I never got the chance to stop or back up.
Reason I ask is that DME groundspeed is only correct when flying directly TO or FROM the station. When you are flying tangent to the station the rate of change is so slow I've seen groundspeed drop to zero while doing 180 knots in a Cessna 404.
Was this GPS generated?
Funny, but in all the years I flew STOL airplanes, good ones, I never got the chance to stop or back up.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
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- AdamWright
- Posts: 602
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RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
Sam,
Yes, we were using a GPS to indicate our groundspeed. Garmin 94 I believe...
I'm definately going to have to hit 0 one day ..
Yes, we were using a GPS to indicate our groundspeed. Garmin 94 I believe...
I'm definately going to have to hit 0 one day ..
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
That's cool.
I am attending a University that does flight training (though I am just a lowly mechanic and aero-engineer). TWO of my friends have been working on slow flight in Skyhawks and actually caught themselves flying BACKWARDS.
Jon was in VMC and VFR, I think just doing his private at the time, and was using a power plant as a reference... just maybe a quarter of a mile away, not far at all. After a few moments, he glanced back outside, and discovered that the plant was FURTHER AWAY than when he started!
Mark had a similar experience.
So much for "planes don't fly backwards."
I am attending a University that does flight training (though I am just a lowly mechanic and aero-engineer). TWO of my friends have been working on slow flight in Skyhawks and actually caught themselves flying BACKWARDS.
Jon was in VMC and VFR, I think just doing his private at the time, and was using a power plant as a reference... just maybe a quarter of a mile away, not far at all. After a few moments, he glanced back outside, and discovered that the plant was FURTHER AWAY than when he started!
Mark had a similar experience.
So much for "planes don't fly backwards."
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
I was getting my check out in a glass panel C182 and my instructor and I went up to 8,000 feet to do slow flight (winds aloft were 280 at 70 or 75), tossed it into slow flight and we ended up about 2 miles behind where we started. That was cool.
XJR
XJR
Look ma' no hands!
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
About a hundred years ago, working on my PPL in a Tomahawk, we did some slow flight into a big head wind and went backwards - really odd thing to see the ground going by the "wrong" way out the window.
Moose
Moose
KC-135 - Passing gas and taking names!
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
7 knots, which way? I got 5kts backward once.
At worst, you screw up and die.
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
The slowest I've gone was maybe about 10kts but one of our instructors got a beaver into the negatives right over the runway! That was so neat to watch!
A Grumpy German Is A Sauerkraut
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
I was at an airshow at a country town (OAG) here back in '97 where a Slepcev Storch (7/8 scale Fiesler Storch replica) did a display. It took off vertically, went backwards 100-200' and landed vertically, this with about a 25-30kt wind blowing. My Dad said he went backwards in a C.182 on finals once.
Monty Python's Flying Circus has nothing to do with aviation, except perhaps for Management personnel.
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- NiteRider30
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RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
Yeah, I remember when I was doing my primary training in a C-172 a few years ago, we did slow flight on a very windy day. We were able to go backwards as well, it's quite a trip to see the ground moving the other way.
-Mike
-Mike
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
Back when I was training for my PPL my instructor and I got one of the 172Rs down to 6 kts. After we recovered from slow flight we turned around and got it going 153 kts in level flight back to the airport. Its quite a difference.
FlyMKG
FlyMKG
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
Out at the Hidden Valley strip in Shady Shores, TX, a friend of the family would cruise down the runway in his Cub, take off into a strong headwind, slide backwards, then touchdown again and repeat! Sounds like fun!
------Forever Watchin' The Sky------
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- AvionicMech
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RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
Well if you really want to get a 0kt ground speed you need to start doing aerobatics. I have done this a few times but we didn't have a GPS system fitted as it was in an RAF 'Bulldog' so I don't really know what our actual groundspeed was. I am sure that even if we had a GPS in the cockpit we certainly wouldn't be looking at it as your eyes are always outside when doing some 'silly' maneuvers. I think the best one for a 0kt GS would be either the vertical climb in a 'hammerhead turn' or in a 'loop' unless the wind was blowing you about.
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- CFIcraigAPA
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RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
Man, at 4000' around here, we'd be in solid cumulo-granite, making our ground speed, well, nill.
CM
Denver area
CM
Denver area
Prior Proper Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
In a Piper cub, I've been able to hover or go backwards depending on the headwind. It doesn't take much to keep these little beautys flying- makes them good to hunt out of too.
I love the smell of jet fuel in the morning.
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
i managed to do the same, ie fly the thing backwards, on a check out of a 172RG. i've got it on video too... just need to figure out how to upload it. it's pretty strange seeing that happen.
"...cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home."
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
An uncle of mine flew DC-3s (the military version) in Korea in the late 50s. There is a pass in the central part of the country where the wind can be fierce. He said several times they actually moved backwards. Scared the dickens out of him and his captain.
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- Mr Spaceman
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RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
Hi guys.
During one flight in a Cessna-152 back in 1986 while training for my PPL, my instructor and I were returning to the Toronto Island Airport (CYTZ). We had a strong headwind from the west as we were following Lake Ontario's north shoreline at 2,400 ft (to stay under Toronto Intl's Terminal Radar), and this route took us right over my parents house. When I mentioned to my instructor that we were over my folk's home, he said something like ...."That's great. Then let me show you what we call the Idiot Test!"
He slowed us down into slow flight (about 1800 rpm's) and dumped full flaps (40 degrees in those days). After a few moments, we slowed right down and started being blown backwards! We did this for about a minute while drifting over my parents house. It was really neat & fun to experience. Plus I got a nice view of my old neighbourhood for a while.
Chris
During one flight in a Cessna-152 back in 1986 while training for my PPL, my instructor and I were returning to the Toronto Island Airport (CYTZ). We had a strong headwind from the west as we were following Lake Ontario's north shoreline at 2,400 ft (to stay under Toronto Intl's Terminal Radar), and this route took us right over my parents house. When I mentioned to my instructor that we were over my folk's home, he said something like ...."That's great. Then let me show you what we call the Idiot Test!"
He slowed us down into slow flight (about 1800 rpm's) and dumped full flaps (40 degrees in those days). After a few moments, we slowed right down and started being blown backwards! We did this for about a minute while drifting over my parents house. It was really neat & fun to experience. Plus I got a nice view of my old neighbourhood for a while.
 Photo © Brian Spurr |  Photo © Muchswatch |
Chris
"Just a minute while I re-invent myself"
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- pilottim747
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RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
Come to North Dakota. We've got good backwards flying weather. Check out the remark from this photo:
View Large View Medium
Photo © Steve Carlson
pilottim747
Photo © Steve Carlson
pilottim747
Aviation Photographers & Enthusiasts--Coordinate your life.
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- soaringadi
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RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
I don't know if this is that relative or not but..... we have flown a 172 where the Ias was 0, and yes we still hadn't stalled it. Also a friend of mine owns a friend of mine owns a C-182 which has a "short takeoff and landing kit." That thing has a final approach speed of 35kias, and if you land on a huge a** runway right before the numbers, that plane will literally stop at the end of the Treshold markings.
If it ain't Boeing, I'm not going !
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- jderden777
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RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
i've gone backwards quite a few times in a 172 during slow flight, and during my commercial night solos to the practice area i just set up in slow flight over the beach into the wind, and stayed in practically the same spot for a while to kill some time...
i also got down to around 20 knots groundspeed in a seneca doing slow flight the other day....winds were kickin out of the NW
jd
i also got down to around 20 knots groundspeed in a seneca doing slow flight the other day....winds were kickin out of the NW
jd
"my soul is in the sky" - shakespeare
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- jderden777
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RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
on the other hand, instead of going slow, we did a 180 to get the wind on our tail, and were doing over 110 kts groundspeed in slow flight in the seneca
jd
jd
"my soul is in the sky" - shakespeare
RE: 7 Knots GroundSpeed In Slow Flight!
I flew a warrior once in slow flight that had a Garmin 430 in it. We had a very strong wind coming from the NE. The ground speed indicator on the garmin slowly went down to zero and then started counting back up. The Garmin showed an indicated heading to the SW while my DG and mag compass still pointed to the NE. I was flying backwards, but since the GPS couldn't recognize this it showed that I was heading 180 degrees opposite of my true course.
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