Thorp Air Command - T18.net

I realize that the T-18 is not a competition aerobatic airplane. But...

Has anyone done any spins in a T-18?

Not that this would be a routine thing, but just knowing the characteristics and recovery techniques would be nice to know.

I would have to think that recovery pull up after the spin/stall has been broken has to be pretty quick in order to not get the airspeed to rise too rapidly.

Tom,
There are several write ups on spins in the Newsletter Archive ... feel free to make your self busy.

The Archive is on the main site.

http://t18.net

Click the "Newsletter Archive" on the right hand side menu.

_________________
Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Tom - I can testify that a T-18CW with the S wing, folding version will recover from an inverted flat spin quite easily. Best I can remember, a full, frantic movement of the stick backward and forward with aggressive and colorful vocal encouragement but only once or twice resulted in a quick nose down attitude, subsequent roll to upright and speed building to about 190 mph before slowing through a 3.5G pull to level. It all happened perdy quick like - best be on yer toes - she builds speed like first time teenager at hooters.

If you are buying a T18.....there is a pilot's pilot on here who will relate a story of 40 degrees of flaps creating an unrecoverable spin scenario.......(Que Cubes)....so avoid that situation.

_________________
Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

Was that in N886Y, Fras?

Yeah....a minor transgression of common sense, never to have been repeated.....a classic hillbilly, "Hey, hold my beer and watch this" moment(I was alone in the plane though). It was my "Stupid Flying Tricks" moment.....well, there was that time I intentionally departure stalled and spun (up high) a 152 the hour after my first solo, after the FAA said NO MORE SPIN TRAINING!! and I figgered I best learn to spin it somehow.....recovery was easy, tho I remember Vne in a 152 being actually less forgiving time wise than a T18 given the wing loading limitations as well.

Of course, WAAAYYY back then, I knew I could recover from an inverted flat spin from 500 feet above the deck...POH and physics be damned....I was THAT GOOD!!.......

_________________
Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

Important to note that Frase's old plane was not a T-18CW (S-18) .. it was a T-18C (Standard Fuse, C wing). There have been reports that the wide body (longer) fuse has different spin characteristics than the standard Thorp fuse.

_________________
Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

So have people spun the S-18 or is this a no-no?

I'm not saying I'd really even want to spin. I'm just trying to get a feel for the characteristics and if it is recoverable or something to stay away from for the most part.

I know the Grumman AA5 series and even their two place AA1 etc with the tubular spar fuel tank is a definate no no for spinning. I think this is due to having the fuel in the spar which through centrifugal force throws all the fuel out to the wingtips and the mass out there spinning can't be overcome by the rudder and especially having little or no rudder below the elevator to stop the spin.

I don't see those issues with a T-18 or S-18 especially with those planes having only the fuselage tanks. Folks who put tanks in the outer wing bays this spinning mass issue could I suppose become a issue to think about.

Tom,
Yes the T-18CW (S-18) has been spun. If you take a look back in the newsletters there are write-ups on this as well. Gary Green tells a tale of spinning a wide body years ago and noted that particular aircraft did not recover as painlessly as his standard Thorp at the time.

_________________
Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

I will obviously have to go back and read or print out the back issues of the news letter.

just trying to read and find my way here on the forum. Baby steps I guess.

The S and T both spin and both recover just fine. More important are the builders accuracy and recovery techniques.
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