Spinning a 337

Ken MacLean · #1 10-20-03, 01:53 PM

Someone once told me that 337s are a little unforgiving in a spin. Any truth to that? This story seems to come from O2 days when the legend goes that the pilot, when identifying a target, would max climb away towards the sun, and at stall speed kick over with rudder and come back at the target, now with the sun at his tail. The one recounting this tale claimed that the military forbid the practice after several ships and pilots were lost from the resulting spin.

Please tell me it ain't so.

Ken

Mitch Taylor · #2 10-20-03, 03:19 PM

The dash one on the O2 says that spins are not allowed, but that they aren't a problem either. They claim standard recovery techniques work just fine. Haven't tried it myself, so I can't vouch for it.

Jose L. Ichaso · #3 10-22-03, 01:41 AM

During my basic trainning had an instructor who teach me to spin recovery in a 172. About a year later while my 337 initial trainning, this same instructor suggest it me to do the same in the 337, and it was much more faster spinning ( It looked and fell so) and longer to recover than the 172. In 2001 I took the Advanced Maneuvering Program (AMP) at Aviation Safety Trainning in Houston ( which I recommend to any GA or Corporate pilot), and part of the curse included spin recovery in a Beech T-34 Mentor, and after that, can say spin in a 337 was much more scary!

OSCARDEUCE · #4 10-23-03, 05:22 AM

I gave a ride to Col. Chuck Hines who flew my O2-A in Viet Nam. He told of the pilots doing the stall turns you describe. He would put on an "airshow" for the VC. While they were coming out to watch he would call in a strike. They only made the mistake a few times. He said the O2 was excellent for this maneuver. He did not mention any spins. Given the fact that FAC's rarely operated much above 2000 ft (usually much lower)a spin would be hard to recover from .
I have not tried the stall turn technique .
My 172 spins very tight. My spin training was in a Steen Skybolt Biplane. I agree with Mitch, the POH prohibits intentional spins.
Tom

Francisco · #5 10-24-03, 03:16 AM

On a simulated landing stall, the 336 will drop a wing fast if you are not on the BALL. And it will require full opossit roder.

SkyKing · #6 10-25-03, 06:05 PM

There's a distinct reason why the 337 is prohibited from spins... just wait until one of you gets it over on its back. GMAs could explain it to you all in great detail, ah, but you Neophytes ran the real expert on the airplane off the board. Way to go.

SkyKing

Ken MacLean · #7 10-26-03, 10:24 AM

Who is GMAs?

Ernie Martin · #8 10-26-03, 01:28 PM

Sorry you asked.

George Amthor (GMAs), out of Sacramento, CA, is arguably one of the most knowledgeable Skymaster experts. He got into a pissing contest on this Board with proponents of cruising leaner than peak EGT, Kevin (the webmaster) deleted some of GMAs' language that he deemed offensive, and GMAs got upset and left.

In the preceding paragraph I attempted to be surgically objective. Let me opine here. My view, on the one hand, is that we have suffered from GMAs absence, because he has a wealth of knowledge; for instance, his strong opposition to cruising at lean of peak (LOP) was correct (I think LOP is suitable for technically savvy pilots with on-board engine analyzers who are willing to devote extra attention to engine management in flight, but not for the average pilot). On the other hand, his language was indeed offensive and his later smearing of contributors to this Board unwarranted.

I wish we all made peace and GMAs (albeit a more relaxed GMAs) would come back.

Ernie

Francisco · #9 10-26-03, 10:27 PM

I ditto Ernie's remarks. We are all humans, and we sometime let our mouth speak in undesired ways.

Gma's resourcefullnes and knowlege of the Skymaster is missed in this pages. But it's up to him to return with his vast information and knowlege. Always keeping in mind that my 12 year old (student pilot) son, sometimes gets on the site. Thus the need for Kevin to censure as needed.

Francisco