2023 Proposed Known Sportsman

[volvo164]

Have you seen the 2023 proposed sportsman sequence?


What do you think? Doable in a 7ECA? I'm not sure what figure 2 is: looks like a hammer head after a 45 degree upline - I barely have about 2 seconds vertical for proper hammerhead in my 7ECA, so don't see how I can do a 45 upline followed by a vertical for a hammer head, but can try. The split S with 2 point roll is gone ... so that's good. Nice to see a spin put in, and ability to correct for wind with it.

 

[Big Ed]

Looks interesting. Wish I could try it. But continues a trend of intermediate figures creeping into sportsman. 45 up into hammerhead is a staple of higher categories, but not sure what the benefit would be to introducing it in Sportsman.

Going to see a lot of competitors struggling with orientation because of the 1 1/4 spin and 1/4 roll on the humpty. That's not a bad thing, will help separate the field, but gonna be tougher for first time competitors.

 

[kubark42]

How does one even wag in in a 7ECA? We need a steep dive to get to 140mph for the loop, so will we push right up to Vne in a dive, wag in super quickly and before dropping below 140 throw a loop in? Our wags are slow, we burn through a ton of airspeed there.

I'm not too concerned about a 45 degree upline to hammerhead if I'm coming out of a loop, since I can get back up to Vne before continuing.

At least the maneuver after the 180 degree turn doesn't require airspeed, because that's what I struggled with in primary. My 7ECA won't do 120mph in level flight, so I couldn't do the last roll without first wagging out and then coming around for a diving entry. Even then, it wasn't easy to keep enough airspeed after having to wag back in.

 

[Big Ed]

Wag as you start the dive.

 

[volvo164]

Yup, wag in the dive - it will look like a waddle, but oh well. You shouldn't need to take a break for the roll in the primary, just do it full throttle and 100mph. I don't even practice rolls at 120 anymore, what's the point. But everything is very challenging with airspeed or lack thereof. The pullouts require planning and concentration to end up at 140mph without it looking like a separate dive. You can't really pause long enough between maneuvers either - speed dissipates instantly. I've not yet tried 2 point rolls in cubans / sharkstooth - but was told that from the ground my slow rolls at 100mph look like hesitation rolls to begin with

 

[Big Ed]

I've not yet tried 2 point rolls in cubans / sharkstooth

The slow roll rate will feel even more pronounced. You have to make a very clear stop and pause at knife edge, or it looks like you just did a half roll. The whole time you be are picking up speed, and the dive will steepen if you do not pay attention to it.

I found the key was setting an accurate dive angle while inverted, and holding it in the roll. Setting the 45 will be harder in a Citabria because you do have to hold negative G for about 2 seconds.

I practiced the sharks tooth with 2 point roll for several months before I felt I had it mastered.

 

[Big Ed]

Sequence was approved without change. Frustrated that I cannot give it a shot until next spring.

I don't see anything insurmountable. A few good practice points. Will need to drive figure 4 to the upwind boundary to ensure not rushed on the roll.

The more I look at figure 7, the less I worry about it. You will pick up some speed on the 180 turn on figure 6. Then you will want to push figure 7 well upwind, which will provide plenty of time to pick up speed.

Again, new competitors are really going to find figures 8 and 9 challenging. Really easy to get disoriented in the box and come out off axis.

 

[Big Ed]

One bit of info I got out of Adam Cope, the IAC test pilot for these sequences: the Sportsman test aircraft is a 7KCAB, so it has inverted systems. Looks like the IAC has abandoned the premise that Sportsman should be flyable by a Citabria WITHOUT inverted systems. Too bad, I think that is a mistake.

Interestingly, the test aircraft for Intermediate is a Decathlon.

 

[Jared77]

One bit of info I got out of Adam Cope, the IAC test pilot for these sequences: the Sportsman test aircraft is a 7KCAB, so it has inverted systems. Looks like the IAC has abandoned the premise that Sportsman should be flyable by a Citabria WITHOUT inverted systems. Too bad, I think that is a mistake.

Interestingly, the test aircraft for Intermediate is a Decathlon.

There is a significant difference in the ease/ less workload of managing aerobatic maneuvers in a Decathlon versus a Citabria with a different wing, different control authority, and without inverted systems.

So I agree, and I was flying just this evening thinking about the differences. I currently fly a Citabria (High Country Explorer) while my foundational training was in the Super D. The Citabria is a beautiful flying airplane, maybe better in versatility of mission, however it’s definitely easier to fly the Decathlon during aerobatics in my opinion.

I actually checked into the forum to see if there is a optimal level for oil (during aerobatics) which my girl, the Citabria, seemed to be upset with as we ended up having a lot on the underside. So found some good info on that in earlier posts.

Would anyone have any advice regarding cold weather ops for aerobatics? I am thinking about carb icing and when inverted as the engine cuts out, or considering spins, and systems on Carb equipped aircraft. I abide by the POH and read everything I can access but just asking since this is a community of good experience.

Thank you ahead.

Jared

 

[volvo164]

Jared - where do you fly from? I fly out 6B6, Stow MA.
I've never had issues with carb ice on clear days with my O-235 (actually never had issues period). Look at humidity level, not temperature, in terms of concern for carb ice.
For oil level - suggest to start with full oil, and see how much you're losing. I found that I wasn't losing a lot so I settled on 5.25 to 5.5 qts in my 7ECA (with capacity for 6). Everything does get oily - not much you can do about that. I don't think the fuel level effects lubrication capability while at negative G (the engine is either getting lubrication through the oil pump, or it's not). So the extra oil you're carrying is reserve for what's get blown out.

 

[Big Ed]

Would anyone have any advice regarding cold weather ops for aerobatics? I am thinking about carb icing and when inverted as the engine cuts out, or considering spins, and systems on Carb equipped aircraft. I abide by the POH and read everything I can access but just asking since this is a community of good experience.

I'm a Decathlon guy so most of my experience is in fuel injected aircraft. But as a general premise, isn't carb ice buildup normally an issue at reduced power? Since acro is generally WOT except for spins, shouldn't be too big a concern. If you do get carb ice, take a break, apply carb heat, and burn it off.

 

[volvo164]

So - still struggling with the 2 point roll in the sharkstooth. It just really dives off at even a hint of hesitation. The 45 upline to the hammerhead is challenging in the 7ECA, in that everything now happens fast. You also just get 1 shot at nailing that vertical upline, because 1 second later, you already have to kick. It's easy to overpull, be negative on the upline. The sequence is neat that it builds altitude back up - after the immelman, you can take your time to accelerate for the roll, go to the other end of the box for the 180, accelerate again across the box, for the 45 up for the spin. So no need for a break even with 115hp.