Flughandbuch XCitor
- 22 -
Make yourself familiar with this system under calm conditions. Move both trim
levers from their vertical start position roughly 5 cm back to you. The trailing edge
will come up and the XCitor will fly faster.
Try to fly wide, then steeper curves just with the trim levers. Don’t forget to push
the trim levers back to their vertical position prior to landing! Then you will be not
too fast, but fast enough to flare out during touch down.
Hint!
Extreme wing loads and an insufficient brake performance of the trim levers could
cause the brake levers being pulled back by the wing from the slow to the fast
position. If this happens not symmetrically the XCitor starts to fly a curve. This
curve can be easily compensated during its beginning with the brake lines. But if
the pilot waits until the curve gets steeper and becomes a spiral it takes much force
to steer against it. Also much force is required to push the trim lever forward into its
slow position again.
In this case it would be easier if the other trim handle is pulled back from slow to
fast like the other. Then the XCitor stops its spiral flight. This can be supported by
the brake lines. After the G forces are normal again the trim levers can be pushed
back easily into a slow position.
This is just an emergency procedure in case several mistakes were done:
-
The movement of the trim levers is too easy, this was not correctly
checked prior to take off,
-
The wing load is far beyond the permitted limits (2 G or 60° roll angle),
-
Too late or no reaction in case the trim lever is being pulled back by
the glider.
9.5.3 TAKE OFF, CRUISE AND LANDING:
Refer to chapter 7.7, standard procedures: There you find a description of all
typical procedures. Here you will find some additional remarks.
If the wing pulls too much to the side during take off, the pilot has to brake the
opposite side of the wing and he must steer the trike into the same direction the
wing is pulling.
If this isn’t sufficient the take off must be cancelled. This is much better than to try
to take off anyway, maybe in a steep curve, and to land very hard immediately
afterwards, or to roll over with the complete XCitor. Though this happens not easily
as the centre of gravity is as low as possible and the wheel base wide.
If the glider collapses already during take off (if that happens, then most likely in
the outer area of the wing) then you may continue with the start. But don’t take off,
use the brake lines instead to open the canopy fully again. Then give full gas and
take off only with a fully opened and cantered canopy.
Pilots with good skills are able to drive full circles with the glider in the air with less
than 50 m in diameter.
FLYING UNDER TURBULENT CONDITIONS
Hint!
Take care crossing your own vortexes!
Though the tendency to collapse is significantly reduced due to the high wing load
of the XCitor, in turbulent air you should fly it with the trim system set to slow.
The stabilizing effect of the increased pressure inside the wing at higher speeds is
more than counteracted by the smaller angle of attack.