quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
Reversing prop pitch to slow down in flight is not recommended

Well, you can do it, ONCE.

Actually you can't as most aircraft with reversible props have a squat switch that requires weight on the landing gear before reverse thrust can be selected.

RMD

They work to great effect on RC foamies.

Yes, I actually watched a C-130 back into it's parking spot on the ramp at Osan AB back in 1997. Here's a Belgian 130 doing a reverse taxi:



Here's a C-17 doing the same thing with it's thrust reversers:

On tight ramp spaces overseas we backed into parking spots all the time. The biggest trick is to remember to keep your feet flat on the deck. When you need to stop you stop by coming out of reverse pitch and using forward thrust to stop the movement. If you touch the brakes going backwards you do quite an impressive tail stand. Not good.

quote:

Originally posted by rduckwor:

Well, you can do it, ONCE.

RMD

Depends on how high you are. No reason a full-scale aircraft can't do the things the foamy does in the video I posted earlier (other than thrust/weight, crushing pilot G-forces, and physics).

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
does a pilot have to get certification to fly planes w/vpb's?

It depends. The feds define a "complex" airplane as one with retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable pitch propeller. A pilot who is not grandfathered in, needs a logbook endorsement form a Flight Instructor, stating that the pilot has been instructed, demonstrated proficiency, blah, blah, bureaucratic language, ...

However, there are certainly airplanes that have controllable pitch propellers but do not have retractable landing gear. These airplanes are not "complex" by the FAA's definition, and therefore do not require a logbook endorsement, nor any other form of certification.

One such airplane with a constant speed (variable pitch with a governor) prop is a conversion for the popular Cessna 172. This conversion uses a 180 hp engine driving a constant speed prop. No special certification is required for pilots to fly this airplane.

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
does a pilot have to get certification to fly planes w/vpb's?

yes

AOPA does a good job of explaining it here:

https://www.aopa.org/training-...ements/other-ratings

No one however, can answer the OP's original question better than B-Tail. Excellent explanation made very simply in a not necessarily simple topic. All the essentials are covered, well.

As pointed out...MT propellers is making some experimental props now which can be thrown into reverse in flight. Some of the whacky's in Valdez are doing this stuff...look at the STOL competition in valdez.

Legend has it that the Herk drivers who tested landing on the Forrestal would go to reverse about 5' off the deck. It would REALLY suck for one to hang up at that point and not go into reverse.

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
Reversing prop pitch to slow down in flight is not recommended

"I'll hit the brakes, they'll fly right by..."