What is a stall turn?

Question

I was at an airshow this weekend (Bournemouth, UK), and the commentator was describing how an aerobatic team (The Blades) were doing "stall turns", which looked pretty impressive. Now, I know next to nothing about planes, but in disaster movies the plane stalls if you fly it vertically! Do they actually stall the plane to do a stall turn? Isn't that a bit risky? Or is the manouvre named that because of the risk of stalling?

Answer 1

A stall turn is just what it sounds to be , it is a turn in which one wing is "more stalled then the other , however Both wings are stalled" this sounds somewhat unprofessional but it is correct. The aircraft stalls at the critical angle of attack which differs by plane type , but is usually in the same range.A continue in aggravation of this stall will result in a spin , the pilots are professional so no , it is not necessarily dangerous.  

Answer 2

The stall turn, or hammerhead stall,  is one of the basic aerobatic maneuvers. It is also a pretty and easy maneuver. It's easy because it is done "by the numbers," that is, you move one control, then another control, then another without any overlap.

First, to set up for the maneuver, line up parallel to the runway at full power and at a safe altitude. The maneuver is usually done into the wind .start a pull up about like you were starting a loop. Don't jerk in the up, ease the plane up until it is vertical, then release all the up elevator. Try to keep the wings level during the pull up. Right here, with the plane vertical, do the following: 1. Cut power to idle; 2. Put in full rudder for the turn; 3. After the turn, release the rudder; 4. Ease in power and up elevator to recover to level flight from the dive.

Many planes, however, even though they have ailerons, will roll when rudder is applied. If your plane does this, if it rolls one direction or the other as it rotates through the stall turn, you will have to use aileron to compensate as you do the maneuver.  While you are holding the rudder, concentrate on the wings and vary the ailerons as necessary to compensate for the roll. Most high wing planes look like it is trying to do a split-S or to roll over on its back while is is "ruddering" around. If this is the case, you will have to hold in some opposite aileron during the turn. For example, if you put in right rudder for the stall turn, you'll have to use left aileron to compensate. Low wing planes without enough dihedral will need aileron in the same direction as the rudder.

Answer 3

A stall turn in Britain is what we in the US call a hammerhead or hammerhead turn. I’ve also heard them called hammerhead stalls as well. The timing at the top of the vertical can be pretty critical if you’re gonna do an impressive one. Wait too long and you’ll tail slide and/or whip stall. Get too nervous and you’ll fly over the top of the maneuver, making it a glorified wingover.

If you fly any airplane in the vertical long enough, gravity will eventually take over. Might as well get the airplane to point the way that it’ll be falling. They fly better that way. Use your rudder to pivot about the airplane’s CG. and use whatever aileron and elevator combination to keep your wings perpendicular to the horizon.

Answer 4

As the name signifies, a stall turn is a maneuver in which the aircraft executes a turn through 180 degrees while in the stalled state. It is a controlled maneuver with no extra element of risk. Both entry and exit are safe and, when properly, executed a stall turn is indeed an impressive sight. It can be executed as follows:-

The aircraft is put in a vertical climb and the speed is allowed to wash off by closing the throttle. The ailerons, elevators and the rudder are held in the neutral position. As the aircraft stalls and just before the nose would start to drop, full rudder is applied in the direction of the turn. The aircraft yaws around its vertical axis and smartly turns through 180 degrees (transcribing a skid, with wings level, but in the vertical plane). Once the nose drops by virtue of the turn through 180 degrees and the aircraft is pointing vertically down, the rudder is neutralised. The power is then opened up and speed built up to clear the stall; after which normal flight is resumed. The aircraft is not allowed to go into auto-rotation which subsequently develops into a spin.

PS: A 'Hammer Stall' is not a stall turn, technically speaking. In a hammer stall, the aircraft slides back on its tail after stalling, before the nose drops and the aircraft may end up in any flight attitude after stalling. Recovery is the same as for a normal stall.

Both stall turns and hammer stalls are entered from a wings level position.