Courtney, this is a complicated topic. While Vx may be required to clear trees near the field. A higher speed may be safer in the event of a engine failure. This is my preferred climb out speed. Our high drag ultralights have very little momentum and in a high Alpha nose up climb can go from climbing to unrecoverable stall in a second or two if the engine quits. Always be prepared to shove the stick forward 6" or more if you feel or hear the engine miss even a single cylinder climbing out. On the other hand Vx climb gets you higher faster than Vy and supports your claim here in the video. Altitude is always best if you have engine problems! But never at the expense of a possible low altitude stall/spin. Also, the stall speeds you found with google are way off. My single surface wing MX stalls at about 18 mph not 34. I am above 6000DA for most of my flights with a BRS and full fuel gross weight at ~505. I spend most of my time flying less than 34mph and am trimmed out for about 28. In ground effect it's still flying at 14mph. MX Sprints with their higher wing camber single surface wing stall even slower. I am not surprised with the numbers you found, my MX is has a factory sticker showing 34mph stall. While airspeed sensors may vary, both my Halls and calibrated pitot static airspeed agree the published speeds you found are garbage.
I appreciate your comments. I don't pretend to know everything. I did go back and check the climb/stall specs on the Quicksilver ultralight. According to Quicksilveraircraft.com, the UL's Vx is indeed 34 MPH and the stall speed is 27. I'm not saying you are incorrect, other than right out of an airplane's POH, I don't know of a better authority unless one were to ask Andy at Tri-State or Bever at Air-Tech for an opinion.
@@CourtneyTakesFlightHi I am a Airline Transport Pilot with 28000 flying hours. I never heard about Vx and Vy. I know Vr= rotating seed (at that speed you start pulling on the stick. At V2 called flying safety speed and is 1.2 Vs stalling speed. If you climb with V2 you are climbing with your best angle of climb.
My flying background is helicopters but I have ridden on 2 seat ultralights. I was always surprised by how much drag they have. I would lean towards speed over altitude myself on takeoff.
Think she got you confused on Vx and Vy; Vy gets you to altitude fastest and is faster safer for the stall concern than Vx. Though often Vy is close to Vbg so obstacles permitting, you may want to climb faster than Vy accepting a slightly slower climb rate to account for startle effect and still catch Vbg. This will also preserve forward visibility.
Another great video. However, I’m not sure I agree. I fly a Lancair - and a Kolb. Opposite ends of the spectrum you might say. I avoid Vx in both unless it’s absolutely critical to clear something. In an ultralight you have no mass, low inertia, and very high drag. If you are in a Vx climb and the engine decides to have a bad day, you’ve probably only got 1-2 seconds to figure what’s going on and take aggressive corrective action before a stall. I prefer to have as much energy as possible - almost more of a cruise climb. I see these folks doing these crazy steep climb outs trying to show off some STOL power or whatever and I just shake my head. If something goes wrong it’s game over almost instantly.
Courtney, I really like your videos, keep up the good work. That being said, I prefer a different takeoff method. If your engine quits down low, your descent angle will mirror your climb angle and you will not have enough energy to flare to a soft landing. When I takeoff, I remain low in ground effect and use that additional 10% or so of efficiency to reach Vy, and then I climb at VY until I reach the hight of the trees. At tree height I will then start climbing at VX. The only time that I would use VX earlier, is to climb over an obstacle. Engines have a tendency to quit when you need them the most.
I've been taught to keep it at about landing speed until over the treeline before going to VX to buffer against possible rotor/gusts.... this is in a Flightstar with a 3000'+ runway
I'm not sure about the buffer thing, but typically you want to be as high as possible before tackling that tree line lest you crash into it if you lose your engine.
The best angle of climb is 1.2 Vstall. V stall (power off) is changing with weight and with bank angle.. Many fatal exidents happened when pilots tried to land back at the airfield by making a tite 180° turn , with a high bank angle. At a 60° bank angle the V stall increases by 40%. In a left turn the left wing is slower and will stall first.
Right but wrong. Huh? What about weight, runway altitude plus atmospheric pressure, and a few other minor items. Keep it simple, yes, but keep it safe.
Think you need to review Vx and Vy again. Vy is fastest. Vx may get you there with half a runway remaining, but so what, you won’t be able to land on the remaining half as you’ll be too high. Vx is also really close to stall with no margin for startle factor. And it inhibits forward visibility.
It's not we want to get high faster, but rather, get as high as possible near where we began the takeoff roll. Nor is landing at the airport required. We want to be at as many places to glide to a landing if possible.
While I enjoy this idea, vx does not get you to altitude sooner, only nearer to the point of departure physically. VY also lets you avoid a stall easier w an engine failure
Feel free to comment!
I like the voice over. Great explanations as well! Direct and simple! 👍
Thank you.
I don't think it's a coincidence that the signs for airplane and flying have the same hand-shape as "I love you"..
That's true! ;)
Courtney, this is a complicated topic. While Vx may be required to clear trees near the field. A higher speed may be safer in the event of a engine failure. This is my preferred climb out speed. Our high drag ultralights have very little momentum and in a high Alpha nose up climb can go from climbing to unrecoverable stall in a second or two if the engine quits. Always be prepared to shove the stick forward 6" or more if you feel or hear the engine miss even a single cylinder climbing out.
On the other hand Vx climb gets you higher faster than Vy and supports your claim here in the video. Altitude is always best if you have engine problems! But never at the expense of a possible low altitude stall/spin.
Also, the stall speeds you found with google are way off. My single surface wing MX stalls at about 18 mph not 34. I am above 6000DA for most of my flights with a BRS and full fuel gross weight at ~505. I spend most of my time flying less than 34mph and am trimmed out for about 28. In ground effect it's still flying at 14mph. MX Sprints with their higher wing camber single surface wing stall even slower. I am not surprised with the numbers you found, my MX is has a factory sticker showing 34mph stall. While airspeed sensors may vary, both my Halls and calibrated pitot static airspeed agree the published speeds you found are garbage.
I appreciate your comments. I don't pretend to know everything. I did go back and check the climb/stall specs on the Quicksilver ultralight. According to Quicksilveraircraft.com, the UL's Vx is indeed 34 MPH and the stall speed is 27. I'm not saying you are incorrect, other than right out of an airplane's POH, I don't know of a better authority unless one were to ask Andy at Tri-State or Bever at Air-Tech for an opinion.
@@CourtneyTakesFlightHi I am a Airline Transport Pilot with 28000 flying hours.
I never heard about Vx and Vy.
I know Vr= rotating seed (at that speed you start pulling on the stick. At V2 called flying safety speed and is 1.2 Vs stalling speed.
If you climb with V2 you are climbing with your best angle of climb.
My flying background is helicopters but I have ridden on 2 seat ultralights. I was always surprised by how much drag they have. I would lean towards speed over altitude myself on takeoff.
Think she got you confused on Vx and Vy; Vy gets you to altitude fastest and is faster safer for the stall concern than Vx. Though often Vy is close to Vbg so obstacles permitting, you may want to climb faster than Vy accepting a slightly slower climb rate to account for startle effect and still catch Vbg. This will also preserve forward visibility.
Another great video. However, I’m not sure I agree. I fly a Lancair - and a Kolb. Opposite ends of the spectrum you might say. I avoid Vx in both unless it’s absolutely critical to clear something.
In an ultralight you have no mass, low inertia, and very high drag. If you are in a Vx climb and the engine decides to have a bad day, you’ve probably only got 1-2 seconds to figure what’s going on and take aggressive corrective action before a stall.
I prefer to have as much energy as possible - almost more of a cruise climb.
I see these folks doing these crazy steep climb outs trying to show off some STOL power or whatever and I just shake my head. If something goes wrong it’s game over almost instantly.
Agree, some STOL folks have done crazy stuff, and some have died as a result. I did address the stall issue in the video. Thanks for your comments.
Courtney, I really like your videos, keep up the good work. That being said, I prefer a different takeoff method.
If your engine quits down low, your descent angle will mirror your climb angle and you will not have enough energy to flare to a soft landing. When I takeoff, I remain low in ground effect and use that additional 10% or so of efficiency to reach Vy, and then I climb at VY until I reach the hight of the trees. At tree height I will then start climbing at VX. The only time that I would use VX earlier, is to climb over an obstacle. Engines have a tendency to quit when you need them the most.
Please feel free to choose what makes you feel comfortable!
Great Video. You really simplified it to make it easily understandable.
Thank you!
Thanks again!
You're welcome!
I've been taught to keep it at about landing speed until over the treeline before going to VX to buffer against possible rotor/gusts.... this is in a Flightstar with a 3000'+ runway
I'm not sure about the buffer thing, but typically you want to be as high as possible before tackling that tree line lest you crash into it if you lose your engine.
@@CourtneyTakesFlight Talking about the trees on the sides of the runway, not at the end!
Great video! THX ! 👍
You're welcome!
The best angle of climb is 1.2 Vstall.
V stall (power off) is changing with weight and with bank angle..
Many fatal exidents happened when pilots tried to land back at the airfield by making a tite 180° turn , with a high bank angle.
At a 60° bank angle the V stall increases by 40%.
In a left turn the left wing is slower and will stall first.
We don't want anyone returning to the airport. Straight ahead or a bit of to the left or right is best.
Right but wrong. Huh? What about weight, runway altitude plus atmospheric pressure, and a few other minor items. Keep it simple, yes, but keep it safe.
The other items are things that every pilot should be doing before flight. Yes
Think you need to review Vx and Vy again. Vy is fastest. Vx may get you there with half a runway remaining, but so what, you won’t be able to land on the remaining half as you’ll be too high. Vx is also really close to stall with no margin for startle factor. And it inhibits forward visibility.
It's not we want to get high faster, but rather, get as high as possible near where we began the takeoff roll. Nor is landing at the airport required. We want to be at as many places to glide to a landing if possible.
Awesome video and information! On a personal note are you hearing impaired and if so how do you communicate with ATC?
I don't. I don't fly in ATC controlled airspace.
While I enjoy this idea, vx does not get you to altitude sooner, only nearer to the point of departure physically. VY also lets you avoid a stall easier w an engine failure
One wants to climb high as possible near where they started the takeoff roll. I addressed the stall thing in the video.
@@CourtneyTakesFlight why does proximity to the landing site matter more than altitude gained as fast as possible?
Altitude Altitude!
Speed is life
Altitude is safety
Yup!