What happens if you exceed vne

First things first: We erred in publishing the January article before looking at it with a more critical eye. However, it is very important to understand V NE is not an indicated airspeed.

Instead, V NE is a true airspeed. In fact, our research indicates V NE can be either a true or indicated airspeed. For example, the V NE published for vast majority of the personal airplanes with which we and our readers are familiar is an indicated airspeed denoted at the top of the airspeed indicators limits.

About that there is no argument. Similarly, there can be no argument that V NE for other aircraft is published as a true airspeed. All of that having been said, our emphasis on V NE being a true airspeed rather than indicated was misplaced. Accordingly, we want to take this opportunity to discuss this question in greater detail. It is required to be determined by the manufacturer during certification testing, as described in the regulatory excerpt in the sidebar on the opposite page.

Theoretically, keeping the aircrafts speed below V NE prevents such failures, although airframes have been known to sustain damage or fail at speeds slower than V NE. It may last for several seconds or for only a fraction of a second before it causes mayhem.

When the conditions are right the slightest thing may start it. It could be minor turbulence, or a twitch of the control column, or almost nothing. Aerodynamic inputs The first is the interaction of aerodynamic inputs. We saw how the initial trigger, in this case a gust, caused lift which, through mechanical action quickly finds the wing being forced to bend up and down by alternating aerodynamic forces.

The only thing a pilot can do about that is to avoid any turbulence, however slight, when the ASI creeps towards the business end of the scale. Obviously a strong, stiff structure is less so prone to flutter. Mass distribution The weight mass distribution of the elements of the structure is critical. This is obviously not good so the designer often mounts a lead weight ahead of the hinge line in order to balance the controls.

Although this is initially a design feature, you as the pilot, can become very involved — so sit up straight and harken. Some time ago a Cherokee in the US fluttered itself into destruction at circuit speed because the little arm with a lead weight on it, at the outboard end of the aileron, corroded and broke. The pilot failed to spot this during his pre-flight. In April two pilots died at Stellenbosch, near Cape Town, when the wings were ripped off their Interavia, a tough aerobatic machine.

It seems the spades had been removed from the ailerons, which altered their C of G and caused flutter way below the red line. When we speak of the mass and C of G, remember we are thinking of critically small limits. For instance, simply painting a control surface can alter its mass and C of G enough to cause flutter. Folks who protect the leading edges of their full flying tail planes with chopper blade-tape or rubber strips are playing with fire.

Air density Thick, dense air damps oscillations and delays the onset of flutter. Obviously you have direct control over the density of the air in which you fly. High altitudes and hot temps mean less damping and a greater chance of flutter. True airspeed Finally, the one over which you have almost total control — the airspeed. Unfortunately this is not as simple as it appears.

Although the airspeed indicator has a good solid red line on it, that is not necessarily the maximum speed you can expect to fly safely at, even in calm air. Remember, as you climb into thin air you travel faster because you have less drag. But your ASI actually says you are going slower because its reading is influenced by fewer air molecules at the pitot.

Active 3 years, 3 months ago. Viewed 17k times. Improve this question. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. The exact values can be found in the flight envelope diagram of the flight manual. Note that flutter needs some initial excitation , so you might fly well into the flutter speed range before flutter occurs. When it does, control surfaces will be ripped from their fittings which will make the aircraft pitch up. At that point the wings will break off.

You need to dive the aircraft, which requires some altitude. Maintaining the speed will mean that you dive into the ground, so you need to pull out of the dive in time. On really fast aircraft the pitch trim will get more nose-heavy when the aircraft approaches the speed of sound. You don't run that risk in a C , but faster aircraft found themselves locked into a dive which they could not end.

Improve this answer. Community Bot 1. I hear from time to time about things that can make the wings break off, but then to the contrary I hear a lot about how the wings can't come off under anything but the most extreme circumstances, and stress tests where they show the wings buckled at a very large angle before something fails.. Dynamic pressure is the thing to watch here: If it is high enough, even small angle changes will unleash immense forces. Simply put, if the air isn't smooth, slow down below Vno.

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