Wingsweep during CASE I overhead

[The_Tau]

Any particular reason why when flying overhead carrier on CASE I recovery wings should be swept all the way back?

 

Just to look cool? :)

[Father Cool]

I wonder this as well, to me it's just faffing around when you need to concentrate on other stuff and then having to trim it out and then back again.

 

I had heard that trimming it then sets you up for the AOA on speed once the wings are out but it never works out for me that way.

[gabuzomeu]

IIRC, this is because you would lose more speed and faster during the break

[Spiceman]

Yep, helps bleed speed in the break, and allows for a closer formation in the break which ensures the last guy to break isn’t too close in on the downwind. Oh yeah, and it looks cool.

[Father Cool]

The formation thing makes sense but bleeding more speed? I can't see how going from wings in to wings out in favour of wings out all the time would bleed more speed, the drag in the break will be the same (both with wings out) for both situations.

 

If its a formation thing then when not in a formation on the overhead does the wing sweep still apply really?

[majapahit]

The formation thing makes sense but bleeding more speed? I can't see how going from wings in to wings out in favour of wings out all the time would bleed more speed, the drag in the break will be the same (both with wings out) for both situations.

 

If its a formation thing then when not in a formation on the overhead does the wing sweep still apply really?

It makes sense, as I think to remember procedure, in that you are expected to be besides the boat from the initial at 350 kts 800ft.

[Reflected]

No, drag won’t be the same. Drag will be much higher for a given AoA when the wings are swept back. And that’s exactly what you need.

[The_Tau]

The formation thing makes sense but bleeding more speed? I can't see how going from wings in to wings out in favour of wings out all the time would bleed more speed, the drag in the break will be the same (both with wings out) for both situations.

 

If its a formation thing then when not in a formation on the overhead does the wing sweep still apply really?

 

Doesnt swept wings change your wings into quasi delta wing? And that would increas drag at high AoA...

[jmarso]

I think it was purely for cosmetics. There was no aerodynamic reason to manually sweep the wings full aft coming into the overhead.

 

11. "Thou shalt look cool around the Boat at all times."

 

Remember the 11th Commandment and keep it wholly. ;)

[captain_dalan]

I can't see how going from wings in to wings out in favour of wings out all the time would bleed more speed, the drag in the break will be the same (both with wings out) for both situations.

 

 

No, drag won’t be the same. Drag will be much higher for a given AoA when the wings are swept back. And that’s exactly what you need.

 

Doesnt swept wings change your wings into quasi delta wing? And that would increas drag at high AoA...

As Reflected and Tau said, drag will most certainly not be the same. Wings back means less lift per unit of AOA, thus more AOA to remain level, so more alpha induced drag, plus most likely more trim drag from the stabs, so more drag just in level flight from all that. On top of it all, the "delta" configuration will mean even more induced drag at higher AOA, so you definitely bleed more :thumbup:

[Nealius]

Pitch trim for level flight with wings swept is closer to on-speed trim when configured on downwind.

[IronMike]

So far I asked 3 pilots face to face, and 3 times the reply was: "because it looks badass" ... Piloting wise, it has not much benefit over the wings being in auto at all imo. And I pestered the pilots, probing for them letting the joke out and giving the real answer, "it is trim, though, right?", but no, they insisted "because it looks badass".