Stroboscopic effect

[Carl Ellis]

It was a beautiful evening on Monday and I went to a local grass strip for some touch and goes. We got back arond 8 or so and the sun was low in the sky which was hazy. I prefer the 25 approach and since the wind was calm we took that. Coming down final I noticed the prop strobing a bit with the back lighting sun but it wasn't a big deal .... until I got in the flare and the nose came up. Wham, it was like someone had turned out the lights - my vision just went away. I must have tensed up as I dropped it in and my passenger yelped look out for the runway lights - it's a narrow paved strip.

You read about the effect in books but it doesn' really sink in how dangerous it is and how it can take you by suprise.

Fortunately nothing got bent or broken other than my pride - lesson learned!

- Carl -

[jgerard]

That reminds me of c-150 my friend bought last year. I told him to replace the windshield because it was badly crazed. I realy noticed it one morning landing into the sun, As soon as I flared the plane and the sun hit the windshield just right I lost all fwd visibility. For me it was more of an anoyance, when it happend to my friend who owned the plane and was a student pilot at the time it freaked the $#*! out of him. Shortly there after I installed a new windshield for him.

Jason

[Carl Ellis]

I've had experience with a crazed wind screen but this effect was much more profound. It wasn't just forward visibility that I lost, the strobing was blinding and disorienting.

- Carl -

[selje]

Some individual develop seizures induced by this effect. Depends on the frequency of the strobe effect. A neurologist can check if this affects you. This effect can sometimes happen when driving and the sun is shinning from the side through tall trees planted at a uniform distance and the car speed combination gives the appropriate frequency.

[mhorowit]

Russians used stroboscopic effect to befuddle our fighters sent up to intercept the Bears.

I spraypainted the inner 2/3 of my prop so I wouldn't get the effect - Mike