I was just talking to an IFR pilot about getting through a layer of clouds if you get caught on top without an AH. Here the layer of clouds is about 2'000' thick, 1,000' AGL. He said one way to do it is go into a spin until you are clear of the clouds.
I think I'll pass.
Nice video!
Thanks.
But when push comes to shove and you ain't got no gyro's- things I have heard suggested:
If all you have is a mag compass, the experts suggest that it is best to just point south where the compass at least swings in the right directon when you turn. How you manage to get pointed south to begin with is left as an excercise for the reader.
Benign spiral - some aircraft can be left to their own devices - just hang
out flaps, gear, whatever you have and let go. Most authorities recommend trying it in visual conditions in your particular aircraft first.
Spin. And hope there is enough visual altitude under the clouds. Oh, yea, you already said you didn't like that one...
GPS heading - works if your airspeed is high compared to wind speed.
Doesn't work, for example, in a sailplane flying in wave where the ground
speed can be near zero.
Fly straight down (or thereabouts)
. Heard of a guy that did this in a twin (a spin was not an option in this aircraft). Gear out, flaps down, props
flat. Bent the airplane, but it remained in one piece. I also personally know another guy who did this in an acro biplane - no damage in this case. Not for the feint at heart.
By guess and by gosh - chances are you will end up in the good old
"graveyard spiral". So when speed, noise, and G's start building try to
stop the turn with a random application of aileron - if you guess right,
things quiet down. If it gets worse, you guessed wrong - try the other way. I read an account of someone who got out of the soup this way.
But as I understand it, most likely you will end up dead (at least in real
life - I find things a lot easier when playing a computer game)