write:4.5 Design Maneuvering Speed InformationVA is an important airspeed related to load factors. Section 25.1583 “OperatingLimitations ” requires that transport-category airplane

paragraph (b)
states that any combinedlateral/directional oscillations (that is
Dutch roll) occurring between 1.13 VSR (thereference stall speed) and the maximum allowable speed appropriate to the configurationof the airplane must be positively damped with the controls free and must be controllablewith normal use of the primary controls and without exceptional pilot skill.1.6.4.5 Design Maneuvering Speed InformationVA is an important airspeed related to load factors. Section 25.1583
“OperatingLimitations
” requires that transport-category airplane pilots be provided with informationon the airplane’s VA airspeed. Section 25.1583 also requires that the pilots receive “astatement that full application of rudder and aileron controls
as well as maneuvers thatinvolve angles of attack near the stall
should be confined to speeds below this value.”FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 61-23C
“Pilot’s Handbook of AeronauticalKnowledge
” states that “any combination of flight control usage
including full deflectionof the controls
or gust loads created by turbulence should not create an excessive air loadif the airplane is operated below [design] maneuvering speed.” In a postaccident interview
American Airlines’ managing director of flightoperations technical stated that the rudder should be able to be fully displaced and staywithin its structural limit as long as the rudder travel limiter were working properly andthe airplane were traveling below VA. Also
he thought that the rudder travel limiterwould protect the airplane with a full deflection of the rudder followed by a deflection inthe opposite direction as long as the airplane was traveling below VA. He further statedthat most of the company pilots believed that
if the pilot made right
left
and right rudderinputs
the airplane would be protected as long as it was traveling below VA.At the public hearing
American Airlines’ A300 fleet standards manager statedthat
before the flight 587 accident
he thought that the rudder could be exercised to its fullauthority in alternating sideslips on airplanes that were traveling below VA. He alsothought that the rudder travel limiter would preclude any risk of damaging the airplane.68 At the public hearing
an FAA flight test pilot stated that the FAA’s steady heading sideslip tests wereaccomplished in “a very slow
methodical way.” He further stated that
during the tests
pilots applied forceto the rudder pedals “very carefully and slowly” to generate sideslip.