Aerodynamic Design Approach to the Stall/Spin Problem - The VariViggen

Stall/spin is the major cause of general aviation fatal accidents. The VariViggen, which now has logged 300 flight hours, was designed in the wind tunnel with specific emphasis on eliminating the common stall/spin accident. Flight tests of the prototype have been most encouraging in this respect. The design is immune to the common stall accident while still being more maneuverable than the conventional aircraft. Design considerations relative to the susceptibility of loss of control at high angle of attack and adaptability of the canard-delta configuration to general aviation aircraft are discussed.