Raa certificate

[BirdDog]

On 12/10/2021 at 5:13 PM, F10 said:

I read a very good statement, by a guy writing about his SF260, one of the sexiest single engine aircraft out there. He said the nose wheel is there for one reason, to attach a tow bar to! What he meant was, often pilots will raise the nose off only on rotation, at times almost wheelbarrowing and on landing, will dump the nose down almost immediately after touch down. Nose gears are sometimes not that strong and are already having to carry the engine weight.
Personally, I like to treat my nose wheel gently. On take off, as soon as the speed is alive, I come back on the stick, and you need a lot of rearward stick, because elevator not very effective at this stage. I select and hold, the climb attitude. This allows for a very smooth lift off and the aircraft also lifts off when it’s ready to fly. Can be tricky because you need to co-ordinate reducing back stick, as the speed increase, to hold the climb attitude constant. You don’t want to over-rotate.

On landing, same thing, After touch down, I hold the nose wheel off as long as elevator authority make it possible. Yes, don’t let it slam down. This allows good aerodynamic braking and reduces stress on the nose gear. Of course, this is NOT done in a X-wind landing, get that nose gear down ASAP in a X-wind. Anyhow, this works well in my Gazelle and let’s the stronger main gear do most of the heavy lift work. 

 

I do a similar thing after being taught and shown what can happen if you relax that back pressure on landing.  The machine can easily want to fly again and a "bounce" can start.

Keeping that nose up also means you are basically keeping the aircraft in a stall - so assisting in preventing it from wanting to fly again - keeping its wheels on the ground.  

It's also really handy on gravel runways to try and prevent your prop from throwing crap up.

[BrendAn]

On 14/10/2021 at 2:13 PM, BirdDog said:

 

I do a similar thing after being taught and shown what can happen if you relax that back pressure on landing.  The machine can easily want to fly again and a "bounce" can start.

Keeping that nose up also means you are basically keeping the aircraft in a stall - so assisting in preventing it from wanting to fly again - keeping its wheels on the ground.  

It's also really handy on gravel runways to try and prevent your prop from throwing crap up.

i learn't about this 2 days ago. i hadn't been up since january and was trying to remember everything i have learn't so far. the first couple of touch and goes i wasn't holding enough back stick and started flying again. this is in a tecnam . anyway the instructor drummed it into me to keep the nose up and i am getting the hang of it. 

[facthunter]

In Ground effect your plane won't stall that easily. Back stick will give you a downforce though and you must not let the nosewheel touch first or she'll bounce alright and be directionally unstable at  the same time.  Nev

[BirdDog]

100% Nev!  If the nose hits first it's like that old game you would play on a trampoline where if you time it right, you get a good bounce.

 

Keep that nose wheel up!

 

I am fortunate to have a big long grass runway and practice landing on the mains, and holding that wheel up for the full length of the runway.  Managing throttle, Rudder and Elevator to roll nicely down the runway, popping the perpetual wheely!!

Really helps you to get a good feel for your aircraft!