Sideslipping a Trike.

[farri]

Hi Guys,

 

Can anyone tell me if a trike can be sideslipped in a cross wind landing and if so,how is it done, if not, why can`t it be done.

 

Cheers,

 

Frank.

 

 

[BLA82]

Farri,

 

I am far from an expert but as a trike doesn't have a rudder it can't be intentially yawed. So from what I understand to induce a side slip you use rudder and opposite aileron (Ithink) I guess they can't.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Hey Frank, give Andrew Hicks a call at Montpelier (Oak valley, Townsville) had a conversation about slipping trikes with him recently, over coffee. Can't recall what the answer was, but he will. Tell him you talked to me...............

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Hi Guys,Can anyone tell me if a trike can be sideslipped in a cross wind landing and if so,how is it done, if not, why can`t it be done.

Cheers,

 

Frank.

Frank

 

Pitch and roll are the only axies you can control as such no sideslip (and no chasing a silly ball in a glass tube, Every turn is 100% co-ordinated). However cross wind landings are still possible. Landing roll for most trikes is generally very small and as such you simply aim to land on the runway in such away as to reduce, as much as possible the crosswind component. That is for wind from the right, aim to touchdown to the far left of the runway tracking towards the far right. aim to land with the rear mains (as with every good landing...but keep the nosewheel off for a bit) and the machine will pivot quickly to align with ground track rather than the in air heading.

 

An issue for trikes with crosswind is the amount of wing area on the average trike. If the upwind wing tip is raised when a gust is present life can suddenly get very interesting so for most trikes, upwind wing tip down as soon as flying speed is lost.

 

Personally Ive never seen crosswind as much of an issue, if crosswind is very strong then a slow approach into wind would see most trikes able to come to a complete stop in a very short distance, perhaps as short as say a 45degree angle across an average runway width. Trikes also have an advantage in that in addition to the wheel brakes you can pull in on the bar as soon as you land, right back to your chest which pitches the wing down, in effect making the whole wing act as an airbrake, at the same time making the whole aircraft sit firmly on the wheels.

 

regards

 

Andy

 

P.S If you get a chance, go up with an instructor and check out trikes they are heaps of fun. I have the trike for those "I just wanna fly in the summer breeze" days, and the Jabby 230 for when I want to go somewhere in a hurry, cause trike and hurry shouldnt be used in the same sentance generally, excepting a UK built machine, the pegasus Quik, that from memory is good for 90-100kts. In which case you will look quite windswept when you get to where ever your going and perhaps have neck muscles that a gorilla would be proud of.

 

 

[farri]

Thanks Guys,

 

Just recently,I was asked the question of sideslipping a trike, by a very new trike pilot and because I`ve only flown 2 and 3 axis fixed wing, I wasn`t sure of the answer so I didn`t want to confuse him with the wrong information and decided to look here, knowing there are experienced trike pilots on the forum.

 

How about this?

 

If maximum angle of attack is applied with,say, the left wing tip completely down,will this cause a sideslip to the left or simply a very tight turn to the left?

 

Cheers,

 

Frank.

 

 

[farri]

FrankIf you get a chance, go up with an instructor and check out trikes they are heaps of fun. .

Thanks Andy,

 

I have several times and my impression is that they are a great flying machine however the Trike can`t do the things, in the air, that I want to, and can do, in my Drifter.

 

Regards,

 

Frank.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

How about this?

If maximum angle of attack is applied with,say, the left wing tip completely down,will this cause a sideslip to the left or simply a very tight turn to the left?

 

Cheers,

 

Frank.

Hmm seem to recall we covered this during instruction. Seem to recall this goes to the heart of billow shift which is how these trike wings work. John Reynoldson (Aerial Pursuits) has a good link on his site that will cover this. Try here How a flexwing turns

 

I seem to recall that there is a bit of sideslip which causes the wing covering (which has a degree of looseness on the frame) to change its shape in turn helping the turn. whether the sideslip actually occurs and then the turn results or whether it all happens as one smooth action Im not sure except to say that Ive not felt sideslip, but that said my inner ear isnt as sensitive as the dreaded ball in the glass tube.

 

I understand your point regarding drifter and wasnt trying to say Trikes are better or worse than anything else merely different. I like them all

 

Andy

 

 

[Guest Russell1]

Some crazy person used to do it like this...

 

When landing a Trike in a strong cross wind turn onto final as normal and then let the wind carry you off track, but, it is important to keep your heading aimed at the touchdown point. Maintain this for entire final leg and the wind direction will carry you down wind. Now the important part to be aware of is the Trike doesn't know it is cross wind until the wheels contact the ground and the other important consideration is the Trike wing can have either wing high... or low... in respect to the pod which the wheels are attached to.

 

Now... because you didn't try to keep a straight in approach down the final leg you will arrive at the touchdown point at an angle to the airstrip. Pull the bar in to keep up speed for manouvering then as you come over the strip bank and turn to line up. It is OK to have the windward wing high as the aircraft doesn't know your landing until the wheels touch ground. The trick is to get the bank and turn not to early as the wind will push you downwind of the runway, so... if you are over the runway when you turn on, the aircraft will pass slightly to windward of the runway while you are getting sorted and it will come into position with the into wind wing high which will be snapped down to level or further down at the very moment the wheels touch and if you have all of that right the trike will be lined up enough to not twist the frame then you immediately do all the normal things like pulling the windward wing down and pull the bar in which stops the wing flying and also acts as an air brake.

 

If you were doing that same landing with a rudder type aircraft the aircraft can be crabbed down final and rudder used to kick the heading around virtually at the very instant before impact, in the Trike you cant do that so you can just gauge the turn to coincide with alignment and impact.

 

This may not be you cup of tea, the angle across the runway in strong winds is probably still the way to go.

 

Have fun...

 

Russell