Tricycle vs taildragger

[kaz3g]

Tyabb have a Gipsy engined Auster on-line and David Pilkington often has his Decathlon at Lilydale for endorsements. Not sure about availability of RAAus machines but Rod Birrell would know.

 

kaz

 

 

[facthunter]

All-over fields.

 

Lot of truth in the post bykaz3g. Most fields were "all over" When I arrived at Bankstown initially ever though there were runways, all over was available when winds were strong

 

The published crosswind maximums are quite low, usually between 7 and 12 knots. for most aircraft (TW ) An aircraft with a good functioning rudder can handle much more, but it requires some positive, (could I say aggressive) control applications. Most low hours trainees would be reluctant to apply these techniques as they seem a bit extreme, till the training builds confidence. Some pilots never do sideslips. X-wind landings and takeoffs require a very thorough working knowledge of this. Ie in a very strong x-wind a TW aircraft may need to land on one wheel and have the wing well down into wind during the initial part of the landing roll, with the tail still in the air (though not necessarilly) depending on the gust factors, on the day. The thing is that a lot of techniques that become very necessary with good tailwheel handling, are also applicable to tricycle gear, but not as critical as the tri-gear is more forgiving directionally. You can "pin" a TW aircraft on by forward stick, but this is not always a good idea with nosewheel (particularly ultralight) aircraft types, as the weight transfer onto the nosewheel can cause the wheelbarrowing effect, or overload it with side forces Nev.

 

 

[Guest Walter Buschor]

Hi David,

 

Just love the response

 

I do understand why people who fly tailwheels are passionate about them. I do love them too . Before buying the Savvy I too said " only something with a Tailwheel will do!" as I do like them. I still think it has a lot to do with tradition and I do like tradition but it is not as hard as rumour has it. ME 109 is an exception (love to fly one more than anything else !) and to make the drifter pilots feel good they too are a little it of a

 

pig if not understood. It all comes down to understanding what the idiosyncracies are and operating within them. It's all good fun. It is however not as hard as it is made out to be otherwise we would see a LOT of accidents with them .

 

And let us remember that we only need wheels to get of the ground - we want to fly after all !

 

fly safe

 

Walter

 

 

[Guest check-in]

Had the Sonex out today in a solid 15 knots straight across the runway. An absolute joy. What a shame they don't factory-build them, because it would be an ideal tailwheel trainer.