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gcrowder2
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 136
Location: Golden, Colorado USA
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 Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:31 am Post subject: Taildragger conversion |
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Hey Fred!
I really think your'e getting all concerned over nothing. With the 18 lb
tire pressure
and the outriggers at the right height so all four wheels are solidly on the
ground
when taxiing, the mono has very sweet handling on takeoff and landing. I
think a
lot of pilots have trouble with the mono because of a combination of too
high a
tire pressure and too short an outrigger length letting the plane sway from
side to
side on an imperfect touchdown.
I had a landing the other day with a passenger and 18 mph crosswinds and
it set
down just beautifully with no swerving. I prefer the standard Cessna
technique of
cross controlling down short final with the windward wing dipped holding
opposite rudder to line up with the runway. The tail touched first, then
the
outrigger, followed immediately by the main. There is a "zone of stability"
I think
with the mono that I have not seen with other taildraggers. I just rode
with a
buddy in a Mustang II and there was a fair bit of wild fishtailing right
after touch
down even with no wind that I just don't get with the mono. Maybe I'm just
a super pilot (yeah thats it!) but probably not as I came from flying a 172.
The only time you really have to watch it on the mono is if you raise the
tail
too soon with a port side crosswind. The plane will veer to the left but
still
catchable with the rudder if you raise the tail too soon but you might
easily need
all of it. The solution of course is to keep the tail down longer and raise
it slowly.
This behaviour is very common in any taildragger of course.
Glenn
| Quote: | From: Fred Klein <fklein(at)orcasonline.com>
Reply-To: europa-list(at)matronics.com
To: europa-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: Re: Re: Taildragger conversion battery position.
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2006 10:50:31 -0700
Phil...Have you checked out the Flight Crafters taildragger mod?...it uses
a one piece metal gear which attaches externally and is faired into the
bottom of the fuselage; it can be retrofitted into a completed Europa; I'd
suggest emailing or talking w/ Bob Berube (at) bberube(at)tampabay.rr.com. I have
a series of photos from Bob showing the sequence of installation; let me
know and I can send you them off-list.
I expect to receive soon the plans and hardware which would allow me to
easily convert my XS mono to taildragger configuration at some later date.
At this moment I am undecided as to whether I will complete my bird as a
mono...may just go ahead now w/ the TD'r.
Fred
A194
On Monday, October 9, 2006, at 05:50 AM, flyingphil2 wrote:
>
>
>Graham,
>
>Oh really? I'll check that out. I tend to agree about the carbon hoop
>being too stiff and I'm rebuilding G-SYCO that was written off due to an
>accident involving a broken leg. I think the taildragger mod is a really
>nice design but the stiffness of the leg and lack of availability mean
>that it has some downsides. I wonder if the Swiss mod could be developed
>with a new hoop with reduced stiffness? The alternative that you suggest
>sounds promising. Apparently Europa were thinking about developing a mod
>but nothing was ever produced. I wonder what their solution would have
>been?
>
>Regards,
>
>Phil
>Visit - www.EuropaOwners.org
>http://www.europaowners.org/viewtopic.php?p=12915#12915
>
>
>--
>This message has been scanned for viruses and
>dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
>believed to be clean.
>
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fklein(at)orcasonline.com
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:23 pm Post subject: Taildragger conversion |
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|
Glenn,
Your thoughtful and descriptive narrative is much
appreciated...particularly your emphasis on the outrigger lengths and
tire pressure and your description of that "zone of stability". I
logged 70 hours learning to fly in a Cub plus 560 hrs in my Stinson
108. I feel very comfortable w/ taildraggers and love to cross control
and just nail the upwind wheel to the runway in a crosswind. I'm
reluctant to discard all the excellent (and expensive!) Europa mono
hardware and go out and spend $4k+ for the taildragger conversion. But
for $175, I get the conversion plans along w/ some minimal hardware
which, if installed prior to bonding in the cockpit module (with a
weight penalty of about 4 lbs.), would make future conversion a piece
of cake. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I still have much to do before
biting any bullets.
Fred
A194
On Tuesday, October 10, 2006, at 09:30 AM, GLENN CROWDER wrote:
| Quote: |
<gcrowder2(at)hotmail.com>
Hey Fred!
I really think your'e getting all concerned over nothing. With the
18 lb tire pressure
and the outriggers at the right height so all four wheels are solidly
on the ground
when taxiing, the mono has very sweet handling on takeoff and landing.
I think a
lot of pilots have trouble with the mono because of a combination of
too high a
tire pressure and too short an outrigger length letting the plane sway
from side to
side on an imperfect touchdown.
I had a landing the other day with a passenger and 18 mph crosswinds
and it set
down just beautifully with no swerving. I prefer the standard Cessna
technique of
cross controlling down short final with the windward wing dipped
holding
opposite rudder to line up with the runway. The tail touched first,
then the
outrigger, followed immediately by the main. There is a "zone of
stability" I think
with the mono that I have not seen with other taildraggers. I just
rode with a
buddy in a Mustang II and there was a fair bit of wild fishtailing
right after touch
down even with no wind that I just don't get with the mono. Maybe I'm
just
a super pilot (yeah thats it!) but probably not as I came from flying
a 172.
The only time you really have to watch it on the mono is if you raise
the tail
too soon with a port side crosswind. The plane will veer to the left
but still
catchable with the rudder if you raise the tail too soon but you might
easily need
all of it. The solution of course is to keep the tail down longer and
raise it slowly.
This behaviour is very common in any taildragger of course.
Glenn
|
| | - The Matronics Europa-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List |
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gcrowder2
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 136
Location: Golden, Colorado USA
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:36 am Post subject: Taildragger conversion |
|
|
Don't forget the propensity of conventional taildraggers to flip over on
an
off field landing. The tiny wheels act as perfect levers to vault the
aircraft on its
back! I really get a warm and fuzzy feeling I could land on any reasonably
smooth
field with that big beach ball to cushion the blow if the whirly thing up
front stops!
Glenn
| Quote: | From: Fred Klein <fklein(at)orcasonline.com>
Reply-To: europa-list(at)matronics.com
To: europa-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: Re: Re: Taildragger conversion
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 21:22:01 -0700
Glenn,
Your thoughtful and descriptive narrative is much
appreciated...particularly your emphasis on the outrigger lengths and tire
pressure and your description of that "zone of stability". I logged 70
hours learning to fly in a Cub plus 560 hrs in my Stinson 108. I feel very
comfortable w/ taildraggers and love to cross control and just nail the
upwind wheel to the runway in a crosswind. I'm reluctant to discard all the
excellent (and expensive!) Europa mono hardware and go out and spend $4k+
for the taildragger conversion. But for $175, I get the conversion plans
along w/ some minimal hardware which, if installed prior to bonding in the
cockpit module (with a weight penalty of about 4 lbs.), would make future
conversion a piece of cake. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I still have
much to do before biting any bullets.
Fred
A194
On Tuesday, October 10, 2006, at 09:30 AM, GLENN CROWDER wrote:
>
>
>Hey Fred!
> I really think your'e getting all concerned over nothing. With the 18
>lb tire pressure
>and the outriggers at the right height so all four wheels are solidly on
>the ground
>when taxiing, the mono has very sweet handling on takeoff and landing. I
>think a
>lot of pilots have trouble with the mono because of a combination of too
>high a
>tire pressure and too short an outrigger length letting the plane sway
>from side to
>side on an imperfect touchdown.
> I had a landing the other day with a passenger and 18 mph crosswinds and
>it set
>down just beautifully with no swerving. I prefer the standard Cessna
>technique of
>cross controlling down short final with the windward wing dipped holding
>opposite rudder to line up with the runway. The tail touched first, then
>the
>outrigger, followed immediately by the main. There is a "zone of
>stability" I think
>with the mono that I have not seen with other taildraggers. I just rode
>with a
>buddy in a Mustang II and there was a fair bit of wild fishtailing right
>after touch
>down even with no wind that I just don't get with the mono. Maybe I'm
>just
>a super pilot (yeah thats it!) but probably not as I came from flying a
>172.
> The only time you really have to watch it on the mono is if you raise
>the tail
>too soon with a port side crosswind. The plane will veer to the left but
>still
>catchable with the rudder if you raise the tail too soon but you might
>easily need
>all of it. The solution of course is to keep the tail down longer and
>raise it slowly.
> This behaviour is very common in any taildragger of course.
>
> Glenn
|
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