cdewey6969(at)yahoo.com
Guest
|
 Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 2:36 pm Post subject: To Earl |
 |
|
Earl- Thanks for the candid response on the
possibility of flying to Mexico over the gulf. It's
good to know the Lightning has great range even with a
headwind. There are no islands b/w Key West and Cancun
so if you don't make it you just don't make it.
Congrats on your record-breaking trip- Charles
--- Jim Langley <pequeajim(at)gmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: | As always, well said Buz
On 8/13/07, N1BZRich(at)aol.com <N1BZRich(at)aol.com>
wrote:
>
> Here is my input on the tail-dragger controversy
(is it a controversy?)
> and some reasons why I think it would be a good
move for a future Lightning
> design. Also, many potential customers have asked
about a tail dragger
> Lightning.
>
> People prefer to fly tail-draggers for different
reasons. Probably the
> largest group of tail-dragger fans would say that
an airplane looks better
> without the nose wheel. Another group prefers
them because of the slight
> performance improvement in cruise, top speed,
lower empty weight, and grass
> runway or rough field operations. Still another
group might want to fly
> them for nostalgic reasons (most vintage airplanes
are T/W) or perhaps that
> it "shows" that they are better pilots because
they can handle a
> tail-dragger. For example, have you ever heard
someone say, "See that guy
> (or gal), they fly tail-draggers." Whereas, you
will probably never hear
> someone impressively say, "That guy flys a
Cherokee." Oh well, I probably
> belong to all the above groups.
>
> The last statement about being a tail-dragger
pilot somehow making you a
> better pilot will probably get some peoples
hackles up. That was not my
> intent, as I am sure that some folks that have
never flown tail-draggers are
> great pilots. They just, up to this point, have
not had or taken the
> opportunity to get current in conventional
aircraft. And that is getting
> harder and harder to do in today's environment.
It really is hard to find
> an instructor that can check you out. But once
checked out and current in
> conventional gear airplanes, you will fly like a
better pilot. How is that
> possible? Actually, I can usually tell if a
person is tail-wheel qualified
> while they are taxing out, or for sure during the
takeoff roll. On takeoff
> roll, by necessity, a tail-wheel pilot notices the
need to make small
> heading corrections much sooner than a person who
has not flown
> tail-wheels. Their eyes are accustomed to seeing
the small deviations
> sooner - rather than later. A nose wheel airplane
actually corrects itself
> to some degree on takeoff and landing roll out,
where as a tail wheel
> airplane, needing a correction, will continue to
need more and more of a
> correction. So the current tail wheel pilot sees
that need sooner and makes
> the correction. I have seen nose wheel pilots let
the nose swing as much as
> ten degrees before making a correction. Probably
disaster in a tail wheel
> airplane. And that is why nose wheel airplanes
were invented. They are
> easier to takeoff and land. They were designed
for the weakest link. Yes,
> I threw that in for effect and to perhaps help you
decide to go get a tail
> wheel endorsement. You will improve your piloting
skill. And guess what,
> those skills will make you a better pilot in the
air as well. If you are
> seeing smaller heading changes and making
corrections quicker on the ground,
> you will also be doing the same in the air. Even
your instrument flying
> will improve.
>
> Of course the down side, as Doug has mentioned
(and Pete has in the past),
> is that tail dragger airplanes will probably cost
more to insure - certainly
> until you log quite a bit of T/W time. But I
think your overall enjoyment
> and increased piloting skills will be a big
benefactor. And besides, it
> opens up a large number of vintage airplanes for
you to have the chance to
> fly. As I said, this is just my $.02 worth, your
mileage may vary.
> Blue Skies,
> Buz
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> .
>
> *
>
> *
>
>
|
Need a vacation? Get great deals
to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel.
http://travel.yahoo.com/
| | - The Matronics Lightning-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?Lightning-List |
|
|
|
Get Email Distribution Too!
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
