Dave and All,
I have found that crosswind landings in my plane just happen naturally. I
totally agree with the others who suggested working up to it - but after a
while it's not a problem at all. I usually set things up so I am in a bit
of a crab and then feel for the ground with the tailwheel while kicking
straight. If you land in a crab my plane straightens itself out. I
sometimes hit an outrigger first - but it dosen't seem to matter much as it
just levels up the wings. You also have to remember to work the ailerons
after landing, which is different that other planes I have flown.
Worse than crosswinds are downwind landings. The field I fly from gets that
sometimes and it's a bugger. The plane floats forever and then the steering
becomes "interesting" - read that a real foot dance. To be avoided until
you feel very comfortable with the plane. Also I reccomend against Touch &
Goes until you have a bunch of landings. I tried one early on and scared
myself - so I did full stop landings and taxied around to takeoff. Now I do
them all the time with no problem - but again you need to work up to it.
One thing is for sure. With practice the plane is super fun to land. Today
I was flying for the first time in two months (I HATE our weather!!) and I
did a buch of touch and goes. Got in the groove right away and just had a
blast. On one I landed quite a ways behind a Cessna 150 also doing touch
and goes. After takeoff I turned inside him and was turning base for my
next landing before he got up to downwind (I love my plane!!).
Bob Jacobsen
A131
>From: DJA727@aol.com
>Reply-To: europa-list@matronics.com
>To: europa-list@matronics.com
>Subject: Re: Europa-List: Monowheel Ground Handling
>Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2003 11:42:42 EST
>
>
>Bob,
>
>That was an excellent description of the monowheel handling that anyone
>like
>myself getting up to speed would appreciate. I would ask one more thing, if
>you don't mind. Can you describe the cross wind handling of the aircraft? I
>have not flown in any more than 5 knots of wind so far and in my last 10
>hours of flight time, I plan to focus mostly on that regime of flight. I
>understand the straightening of the aircraft just prior to touchdown, but I
>am wondering if your timing is a little off, what happens. If you input the
>rudder too early, the airplane will start to drift sideways, unless you
>bank
>into the wind. You will end up touching down in a sideways drift. I have
>ended up drifting sideways a couple times with no winds and it seemed to
>not
>be a problem. If you input the rudder too late, you will be hitting in a
>crab, which I would think would be a big problem, giving the unstable
>nature
>of a tail dragger.
>
>Can you touch down on the up wind out rigger in these airplanes first?
>There
>is a slight amount of bank possible when the airplane is on the main, but
>the
>main is not compressed.
>
>This is the last item I need to get through before feeling that I made the
>right decision in the gear configuration of my airplane. I feel somewhat
>as
>I did 24 years ago as a student pilot -- watching the flags while driving
>to
>the airport. Part of this is due to knowing a Europa owner who ground
>looped
>his monowheel airplane twice. I can see what the possibilities are and
>don't
>want the same thing to happen to me!
>
>Thanks again for the great description!
>
>
>Dave
>A227
>Mini U2
>28 hours
>
>
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