Another benefit of the monowheel over the trigear is when it comes to
strip operation. When the grass is soft conditions can prevent the
trigear getting airborne due to increased rolling drag. This was proved
when the trigear demonstrator was flown into a grass strip in northern
England. With two on board it proved impossible to reach rotate speed on
take-off. The only solution was to leave the passenger behind. On the
same day the monowheel operated two up with no problems.
Nigel Charles
> > I remain completely baffled as to why so many Europa pilots have
chosen
> the
> > mono over the trigear when given a choice. There is absolutely
zero
> > performance advantage to the mono, in rate of climb, in cruise
speed, in
> > fuel burn, or whatever. The difference is that the mono is
inheritantly
> > unstable in landing (and takeoff) configuration. Everyone (almost)
else
> in
> > the aircraft business, both large and small, has abandon the
taildragger
> > design, and no one else is building mono wheel planes. For the life
of
> me I
> > cannot understand why Ivan thought he could be successful when the
rest
> of
> > the world says it's an unstable design. The proof is in the
results.
> > Europa mono's are ground looping, wheelbarrowing, bending props,
running
> off
> > the tarmac, and generally destroying themselves with regularity.
> Perhaps
> > that is a smart marketing strategy........to design a product that
> requires
> > regular parts replacement and rebuilding, but as a pilot I'm not
> impressed.
> > I do acknowledge that there are a few among our ranks who get a
certain
> > thrill out of placing themselves in danger on every flight, and love
the
> > challenge of taming a wild and unpredictable beast. It makes for
good
> chest
> > thumping and bragging rights at the local pub, but might I suggest
that
> you
> > take up the (American) sport of bull riding. It's probably safer
and
> more
> > satisfying than trying to land a mono. I'm not trying to stir up
the
> ranks,
> > but simply trying to understand the motivation of choosing an
unstable
> > design over a proper one. Both Europas are fabulous planes in the
air,
> but
> > one operates on the ground in a proper fashion while the other acts
like
> a
> > drunk and wounded gooney bird. Let's hear some logical and
unemotional
> > arguments in favor of the mono.
> >
> > Trigear pilot
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Jim Thursby" <jthursby@tampabay.rr.com>
> > To: <europa-list@matronics.com>
> > Subject: RE: Europa-List: wheel landings [was: Flying a heavy Europa
> XS?]
> >
> > > <jthursby@tampabay.rr.com>
> > >
> > > Hi Chris,
> > > If you are that gung ho, by all means try it yourself but don't
say
> you
> > > weren't warned. I thought I was smarter than Ivan Shaw once too.
> Against
> > > his wishes (and unknown to) I spent the better part of two hours
> trying
> > > to
> > > wheel land one of the company planes. I've been told it was some
of
> the
> > > most entertaining stuff the controllers at Lakeland had ever seen.
> It
> > > will
> > > squeak the main on ever so gently with just a touch of power, then
the
> > > tail
> > > slams to the runway and you are rewarded for your carelessness
with
> > > another
> > > chance or two at landing it properly. If you recover from the
> resulting
> > > three to ten foot bounce and haven't clipped your propeller, and
if
> you
> > > haven't ground looped it, and if you haven't stalled and dropped
it
> in,
> > > you
> > > can attempt another landing. I tried many times and NEVER got it
to
> stay
> > > on
> > > the ground. If you must attempt wheel landings in a tail dragger
> aircraft
> > > please buy or build an RV and save the Europa community from
losing
> > > another
> > > aircraft from the ranks. And the prop is VERY close when on the
main
> > > wheel
> > > with the plane in a slight nose down attitude.
> > >
> > > Jim T.
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
> > > [mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Chris
> Beck
> > > To: europa-list@matronics.com
> > > Subject: Re: Europa-List: wheel landings [was: Flying a heavy
Europa
> XS?]
> > >
> > >
> > > Jim Brown wrote:
> > >
> > >>
> > >>I would also suggest, to those of you who want to "TRY" to wheel
land
> a
> > >>mono wheel, you need to do one thing first. With the engine off,
have
> a
> > >>friend or helper raise the tail to normal flight attitude, then
take a
> > >>look at how close the prop is to the ground or pavement. One
bounce on
> > >>landing, and you may be buying new prop blades.
> > >>
> > >>The center of gravity is behind the mono wheel, which will make
the
> > >>tail drop down, as soon as the wheel touches the runway, if you
> counter
> > >>with some forward stick, re-read the above paragraph.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > > Jim, what sort of clearance are we talking about?? 2"? 6"? I've
got
> a
> > > mile on the 140. I'd have to be looking straight at the dirt to
get
> the
> > > prop grounded.
> > >
> > > Regarding the C of G, it's the same issue on any taildragger.
It's
> behind
> > > the mains, which causes the tail to drop when landing due to the
> inertia.
> > > Trick is to zero out the rate of descent just as the mains touch,
then
> > > nail
> > > it with that bit of forward stick (as I'm sure you know very well
from
> the
> > > Pitts). Again, is it strictly a prop clearance issue that
prevents
> > > wheelies
> > > in the monowheel? Has this been beaten to death in the past where
I
> can
> > > look it up in the archives?
> > >
> > > I'm just very curious about the mechanics of landing a monowheel.
> I've
> > > flown in a few different ones (a Classic and an XS). Now that I'm
> flying
> > > a
> > > tailwheel plan, I understand a lot more of what's going on.
> > >
> > > Chris
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
>
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