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
>From: Fred Klein <fklein@orcasonline.com>
>Reply-To: europa-list@matronics.com
>To: europa-list@matronics.com
>Subject: Re: Europa-List: 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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