europa-list
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Europa-List: Less hair raising landings

Subject: Re: Europa-List: Less hair raising landings
From: Gary R Roberts <grroberts3@juno.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2006 18:28:07
Steve,

RE: " I need to find or fabricate a little door for it to close it off
when not needed.  Has any one fabbed up something like this?"

Look at Van's Aircraft accessories.  There is a simple $18 sheetmetal
door kit that might work for you.  Pretty slick.

GRoberts
A187


writes:
After 25 landings in the last 2 days the technique is now becoming
apparrent , though more subconsciously by the feet rather than by the
brain.  Several nice squeakers toward the end of the  effort  were very
satisfying knowing what it takes to do it.  Received some wind and rain
experience to boot.  Came in several times with the nose crabbed about 
20 degrees off the runway centerline for wind compensation and managed to
get the kick to straight upon touchdown fairly easily.  As noted before
here many times  the secret it keeping it straight.  Early trials had me
trying to use the "heavy boot" technique.  This resulted in much lateral
use of the runway.   My old tailwheel instructor (who isn't very old) 
was permitted  aboard by an extra paragraph I had put in my program
letter, basically  had gotten me to consider foot "pressures" rather than
radical  movements.  It seems th at way you are automatically ahead of
the plane rather than trying to add a bunch of footwork to chase an
excursion to get back to straight.   Once out of line it took me awhile
to figure out to lessen up the pressure much before getting straight or
the ship would get out of line the other way.  I now just have to make
the  feet not forget what they learned if I'm not out there in awhile.

The key seems to be to go at it and  go at it hard to get the technique
down.  Back to back days seemed to do the trick.  However toting the
acft. out to the field and assembling it is still a royal pain in the 
ass, I will probably  get much less flying than I otherwise would. 
Though it assembles and disassembles fairly easily.  I have dolly that is
bolted and pinned to the  undercarriage that allows me to roll it around
without the wings that takes a little time to do.

Fuel flow meter has been calibrated to within about 1% of at least what
the gas pump reads at a certain particular station.  

Still getting some high CO in the  cockpit  during pattern work  after
initial mods.  It clears  right up when the flaps come up and get some
speed going.  Need to get rid of the left eyeball fresh air vent and make
it look like the right  side where I have a  1" X 3" rectangular opening
inside the NACA vent.  I need to find or fabricate a little door for it
to close it off when not needed.  Has any one fabbed up something like
this?

Right strobe light is inop, need to investigate.

The plane flys in a straighforward manner and  is predictable in every
way.  It has about 18 hours on it with about 15 with me at the controls.

My hand held Garmin GPS 92's screen had  faded out so much that I can
hardly see it anymore. I'm looking for something new now.  Is any one out
there using  something they particularly like that they can recommend.  
I don't need color or terrain avoidance etc just basic navigation with
some airport information.  I had been comfortable with using a stopwatch
and a compass for awhile when my last hand held went south.  I am
strictly low tech.  Just give me a  plane that's reliable, ecomical and
flys good.  No need for bells and whistles.  Though the  tune might
change when long cross country flights become the  norm.  Erich
Trombley's wing auto pilot was nice to have when droning back from
Oshkosh.

Enough rambling for now.

Steve Hagar
A143
N40SH


Steve Hagar
hagargs@earthlink.net



<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>