Niels
good to see you here! I suspect that some monos ARE prone to ground loop
and some aren't. Similarly some pilots are and some aren't. Two
variables equals four times the risk, if you see what I mean.
It is important to have full 13 degrees of up elevator to give enough
down force with the tail wheel on the ground. that will give an AoA on
the elevator of about 3 degrees? At 20 knots there isn't much force.
It's also important that the pilot recognises the incipient yaw as soon
as it starts because as soon as rotation starts momentum builds up and
there isn't enough rudder/tailwheel resistance to stop it. Add the
confusing effects from the outriggers rocking side to side and the
pilots gyro will start to topple ?:-)
In the USA the number of accidents to builders first flighting is
depressingly high, (not just Europas) we spend all our waking hours
thinking and doing the build and tend to neglect our flying skills. Then
we try and fly an aircraft with unknown characteristics which might not
even be true to type.
Hope to see you over here one day?
Graham
Niels Kock wrote:
> Paul, I am not sure that i quite agree with you, that if at all possible
> the builder should refrain from
> test flying his own Europa.
I cannot, however, but ponder the number
> of accidents having occurred to builders test flying their own Europa.
> Am i wrong in assuming that
> this number is very small ?
--
Graham Singleton
Tel: +441629820187
Mob: +447739582005
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