spring coupled tail wheel

[n502pd]

Joe, What area were you able to get to fly off phase 1?

The DAR gave me 75 mile radius. I am about 8 miles sse of KGYI, sherman-denison, texas. why?

[woodmw]

I was just wondering how far you could go for the $$$ burger. I was in Ft. Worth for 7 years about 15 years ago. Based at Hicks Field, T67.

[n502pd]

many years age I flew over the top of love field, and around naval air station dallas before it closed, and was much younger, and fearless, and now look back on those years as been there..done that. also did a YE event out of love field which was a hoot. atc vectored us down and around cedar hill where the tall tv towers emitt several hundred kw of power. I got into an area where that power totally saturated the front end of my only radio for about 2 min, and i could not hear a thing. talk about worried for those 2 min! flew on course away and radio recovered fine, as was my landing! so, to answer the question of the $$$ hamburger, I wont fly the sonex into that area of dfw ever. I will fly around the mess there every time, if i ever go that direction. I most likely will go to Gainsville for BBQ, or Ceadar Mills at gordonville tx for a nice lunch. at least thats my plans.

I appoligise for being off topic here!

[woodmw]

You won't put much time on Sirpeedee going to Cedar Mills unless you go by way of Bridgeport. But the food was always great when we went there.

[N418SX]

Late to the party here, but having owned and flown a Vans RV-8 for years, the most important lessons in landing with a full swivel tail wheel have nothing to do with crosswinds. First, is main gear alignment. Make sure it is straight. I've seen several accidents caused by toe in/out errors. Second, technique. Wheel landings handle crosswinds much better than 3 point landings. Third, fly the airplane until you tie it down. Primary trainers used to be almost exclusively taildraggers. 40 some odd years of flying a tailwheel airplane has taught me that it is not the airplane, its the pilot. FWIW, our foundation Sonex will be a taildragger with a flyboyaccessories.com tailwheel on it.

[GraemeSmith]

Bump the thread....

I've been pushing my X-Wind limits for the day I get caught there. Not planning on it - but getting caught out here in New England can be a possibility. Our airport has a couple of nice crossed runways - so I can practice pushing it out on the one with the X-Wind and if I run out of rudder or skill - can then land on the head to wind runway.

I have the Sonex 6" solid rubber tire right now and am definitely getting into territory where it's beginning to judder a bit and if the surface is rough - it definitely is skipping - even if yoked hard back to keep it on the pavement. Now - I'm NOT suggesting this is a routine way to fly - or want to fly - but it is about expanding the toolbox a bit. Just in case.

So I've been getting the feeling that a softer compound, or softer tire (pneumatic?) might well help the tire stick it out longer when in tenuous contact with the pavement. I see Peter Anson mentions a pneumatic above. Peter what are you using and anyone else have any thoughts about this?

TIA

[peter anson]

Hi Graeme, I'm using what I make and sell: http://www.ansoneng.com/sample-page/products-summary/6-pneumatic-tailwheel-to-suit-sonex/

I originally fitted the pneumatic wheel just because I hated the noise of the little solid wheel while I was taxying but I think that it does grip and steer better. The downside is more maintenance. I am currently using (and supply) the wheel with a tire that is meant for electric scooters. On sealed runways they last about 140 landings. On grass they would last much longer.

Peter