Wheel Landings

[pilotyoung]

I have about125 hours in my Onex in the last 2 years and all of my landings have been 3 point landings. I have approached thinking I would try a wheel landing but I always wind up nose high and doing a 3 point landing.

So for those of you who do wheel landings can you give me some pointers on doing them? Speed over the numbers? Position of flaps? Any other pointers before I go try again.

Thanks.

John

[Bryan Cotton]

John,
Not sure how different the Onex is but I've done a bunch of wheel landings in my Waiex. Once the mains touch, or are close, I just bring the stick forward. The trick is getting the mains to touch while you still have enough speed to hold the tail up. Some wheel landings here, at the end:

[13brv3]

Dang look at all those birds!

I've never liked traditional wheel landings, and I've never flown in conditions, and with a plane that made it necessary. In the Onex, it's not possible to do a full stall 3-point landing, since the tail hits first, so that makes everything sort of a compromise. With my 60" prop, I only have 4.5 inches of clearance in level attitude, so no full on wheel landings for me. I tend to do a modified wheel landing, which I call a tail low wheel landing. It just takes a slight relaxation of the stick when you touch down on the mains then I just hold that until the tail comes down. That's been my go-to landing method in everything from Kolbs to RV's if I have plenty of runway. You might try that first, and work your way up to the higher speed landings.

[Sonex1517]

Good morning John,

I have a Sonex “Legacy” model and last fall began doing wheel landings after a friend of mine coached me through the technique. The following is my technique for solo flights, and I am not a CFI so this is just my experience.

I fly my downwind at about 80 mph indicated, pull one notch of flaps at the 45° angle to the touchdown point, reduce power further and pitch for about 70 mph on base. Once I am certain I have the runway made, I pull a second notch of flaps, and on final slow to 60 mph. Almost every landing is at idle from the 45° angle to the touchdown point.

As I begin my landing, I apply very slight back pressure to the stick and instead of trying to let her settle to the runway, I let her fly onto the surface. Once the mains touch, I literally just relax that pressure and allow the tail to stay up.

Now that I am comfortable doing this, I can tell you it is not only easy but a heck of a lot of fun! My landings have been more consistent, with less bounces, and I enjoy the challenge of making every landing better than the last.

I must have had a lucky day setting the toe-in while building, because she tracks straight as I roll out.

One final note - with two people in the airplane, I use 65 mph as my final approach speed and pull a third notch of flaps on short final.

Just my two cents of course. Your experience may vary - give it a try and have fun with your airplane!

[Bryan Cotton]

I agree Robbie about the fun part. It's a nice airplane to wheel land.

[pilotyoung]

Thanks Robbie. I will try that the next time I fly. It is raining to day and looks like gusty winds tomorrow. I don't fly the Onex if the wind is more than 10 kts steady or if it is gusty. I also have an RV-12 and I do great landings in it. I want to progress to the point that I can land the Onex as well as I do the RV-12. I have a ways to go in that area.

[GraemeSmith]

Robbie - yup that's about how I do it though I give a slight "push" where you "relax".

[Bryan Cotton]

Robbie - yup that's about how I do it though I give a slight "push" where you "relax".

It's a push for me too. Like wheel landing a Pawnee.

[Sonex1517]

I wrote “relax” because on wheel landings in other aircraft a definitive “push” is required. In my opinion, the Sonex requires a much more relaxed approach, just relaxing the back pressure as opposed to a firm push. It definitely is far less pressure than in other aircraft.

I tried both - pushing vs relaxing - and at least for me, I have to consciously think “relax” to get the result I want.

We mean the same thing, we are just saying it differently.

[Bryan Cotton]

Hopefully we can trade rides someday Robbie! My Waiex is on the tail heavy side. Within the specified envelope, even at zero fuel, but I have noticed the trim is very sensitive to fuel level. I wonder if my tail is heavier than your Sonex.