Groundlooping

[FlyingLapinou]

Ouch! Some of the sequences in this video look pretty painful! :}

Taildraggers vs. Tricycle Gear (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=q5trygRQaV0)

There are those who have, and those who will - isn't that what they say? Well, hoping long and hard it never happens to me.... :E

[Pilot DAR]

Good video for reminding us to use extra care.

I never have, but I almost have, a few times, so I'm hoping that counts as "has" so in the future I won't ;).

My home runway is 40 feet between the markers, and my taildragger's wingtip floats have a 20 foot span, so it keeps me honest. I think it's easier to keep it straight on a narrower runway, as you have less room for error. Keeping it straight, and right down the middle of the runway is the best way to prevent a groundloop.

The more likely a plane is to nose over, the less likely to easily groundloop.

(I tried to link a video clip of me doing it in my 150, on the ice, but the link did not take...)

If you really really try, you can make a nosewheel plane groundloop too....

http://s381.photobucket.com/albums/oo252/PilotDAR/Aircraft/?action=view&current=MVI_2206-1.mp4

[P.Pilcher]

The problem of groundlooping always reminds me of what I was told many years ago by an ex-RAF pilot who was, by this time very well retired: "When you come in to land in your Lancaster which has had it's hydraulics shot away and you therefore have no brakes, it is a good idea to induce a ground loop before you reach the end of the runway and thus you will at least remain on the airfield!"

P.P.

[Maoraigh1]

We had a right brake that was sometimes sticky, and a left brake that sometimes needed pumping. I made a perfect three pointer in nil wind on the centreline of a dry wide tarmac runway.
The right brake stuck slightly, and a turn started as I pumped the left brake. I then realised the rate of turn would take me round without leaving the runway, and stopped pumping heading for the edge. I could hear the alarm in the background as the ATCO asked my intentions. As I approached 270 degrees, I pumped like mad, the left brake responded, and I taxied to the hangar.
We fixed the brakes before the plane was flown again. So far that's my only ground loop. 1900 hours total, mainly in Jodel DR1050s

[piperboy84]

I almost lost it yesterday, was coming in with a moderate xwind from the right on final I was configured with right wing down and left rudder heading straight down the middle, on roll-out I made a large banana to the left, I **** myself and had a brain freeze the roll-out ended still barely on the strip but almost into the long grass off to the left.

Sitting replaying it in my head I decided the problem was too much and continuous left rudder after touchdown due to "lead feet" because I panicked.

The lesson I learned is pedal the rudder on short final to get the feel of things and keeps the legs/feet loose