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Old 1st Oct 2004, 11:45
  #9 (permalink)  
Mike Cross
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Savannah GA & Portsmouth UK
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I prescribe some tailwheel flying.

The aircraft is descending to land. When its descent is arrested by the mainwheels touching down it will continue trying to descend. A nosewheel a/c will pitch nose down because the C of G is forward of the mains, a tailwheel a/c will pitch up because it is behind.

Land too fast in a nosewheel and not a lot happens. The AoA and hence the lift both decrease and you stay on the ground. With a tailwheel AoA and lift increase and you soar back into the sky. Hence flying tailwheels is a great way to get your speeds nailed. Too fast in a tailwheel and you look a twassock.

The other issue is with the slope. 08/26 at both Popham and Compton have dips in the middle which means you are landing on a downslope. The faster you are travelling when you cross the numbers the faster the ground is going to fall away beneath you!

Low wing a/c such as the PA28 also experience more ground effect than a high wing type like a Cessna.

You can also have a problem with an upslope. You are looking forward at a part of the runway that is higher than the part you are on top of. Everything looks good through the windscreen but the runway is still 20 feet below you. Landing 20 feet above the runway is not recommended and results in the aircraft being taken away on a lorry. (I was the operator not the pilot )
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