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Old 3rd Jul 2007, 17:03
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Shaggy Sheep Driver
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
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As some have said, if the tailwind is stronger than the propwash, stick forward. The other way round - stick back. On the Chipmunk it's easy to tell - if the tailwind is stronger it tends to blow the rudder and elevator to the stops and you have to counter that and can easily feel in through the controls. If it's doing that, keep the stick forward. But if you increase power, the propwash may dominate instead, so stick back.

The only time I almost had a Chippy on its nose was in a very strong tailwind on a concrete apron. I was taxying slowly downwind with a couple of notches of brake set for steering purposes. I inadvertantly allowed the wind to catch the rudder, which blew hard over to the left, instanly locking the left main wheel. Despite forward stick the tail came up, but thankfully (and because of forward stick) it came down again as soon as I centralised the rudder.

SSD
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