PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Question: Landing tail-wheel aircraft in a tail wind
Old 24th Feb 2011, 11:17
  #26 (permalink)  
Chimbu chuckles

Grandpa Aerotart
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: SWP
Posts: 4,583
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Well I have done probably 1000's of downwind landings in C185s in PNG...and 1000s more in Islanders and Twin Otters. My first base in PNG, Kundiawa, was a 1000m one way strip that 'enjoyed' 10-15kt quartering tailwinds from mid/late morning - essentially every day. Once I got a handle on the aircraft it barely raised a ripple on my otherwise calm visage. I am prepared to admit however that the first little while (I had <400TT starting out) was BLOODY hard on my adrenaline glands

In fact virtually all one way mountain strips had tailwinds (adiabatic) from mid/late morning every day.

Maybe my experience has no relevance to the case at hand...10-15 sectors a day/6 days a week, on strips where going around for another try is out of the question, at or above MGW, makes you VERY good at putting the main wheels pretty damn close to EXACTLY where they need to go every time - Its far removed from a weekend pilot landing a Citabria downwind because he just didn't pay sufficient attention.

Plan B on a one way strip?

Well on PNG one way strips plan B was usually crashing into the jungle very nearby.

But having said all that a tailwind overpowering the rudder is NOT a reversal of rudder effect.
Chimbu chuckles is offline