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Old 17th Dec 2011, 17:23
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Shaggy Sheep Driver
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
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For wheelers you do need to touch down faster - obviously as the tail is higher so less AoA on the wings. Most of my tailwheel experience has been Chippy, but plenty of Cub and Citabria time as well.

A wheeler involves kissing the mains 'on' then 'pinning' them there with a tad of forward stick. As the speed falls, keep moving the stick forward to maintain the fuselage horizontal, until you reach the forward stop (this is optional, something I like to do, but actually once you've slowed you can gently 'land' the tailwheel if you like).

I find wheelers work particularly well into a strong wind, as you can carry a higher airspeed for a given groundspeed and in a crosswind the rudder, not being blanked by the fuselage as it would be in a 3-pointer, is more effective. In still-air, groundspeed can be a tad high for short strip wheelers and 3-pointers are the better solution..
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