Gyroscopic effect
I could not resist adding to this thread....The difference between flying light tail aircraft such as the Auster, chippy and flying a high power advanced piston trainer or a fighter is like night and day....The effects of P factor, torque, slipstream effect and gyroscopic effect are barely noticeable on light tail aircraft however quirky they me be...
Modern nose dragger trainers such as the Cessna 150, Cherokee and Cessna 172 are all too easy to fly and they do not penalize the pilot who does not fly them well. This is mostly due to the “anyone can fly” message that the manufacturer wants to send. The characteristics that make them easy to fly include nosewheel gear, limitation of adverse yaw, offset tails and tilted motor mounts to minimize P-factor and heavier, stable control feel.
Guppy has expertly given the answers however for me I would just like to add a little about the effects of "weather cocking"..This is in pure Lay mans speak!
When I transitioned to the T6 Harvard/Texan from the Auster, Chippy etc I could not believe the power of the effects of P Factor and Gyroscopic precess...Before the T6, I thought I was ready to jump right in to a Spitfire with my light tail time! "How hard could it really be?" I had read everything I could find on P Factor and torque effects and I was ready...Hmmmmm Wrong!
Having just mastered the T6 on the grass runway, I transitioned to the tarmac for some take off and landing practice, this threw another dimension in, especially with a cross wind coming from my left...The tarmac with its low friction on the rubber increased the sensitivity of the beast and didnt allow the rubber to slip and give a little as the grass had done...
As I raised the tail on the tarmac runway the machine immediately slewed to the left and was captured "luckily" by my instructor who skilfully kept the machine straight...I thought I had nailed the T6... This really took me by surprise... I could not believe how this happened so easily? I was using rudder?...Trimmers were correct?..... However not enough aileron...!
I had just had my first lesson in the use of aileron! Yes this is basics I hear you say but the majority of pilots keep talking about rudder... The rudder will keep you pointing straight however it's the aileron that will keep you out of the weeds and scaring the hedge hogs!
The rudder keeps you pointing straight and the aileron will stop the drift...As the power is applied the stick is fully back on the T6 to use the advantage of the tail wheel steering and then at around 30 - 40 MPH its time to move the stick forward... As the stick goes forward and the tail lifts you need to have that stick moving across in to the wind... Not to much though or you will bury the wing tip in to the ground, however just enough to stop the drift...
If you dont do this the wind will get under the wing and start to weather cock the aircraft in to the wind... Along with P Factor, torque, Slipstream effect, Gyroscopic effect of the 8 foot prop all wanting to drive the aeroplane to the left, a LEFT cross wind will seal the deal if this isn't corrected and accounted for with aileron, If the drift is not corrected for then stand by for the ride of your life!!!
Last edited by T6Texan; 29th Apr 2014 at 04:57.
Reason: Grammar gramar