PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Well after 800 hours of TW time I finally bolloxed it up
Old 24th Apr 2016, 14:48
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Shaggy Sheep Driver
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: UK
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My sympathies. I came very close once in the Chippy taxying downwind in a very strong wind. I had the stick forward so the wind was pushing on the 'down' elevator and pinning the tail down, but the rudder got away from me and was blown hard over. Having a touch of brake on for steering while taxying the full rudder deflection jammed the brake hard on on that side and the tail lifted.

I was considering (for an instant!) whether to pull the stick hard back and whack on the power to blow the tail down when it stopped rising, probably due to the forward stick position, and sat down on the tailwheel again. Nasty lump in the throat when that tail went up!

I once almost ground looped as well, having returned to the Chippy after a few years flying a Yak 52. I turned off the runway still going a bit too fast after the roll-out and instantly felt the tail step out. Full rudder and a hard squeeze of the brake handle stopped the swing almost before it started, but again, a nasty feeling when I felt it 'go'.

I hope your damage is limited to the prop. In UK I think it'd be a shock-load strip down regardless. When our Yak was landed gear up (not by me!) the wooden prop shattered to matchwood as it is designed to do to protect the gearbox and engine. That cut no ice with our 'take no chances' system. It was a full tear down (which, of course, revealed a perfect engine and gearbox).
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