Three Top Tips for Tailwheels!

[The Heff]

It’s nearly been two years since I've bought my aircraft, and I thought it might be worth sharing a few of my experiences and lessons learnt to other young or new buyers. To begin with, I decided to go the LAA route with Permit-to-Fly aircraft; and I bought a Taylor Monoplane (single-seat, conventional gear and open-cockpit). I considered several aircraft, including an Oakley Baby Lakes and also a Hatz CB-1 (very tempted by the Hatz) but selected for the Taylor Monoplane because of one factor...love at first sight!

It took me less than three seconds to decide that I really wanted to buy this aircraft, and I haven't regretted my decision, but I do wish that I had paid more attention to good advice that was so freely given, but so easily ignored. But then again, perhaps if I hadn't been so impatient, I wouldn't have learnt what I have about magnetos, propellers, combustion engines or the importance of the go-around!

The LAA members amongst you may recall reading recently about an aircraft accident at Sandtoft aerodrome in March last year, which is was the unfortunate result of my maiden flight. It’s still a bit embarrassing for me to admit, but overconfidence coupled with perhaps too much keenness led to bad decision-making and finished with me biting off more than I could chew. I learnt some hard lessons fast about aviation insurance and the cost of repairs; the biggest one is that I should really have agreed on a higher hull worth to avoid the worry of economical repair, and also the biggest cost of repairs is actually time. It took so long after the accident for my aircraft to be repaired that it actually undermined my flying confidence quite a bit, and I've only really recently found my courage to start flying her again.

I've learnt now what everyone told me before about learning to fly a Taylor Mono two years ago, but perhaps it sometimes takes experience to get wiser. But what is this mythical advice that I keep talking about?

1) When flying a single-seater, your first flight is also your first solo!

This might scare the Hell out of some people, but I don't think it should. Instead, when flying single-seaters the student should be instead more willing to learn to taxi first; taking time to find one's feet on the ground rather than on the first landing. This is really important for tricycle pilot's when getting to grips with conventional undercarriages, because let's be honest, does anyone notice the adverse yaw in a Cessna 150?

2) Tailwheels love grass runways!

I chose Sandtoft because the aerodrome was familiar to me, but I should have been more willing at the start to relocate to a better-suited airstrip. After the accident, I now fly the Taylor Monoplane out of a farm strip. The grass surface has a better braking effect than tarmac, which is especially important to prevent weather-cocking, and it’s a lot wider to accommodate the more hairy landings.

3) Wait for the weather!

I'm still getting to grips with piloting my craft, so I'm very choosy about wind and weather. This sometimes means looking at the windsock, and abandoning any hopes of flying which is disheartening, but more sensible than an early development of 'press-on-itis'. I've learnt to be patient, yet not too cautious.

My Taylor Monoplane has been absent from the LAA rally at Sywell for too long, and I hope to remedy this next year (2012). Also, I'd like to take this short moment to thank all the Taylor Monoplane owners who have replied to my letters asking for help with ignition when I had problems in that particular area.

Who would have thought G-INFO would be useful for something? :}

[stickandrudderman]

Good post, thanks.:ok:

[Sir George Cayley]

One of the most memorable and best flights I ever did was in a Mono.

One of the worst landings I ever did was in a Mono.

But I still love em.

And I love this one the most

http://www.caa.co.uk/applicationmodules/ginfo/ginfo_photo.aspx?regmark=G-BEVS&imgname=G-BEVS001&imgtype=jpg


SGC

[RTN11]

Those monos get everywhere! how many did they make? I once saw 3 based at one airfield. The chap at our local strip certainly spent a lot of time practicing on the ground, including a fair bit of fast taxi down the runway before he got airbourne. He's still going strong with it now though, lovely looking machine.

[Dan the weegie]

Brilliant wee planes.

Your experience with owners is one of the key things that makes the LAA such a good thing. People are genuinely helpful and want to see you in the air for absolutely no gain to themselves, it's a force for good in an otherwise self destructive part of the industry. Let's hope it stays that way :)

Keeping in practice is the key :). Would love to see you at Sywell but alas I wont be there this year, next year maybe!

[Pilot DAR]

I commend your post Heff.... I recall that same feeling checking myself out in a single seat taildragger years ago.

Taildraggers, regardless of the number of seats, will keep you honest. It's pretty hard to conceal poor technique, and even great technique could still leave you looking poor occasionally!

[FlyingLapinou]

Thanks for your insights, Heff. I converted from a 172 (like a truck) to a Jodel 112 (like a little bird) earlier this year and love it, but am very cautious about x-wind and preference for grass runways. Over cautious, I guess, but I'd rather take it very slowly and stay well within my limits rather than have a prang. Wish I were a bit more gung-ho sometimes - it's hard to strike the right balance when you don't have so much experience.

Anyone got any more good taildragger tips?

[Zulu Alpha]

Tailwheels love grass runways!

I chose Sandtoft because the aerodrome was familiar to me, but I should have been more willing at the start to relocate to a better-suited airstrip. After the accident, I now fly the Taylor Monoplane out of a farm strip. The grass surface has a better braking effect than tarmac, which is especially important to prevent weather-cocking, and it’s a lot wider to accommodate the more hairy landings

One other very important feature of grass is the lack of adhesion as you touch down. This means that if your x wind correction leaves any sideways movement you will just skid sideways.
On tarmac its much less likely as the tyres tend to grip. This causes the tyre on the tarmac to grip and the one in the air to continue sideways, thus twisting the aircraft off axis. This is often the start of a groundloop.

I would always recommend starting on grass for a taildragger and then progressing to tarmac. I know several low time tailwheel pilots that have come a cropper when landing on tarmac with a x wind because they hadn't realised how different the landing is compared to grass.

[rapidshot]

Message moved, sorry for the inconvenience,

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Anyone got any more good taildragger tips?

Practice, really. Practice until the aeroplane is an extension of yourself. That way your feet will counter any swing long before you are concious of it starting (once you are concious of it, it's developed, and it may be too late).

Keep flying the aeroplane until you shut it down and get out of it.

Do wheelers occasionally and keep the tail up as long as possible so you become happy to travel fast on the mains with the tail up. Once you are happy in that regime of flight, try fast tail-up taxying. It trains your feet! But be really sure you have it mastered before doing this as a fast tail-up taxy that swings and groundloops will be disasterous.

Enjoy the fabulous ground handling (spinning around 360 degrees in your own length, then the same the other way, if you have a fully castoring tailwheel!).

[Pilot DAR]

I'm sure that there are some very learned TD pilots here with more TD experience than my few hundred hours, though, never the less, here are a few thoughts to consider when flying TD's;

Obviously, directional control requires greater precision. I won't say it's any more difficult, but I will say that you have a much more narrow band of "acceptable", and when you exceed acceptable, it gets worse faster. The differences in pitch control close to the ground are less obvious, but every bit as important to understand. They also vary more from one TD type to the net, than the similar characteristic varies between tricycles.

Consider the fuselage station of the contact point of the main wheels to the ground, in a near stall pitch attitude. (your home made napkin sketches may help here). With the TD, that's pretty well a three point attitude, so the main wheel contact point is well ahead of the aircraft C of G (if you consider the relative positions with the tail well up, the mains will be much closer to the C of G). The tricycle plane obviously has the main's contact point behind the C of G. The distance behind, again, is affected by the fuselage pitch attitude. The difference being that in the pitched up attitude, the tricycle's mains will be quite close to the C of G. We're not considering the affect of the location of the third wheel, I'll come back to that.

So, in the near stall pitch attitude, the TD has the main's contact point well ahead of the C of G, where the tricycle's mains are only slightly behind the C of G. Everything still balances, and is where it should be, but it's the well forward, vs the slightly behind which creates the challenge. It's the arm of the affect of the main's contacting the ground trying to change the pitch attitude of the aircraft on touchdown. Well forward = larger arm, slightly behind = smaller arm. The arm of the affect of any pitch change must be counteracted by the arm of the aerodynamic pitch control (elevator), if a correcting control change is required.

So, if you consider dropping the entire aircraft onto the ground from two feet up in a stalled attitude (put your hand's up, we've all done that!), the tricycle will contact the ground with a very small arm, and a resultant very small pitch change resulting from the arrival force. On the other hand, the TD will contact with a larger arm, and the result will be a pitch up of some magnitude on contact. This is one reason that a "wheel landing" on a TD will often produce a more smooth landing; if you bounce, less arm, less pitch affect (but there are other factors too).

The challenge with this is that your only control of pitch is the elevator (or stabiliator, or whatever your aircraft has back there). Unhappily for TD's, it is generally located at about the same fuselage station as the tailwheel. So, when you arrive to the runway more vertically than horizontally, as soon as the tailwheel contacts, you no longer can apply pitch control as you would like to, as long as the tailwheel is on the ground, as far as pitch control goes, you're just along for the ride. (Once you realize this, you know that you have the opportunity to devote all of your attention to controlling the direction of the bucking bronco!)

On the other hand, the tricycle retains good pitch control effectiveness no matter what combination of wheels are contacting the ground, so you always have a chance of correcting things. This is one of the reasons that wheel landings can be more smooth, as you are retaining the pitch control longer (down to a lower groundspeed). Wheel landings can have other challenges though, so get training.

I had to check myself out in the Tiger Moth a few weeks back. Wanting to be very gentle with this delightful antique, I was doing my darndest to feather on every landing. Being a Canadian made Moth, it's main wheel position is different that the British ones (to enable ski installation, I've be told). This changes that "arm" again, and not for the favourable. Thus, when I felt the mains just touch so perfectly (not my first landing!), I had that nice feeling. Nope, it was not to be.. just as the tail wheel touched, I hat a small bump, and the Moth was in the air again, I had to land it all over again! Yes, my landings were a little fast, owing to my cautiousness (high final approach) for an engine which had not flown in 7 years.

The whole landing gear arm concept came more clear to me one day, when though not really intending to, I wheel landed the amphibian, as I was not sure that the tailwheel had locked down. Just as the mains touched, I smoothly went full stick forward, and it landed perfectly. This has become my technique for this aircraft now, with pleasing results. The aircraft's designer (now 93) conceded to me that this particular type (Thurston Teal) is more challenging than other tail draggers, as the arm of the mainwheels is so much further forward than common for TD's, because the thrust line from the top pod mounted engine is so high, and you don't want the plane standing on it's nose when you add power - 'makes sense, when you put it all together!

This is still only a part of the story with TD's, make sure you get competent training for the differences it TD's, before you think you have it figured out!

[The Heff]

Pilot DAR, I think you might have explained some of my more scarier landings!

Something that I've been trying to do recently is two-point 'wheeler' landings; but I think that I might probably be flying the approach too high and too fast, because I tend to bounce before landing. Bouncing isn't actually as dangerous as it sounds, provided the pilot initiates an immediate go-around instead of trying to force the aeroplane onto the deck. :ouch:

I would also agree with the point regarding some competent training. There are plenty of flying schools still offering tailwheel courses so there really is no excuse for failing to complete a basic introduction to conventional landing technique. One can hardly baulk at the cost of instruction either, because its still cheaper than the cost of repairing a pranged aircraft. Sadly, I know! :{

Sometimes you've got to be a bit brave when taking-off, otherwise you'll never expand your own personal 'flying envelope'. I know the limits of the aeroplane, but its my own limits that I'm unsure of! It can be quite unsettling after passing my PPL skills test, and thinking that I'm a good pilot; then landing something more adventurous and learning the complete opposite! Once I've mastered this aircraft, I'm confident that I'll be ready for absolutely anything.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

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..

[Zulu Alpha]

I tend to bounce before landing.

Often the bounce isn't really a bounce caused by the springs in the undercarriage.

If you touch down on the main gear with the tail in the air then the mains will stop descending but the tail will continue to descend. This increases the angle of attack of the wings and the aircraft climbs. It feels like the aircraft is bouncing on the undercarriage bit it isn't really this which lifts it back in the air.

To do a good wheel landing, the final approach should be in the 3 point attitude. As soon as you touch down then raise the tail with forward stick. This reduces lift and keeps the wheels on the ground.

I was shown this by an instructor at Amelia Reids and it was the best advice I'd been given.

Of course the opposite effect happens with a nose-wheel aircraft which is why they are "easier".

[2hotwot]

If you have been taught to fly nosewheel properly the transition to taildragger should not hold surprises - lessons like held off landings - keeping straight and that the landing hasn't finished untill you are travelling at walking pace etc.

Perhaps people would like to share some further Tailwheel Gems?

Tailwheels are not as different or difficult as some would have you believe....... provided you know what is happening to your aeroplane.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

The big difference with tailwheels is that they won't tolerate sloppy technique. Not-held-off landings or barely-held-off ones are commonly seen being made by nosewheel light aircraft; try that in a taildragger and it'll bounce. And the bounce will be a nose-up one because the mains are in front of CG). So unless you do something (add power at least) the second impact will be worse, and the third will seriously damage the aeroplane.

And of course the CG behind the mains means it's directionally unstable on the ground, so correct and instinctive but minimal use of rudder is required (don't overcontrol!).

So as someone has said, if you have been well taught and your technique is OK, tailwheel will be no big deal. If not, you will have to learn all over again - and properly this time! ;)

[foxmoth]

The way I fly a crosswind landing is to use wing down rather than crab, this means that at ALL times the aircraft is pointing straight down the runway, wheel it on as well, this means you land on ONE wheel, then as the speed drops the aircraft settles onto two, then finally the tail comes down with the stick fully forward and into wind - at which point you bring the stick fully back. Using this technique over many years I have had no problem with many TW a/c that I have been told are a real handful in a Xwind.

[stiknruda]

I suppose for me the biggest lesson to learn was when to introduce a control input and when to just leave the bloody thing alone!

Upon landing, I tend to bounce if I've have had a lay off of >2 weeks or a particularly hard sortie.... most of the time I don't go around but arrest the second descent with a dab of power.

I tend to close the throttle and leave it closed from abeam the numbers on downwind until I need power to influence any taxying.

I don't wheel the Pitts on but do the Cub and did the DC3...


Stik

[fwjc]

Two things

1) An accurately placed three pointer is A Good Thing

2) There are times when wheelers are very useful; gusty conditions, or when the aircraft design demands it. There are also times when wheelers are not good; at least one Tiger has nosed over this year due to a misplaced wheeler, and not all taildraggers are happy being wheeled on, unless you have equal accuracy to that required for a three-pointer.

I'm no expert, these are just a couple of things I've learned so far.

[Maoraigh1]

The way I was taught was DO NOT LAND A TAILDRAGGER.
Round out as normal, check throttle is fully closed, and DO NOT LAND.
The approach speed doesn't matter if the runway is long enough.

[Crash one]

Maoraigh 1, That's the way I was taught to land a 152 "close the throttle at threshold & fly the length of the runway at 2ft". However speed does matter when you only have 290metres & the a/c "handbook" says the test pilot needed 250metres.

[foxmoth]

The way I was taught was DO NOT LAND A TAILDRAGGER.
Round out as normal, check throttle is fully closed, and DO NOT LAND.

Works for three pointers, but I believe a good taildragger pilot should at least have wheelers in his/her bag and this technique will not work with wheelers.:eek:

[Unusual Attitude]

Works for three pointers, but I believe a good taildragger pilot should at least have wheelers in his/her bag and this technique will not work with wheelers.

Have got the 3 pointers fairly well nailed, even in decent crosswind, but try as I might I just cant get a decent wheeler out of the Cassutt. I could do with a longer runway to practice on though so I might head off somewhere else for circuits until I have it nailed, preferably somewhere quiet so there are not too many people to witness my attempts! :\

The way I was taught was DO NOT LAND A TAILDRAGGER.
Round out as normal, check throttle is fully closed, and DO NOT LAND.

That doesnt work in a Cassutt either, the thing has so little momentum, is extremely draggy in the flare (short stumpy square wings = muchos induced drag) and has such a small rudder & elavator that it needs a trickle of power until the wheels are on...

[generalspecific]

am lucky enough to have a share in a Cap 10. Chenged from the usual 172/182. I actually much prefer it and land better in it. The stick is much more natural for cross wind approaches and you can just hold a wing down with a bit of top rudder and just drive it all the way in.

On landing I find the keys are;

Speed - Bang on not plus or minus (you can be fast but then you will need to hold off in the float and not rush it. If you get slow though it drops on and you bounce)

Hold off - Nice and gentle and keep trying not to land for a 3 pointer. The stick will just keep coming back and all three kiss at once. For wheelers i also find the tip of "half a three pointer" and a touch (and i do mean a touch) of forward stick to pin it

Keep straight - Look out front (it helps i'm tall and the nose on a cap is short) and accept NO deviation from the centre line. If you refuse to let it start then it wont get away from you and after time the corrections get smaller but the frequesncy greater. Early on, don't be afraid to open it up and get back in the air... much better than a ground loop.

Stay alert - your counrty needs lerts - If it aint chocked it can bite. A big catch out is A/C's manouvering with power to pass you (runway backtracking) or take off when you are in an undershoot hold, which can easily lift the tai. Sometimes to need to radio them to wait for you to spin round behind them "into their wind" as it were...

Its really no harder, just different.

[RNHF_PILOT]

To the original poster.

I might be wrong on this but reading between the lines it doesn't look like you have done any tailwheel differences training. You need to do this whether or not you are flying a single seater.

From LASORS
In order to change to a different type or variant of
aeroplane, within the same class rating, or another variant
within the same type rating, Differences or Familiarisation
Training is required. Differences Training must be carried
out by an appropriately qualified Type or Class Rating
Instructor or Flight Instructor.

Differences training requires both theoretical knowledge
instruction and training on an aeroplane or appropriate
training device. Familiarisation training merely requires
the acquisition of additional knowledge relevant to the new
type or variant. This may be achieved with the assistance
of an instructor, another pilot experienced on type, or by
self-study. Familiarisation training is only sufficient where
differences training is not required.
It should be noted that when changing to different types,
or variants of types, that fall within the single-pilot singleengine
piston (SEP) class rating, the Differences training
is specifically required to encompass particular ‘complex’
features with which the new type or variant is equipped.

These features are:
• Variable Pitch (VP) Propellers
• Retractable Undercarriage
• Turbo/Super-charged Engines
• Cabin Pressurisation
• Tail-Wheel
• Electronic Flight Information Systems (EFIS)
• Single Lever Power Control (SLPC)

Whilst there is some good advice on operating tailwheel aircraft on this thread, it's still not really the place to learn to fly a tailwheel.
You say you're a member of the LAA, which is great place to get yourself immersed in the whole tailwheel thing. The LAA have a great coaching scheme with lots of experienced tailwheel instuctors based all over the UK. The scheme also doesn't cost the earth to get trained and is well worth the investment as you will probably find that the coach will have a wealth of expereince of operating similar types to similar airfields.

My tailwheel gems.
1. A good tailwheel pilot should be able to use all the landing techniques available in his toolbox to land tailwheel aircraft. The clever bit is knowing which technique to apply to the aircraft type you're flying, the runway surface, runway length, wind conditions and approach path. You need to be able to take all these things into consideration and be flexible and skillful enough to apply the most appropriate technique whilst taking into account all these factors. This comes with knowledge and experience.

2. The key to any good tailwheel landing is the approach, regardless of the type of landing you will do. If you haven't got the approach right you might as well throw away the landing. Coming in with a little extra speed is fine when you are initially learning the techniques and have plenty of runway available but is quite frankly 'gash' once you have been signed off for tailwheel differences training. Not on parameters? GO AROUND!

3. Never switch off at the end of the flight. Most tailwheel aircraft have lovely handling airborne and are pretty easy to fly. The hardest part of the sortie is the last bit. The landing and taxy back to the hangar. This is where a lot of people come to grief because they think the sortie is over, switch off and then prang the aeroplane. A lot of pilots don't use the flying controls properly when taxiing in windy conditions.

4. Get proper training. I have seen a few times people who have not been properly schooled in tailwheel techniques come to grief and it is a nightmare to unpick all the wrong/poor techniques they have learned.

5. Once trained fly as often as you can afford to. Always try to do a handful of circuits before you land for the final time to keep your skills sharp.

Hope this is of use.

[The Heff]

RNHF, you are wrong on this!

Before I even seriously considered buying a tailwheel aircraft, I completed a tailwheel conversion course at Clacton Airfield, where I learnt the principles of three-pointers. Before taking-off for my first flight I had a few different briefs from friends and instructors (some of which was conflicting!)

If I had known more about the LAA Coaching Scheme back then, I probably would have at least spoken to a coach over the telephone; but that's by the bye, now.

Armed with knowledge and some skill, the only way I'm going to improve my landings is to keep flying and hone my skills to keep them sharp; but the biggest difference now is that when pilot's tell me advice, I 'listen' to it more than just 'hear' it!

[RNHF_PILOT]

The Heff,

Glad to hear I was wrong and that you have done some differences training. Although I would suggest that an hour spent with an LAA coach would still be a worthwhile investment even at this stage. Especially as seeing it in action is always a lot better than reading or listening about it.

Best of luck!:ok: