Ag-Types Fundamental design flaws.
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Ag-Types Fundamental design flaws.
There are many fine Ag Types out there..... Airtractor, Thrushes, Ag-Cats,
Cessna Agwagons, the list goes on..... I've flown most of them over the years but I am still amazed that a type can be certified with a Fundamental Design Flaw.
Most of these types, on take-off, the forward visibility is NIL,
thats right, NIL until you get the tail up at 40-50 knots. With a fully loaded machine this may take you 200-300metres down the airstrip. The only forward visibility you have is a splay perhaps 20 degrees each side of the centreline, where you may see the fence posts and if you're of average height like me, the view directly in front over the nose angles up a few degrees so you'll maybe see the top of any trees at the end of the strip. I am always wondering if some clown is riding a bike up the strip or a cow has broken though the fence and quietly resting on the strip. I would never know until the crunch.
There are however three types that come to mind that do have good viz over the nose and they are the Fletcher, Cresco and 750XL.
Cessna Agwagons, the list goes on..... I've flown most of them over the years but I am still amazed that a type can be certified with a Fundamental Design Flaw.
Most of these types, on take-off, the forward visibility is NIL,
thats right, NIL until you get the tail up at 40-50 knots. With a fully loaded machine this may take you 200-300metres down the airstrip. The only forward visibility you have is a splay perhaps 20 degrees each side of the centreline, where you may see the fence posts and if you're of average height like me, the view directly in front over the nose angles up a few degrees so you'll maybe see the top of any trees at the end of the strip. I am always wondering if some clown is riding a bike up the strip or a cow has broken though the fence and quietly resting on the strip. I would never know until the crunch.There are however three types that come to mind that do have good viz over the nose and they are the Fletcher, Cresco and 750XL.
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Being taller than normal I find it OK looking over the nose, still a problem at times but you work with what you have. The best AG aircraft is the one your flying at the moment, you make the best of it.
If your flying a Tractor then it's controls are light and responsive, a Thrush is stable and very predictable in turns. If you go from a Tractor to a Thrush then you think the Thrush is heavy and unresponsive, go the other way and you think the Tractor is flighty and over sensitive. As I said you work with what you have and enjoy it's particular good points.
Visibility the same, you can't change it so you get used to it. One thing that exacerbates that is most strips you work off are unprepared short strips with all sorts of obstacles from an auger on the end of the strip to timber and terrain so you have to thread down a gully.
Radials seem worse, you have to have a good memory to work in mountainous country.
As I said make the best of what you have, enjoy it's particular good points and be aware of it's bad ones.
If your flying a Tractor then it's controls are light and responsive, a Thrush is stable and very predictable in turns. If you go from a Tractor to a Thrush then you think the Thrush is heavy and unresponsive, go the other way and you think the Tractor is flighty and over sensitive. As I said you work with what you have and enjoy it's particular good points.
Visibility the same, you can't change it so you get used to it. One thing that exacerbates that is most strips you work off are unprepared short strips with all sorts of obstacles from an auger on the end of the strip to timber and terrain so you have to thread down a gully.
Radials seem worse, you have to have a good memory to work in mountainous country.
As I said make the best of what you have, enjoy it's particular good points and be aware of it's bad ones.
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I'm not certain that the reduced ground visibility associated with a single engine conventional gear design should preclude certification. This issue is almost as old as aviation and has certainly been virtually, if not officially, "grandfathered" in.
While the "nose dragger" concept fixes that it introduces other issues into the mix such as unimproved strip operations and installing another big draggy thing out in front which has to be dealt with when tuning the dispersal pattern.
Any ag plane design that I've dealt with has had it's quirks and once they become evident you adjust your procedures to take them into account.
While the "nose dragger" concept fixes that it introduces other issues into the mix such as unimproved strip operations and installing another big draggy thing out in front which has to be dealt with when tuning the dispersal pattern.
Any ag plane design that I've dealt with has had it's quirks and once they become evident you adjust your procedures to take them into account.
Join Date: Dec 2004
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How about a more fixable design flaw in the Air Tractor fuel system! Like claiming to have a headder "tank" , when it is nothing more then a bulge in the fuel line to trap air and aid in a flame-out!
Last edited by maxspeed; 20th Nov 2012 at 18:07.
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As far a camera and screen. It has being done and works well, on training models of the 802u, more for rear seat instuctor self presivation puposes!
