BBMF Hands on with Harvard PH-TBR
Pontifex,
How time flies!
Having carried on with the Harvard Formation Team where you left off, I totally support your comments on Gary. I was always more than happy to fly on his wing through low level loops and rolls.
However, although the 'Zeke' looped nicely, it left a little to be desired when rolling beacuse if you make things bigger at the front you need to do the same at the back or it will want go sideways! Trying to keep straight when rolling in a 1/2 Cuban was always difficult in it. I know that there was one in the US where they offset the fin and apparently that mod improved its directional handling significantly. Also, I remember that the oleo pressures on the main gear had to be increased to maintain prop tip clearance and that you really had to 3-point it to prevent a prop tip strike (always sporting in a crosswind because it had a standard Mk IIB breakout tailwheel).
KF183 last flew at the end of September last year and has been down for scheduled maintenance since. Hopefully it will launch skywards any time soon. It is still used as one option for BBMF and RNHF training.
Best regards.
How time flies!
Having carried on with the Harvard Formation Team where you left off, I totally support your comments on Gary. I was always more than happy to fly on his wing through low level loops and rolls.
However, although the 'Zeke' looped nicely, it left a little to be desired when rolling beacuse if you make things bigger at the front you need to do the same at the back or it will want go sideways! Trying to keep straight when rolling in a 1/2 Cuban was always difficult in it. I know that there was one in the US where they offset the fin and apparently that mod improved its directional handling significantly. Also, I remember that the oleo pressures on the main gear had to be increased to maintain prop tip clearance and that you really had to 3-point it to prevent a prop tip strike (always sporting in a crosswind because it had a standard Mk IIB breakout tailwheel).
KF183 last flew at the end of September last year and has been down for scheduled maintenance since. Hopefully it will launch skywards any time soon. It is still used as one option for BBMF and RNHF training.
Best regards.
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: East Sussex
Age: 86
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LOMCEVAC
Good to hear from you. I was led to believe that the reason we got our hands on the Zeke was because the average American owner found landing practically impossible due to the rather demanding handling caused by the pumped up oleos that you referred to. Without wishing to sound holier than thou, I found the xwind reasonably easy, I suspect because I always used the wing down technique as taught to me by the Canadians. Why, Oh why do we still kick off drift? The only aircraft in which it won't work is 4 engined, underslung types. At BD I used it on everything and even got a 35kt limit for Pilatus on the PC9. Taught it to all my civilian students and they took to it like ducks to water!
Are you still indulging?
Good to hear from you. I was led to believe that the reason we got our hands on the Zeke was because the average American owner found landing practically impossible due to the rather demanding handling caused by the pumped up oleos that you referred to. Without wishing to sound holier than thou, I found the xwind reasonably easy, I suspect because I always used the wing down technique as taught to me by the Canadians. Why, Oh why do we still kick off drift? The only aircraft in which it won't work is 4 engined, underslung types. At BD I used it on everything and even got a 35kt limit for Pilatus on the PC9. Taught it to all my civilian students and they took to it like ducks to water!
Are you still indulging?
