Why FTDK?
AustralianMade
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Why FTDK?
I saw a FTDK (VH-CAB) in the circuit at Albury today and started to wonder about how it got its name.
Some ideas occurred to me:
1) They were an aircraft that was popular with professional types, such as Doctors and, due to the large numbers of these aircraft in the higher salary bracket several aforementioned professionals perished in their FTDK, or;
2) They have or had a unique handling, design or maintenance issue that claimed the lives of a few of the above mentioned aircraft owners, or;
3) I am right off track and some prooner who knows the real reason for the name will set me straight.
This thread is not specifically aimed at the PPRuNer with the name FTDK, however I imagine he is well qualified to answer and is welcome to do so, as is anyone else who cares to.
Cheers,
ABX
Some ideas occurred to me:
1) They were an aircraft that was popular with professional types, such as Doctors and, due to the large numbers of these aircraft in the higher salary bracket several aforementioned professionals perished in their FTDK, or;
2) They have or had a unique handling, design or maintenance issue that claimed the lives of a few of the above mentioned aircraft owners, or;
3) I am right off track and some prooner who knows the real reason for the name will set me straight.
This thread is not specifically aimed at the PPRuNer with the name FTDK, however I imagine he is well qualified to answer and is welcome to do so, as is anyone else who cares to.
Cheers,
ABX
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ABX, I believe option 1 is close to the mark.
After WW2, learning to fly was something of a fashionable thing to do, albeit one that required a bit of money.The V Tail Bonanzas were also something of a fashionable item at the time as well. So you had lots of professional people (the Dr bit) learning to fly in things such as Piper Cubs, Tiger Moths etc etc and then, because they had the income, buying their own V Tail, a much more complex and higher performance aircraft, and people died as a result of inexperience/lack of ability. Hence "The Fork Tailed Dr Killer" nickname.
At least, thats how it was explained to me, many moons ago!
After WW2, learning to fly was something of a fashionable thing to do, albeit one that required a bit of money.The V Tail Bonanzas were also something of a fashionable item at the time as well. So you had lots of professional people (the Dr bit) learning to fly in things such as Piper Cubs, Tiger Moths etc etc and then, because they had the income, buying their own V Tail, a much more complex and higher performance aircraft, and people died as a result of inexperience/lack of ability. Hence "The Fork Tailed Dr Killer" nickname.
At least, thats how it was explained to me, many moons ago!
The PM . . . . That accords with references in American "FLYING" over the years by such luminaries as Len Morgan and Gordon Bax.
BTW, the first German phrase I learnt as a kid came out of William Green's book on fighter aircraft of the Second World War. The P38 was known as der gabelschwanz teufel (spelling?) . . .. . the fork-tailed devil.
BTW, the first German phrase I learnt as a kid came out of William Green's book on fighter aircraft of the Second World War. The P38 was known as der gabelschwanz teufel (spelling?) . . .. . the fork-tailed devil.
Why FTDK?
Ohhh! Looky here - my very own thread!
Well, its like this! I happen to fly a V35B and it tickles my warped sense of humour to thumb my nose at its reputation every time I fly it.
Sex on wings!
Dr
Well, its like this! I happen to fly a V35B and it tickles my warped sense of humour to thumb my nose at its reputation every time I fly it.
Sex on wings!
Dr
Last edited by ForkTailedDrKiller; 23rd Oct 2007 at 08:48.
1) They were an aircraft that was popular with professional types, such as Doctors and, due to the large numbers of these aircraft in the higher salary bracket several aforementioned professionals perished in their FTDK, or;
You got it in one! They were, and still are, a high performance aeroplane.
They have always been one Merc dearer than the competition, so tended to be the steed of choice of successful professionals who had the cash, or the cash flow, to buy one. Unfortunately many did not put the time into training so that their abilities as pilots were a match for the capabilities of the aeroplane. The result was that Drs made up an abnormal proportion of those unfortunate enough to meet their maker in a Bonanza.
Personally, I think Bonanza has been displaced from that niche by the Lancair.
2) They have or had a unique handling, design or maintenance issue that claimed the lives of a few of the above mentioned aircraft owners, or;
No! The V-tail is one of the nicest handling aeroplanes in the sky. However, they are quick and if you head up sh*t creek in one you will get there faster than you would in many other types.
They are very light in the controls, and virtually neutrally stable in the rolling plane. As a result, if upset in the rolling plane they will do nothing to correct the situation, unlike many other types, but will just continue to peel off until in a spiral dive.
They require constant attention when hand flown on instruments. Some say you should not fly them IFR without a functioning autopilot. I probably would not launch into hard core IMC without the AP, but have never found the V35B to be a handful when handflown IFR. I always hand fly my IR renewals.
The V-tails went through a re-certification process a number of years ago following a number of inflight failures of the tailplane. As a result an AD was issued that resulted in the leading edge of the tailplane being fixed more securely to the fuselage. None-the-less, the conclusion was that you really had to lose it and exceed the VNE by a substantial margin before the tailplane failed.
The V-tails are particularly sensitive with CofG, the V35B being the worst in this respect. It is EASY to load a V35B so that its CofG is out the rear of the envelope. As you fly off fuel, unlike many other types, the CofG does not move forward. Contrary to urban myth, in the V35B it does more rearward but will stay within the envelope until the tanks are very low. In general if it is within the envelope on TO it will be within the envelope on landing.
Although many V35Bs have 5 seats, it is effectively a 3 seater aircraft.
3) I am right off track and some prooner who knows the real reason for the name will set me straight.
Happy to!
4) Do they have rudder pedals?
Yes, but you really only need them for TO and Landing. You can roll a V-tail through a steep turn with your feet flat on the floor and the ball will stay centred throughout.
Dr
You got it in one! They were, and still are, a high performance aeroplane.
They have always been one Merc dearer than the competition, so tended to be the steed of choice of successful professionals who had the cash, or the cash flow, to buy one. Unfortunately many did not put the time into training so that their abilities as pilots were a match for the capabilities of the aeroplane. The result was that Drs made up an abnormal proportion of those unfortunate enough to meet their maker in a Bonanza.
Personally, I think Bonanza has been displaced from that niche by the Lancair.
2) They have or had a unique handling, design or maintenance issue that claimed the lives of a few of the above mentioned aircraft owners, or;
No! The V-tail is one of the nicest handling aeroplanes in the sky. However, they are quick and if you head up sh*t creek in one you will get there faster than you would in many other types.
They are very light in the controls, and virtually neutrally stable in the rolling plane. As a result, if upset in the rolling plane they will do nothing to correct the situation, unlike many other types, but will just continue to peel off until in a spiral dive.
They require constant attention when hand flown on instruments. Some say you should not fly them IFR without a functioning autopilot. I probably would not launch into hard core IMC without the AP, but have never found the V35B to be a handful when handflown IFR. I always hand fly my IR renewals.
The V-tails went through a re-certification process a number of years ago following a number of inflight failures of the tailplane. As a result an AD was issued that resulted in the leading edge of the tailplane being fixed more securely to the fuselage. None-the-less, the conclusion was that you really had to lose it and exceed the VNE by a substantial margin before the tailplane failed.
The V-tails are particularly sensitive with CofG, the V35B being the worst in this respect. It is EASY to load a V35B so that its CofG is out the rear of the envelope. As you fly off fuel, unlike many other types, the CofG does not move forward. Contrary to urban myth, in the V35B it does more rearward but will stay within the envelope until the tanks are very low. In general if it is within the envelope on TO it will be within the envelope on landing.
Although many V35Bs have 5 seats, it is effectively a 3 seater aircraft.
3) I am right off track and some prooner who knows the real reason for the name will set me straight.
Happy to!
4) Do they have rudder pedals?
Yes, but you really only need them for TO and Landing. You can roll a V-tail through a steep turn with your feet flat on the floor and the ball will stay centred throughout.
Dr
Last edited by ForkTailedDrKiller; 23rd Oct 2007 at 09:38.
It's got a fair few contenders for the Doctor Killer title today, though... Lancair, Columbia, Mooney, Cirrus... I've always been told (as has been said) that it was because wealthy people (mainly doctors) decided that it was a nice, fast, comfortable plane, and picked one up as a bare PPL, having previously flown a PA28/172. End result is more aeroplane than ability. It's why Cirrus is putting so much emphasis on Pilot Training for it's aircraft now.
Last edited by Cap'n Arrr; 23rd Oct 2007 at 08:50. Reason: typo
More urban myths about the FTDK.
1) They wag their tail in turbulence cause they don't have a vertical fin.
Not true. Straight tail Bonanzas and Barons also wag their tails in turbulence - the V-tail just does it better!
Its a characteristic of the design, most likely related to the relatively forward position of the wing.
2) The V-tail is faster that a similar straight-tail Bonanza cause it has less drag from one fewer tail surfaces.
Not true - they are virtually identical in performance.
The reality is that if you didn't look back at the tail ......
....... you would never know you were flying a V-tail.
Dr
1) They wag their tail in turbulence cause they don't have a vertical fin.
Not true. Straight tail Bonanzas and Barons also wag their tails in turbulence - the V-tail just does it better!
Its a characteristic of the design, most likely related to the relatively forward position of the wing.
2) The V-tail is faster that a similar straight-tail Bonanza cause it has less drag from one fewer tail surfaces.
Not true - they are virtually identical in performance.
The reality is that if you didn't look back at the tail ......
....... you would never know you were flying a V-tail.
Dr
ABX
Sorry mate! I have no idea. I just pay the dry lease and the owner gets the bills for maintenance.
If Chuckles sticks his head in here, he may be able to give you an idea.
Beechcraft are known for higher maintenance costs.
Realistically, the FTDK costs about $300/hr all up to operate.
Dr
Sorry mate! I have no idea. I just pay the dry lease and the owner gets the bills for maintenance.
If Chuckles sticks his head in here, he may be able to give you an idea.
Beechcraft are known for higher maintenance costs.
Realistically, the FTDK costs about $300/hr all up to operate.
Dr
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Back when I first started to learn to fly (early 80s) the Flight School owner
(TK) always referred to the Baron as a Doctor Killer.
Apparently based on an unfortunate accident during the 70s.
(TK) always referred to the Baron as a Doctor Killer.
Apparently based on an unfortunate accident during the 70s.
AustralianMade
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Doc, have they apprehended your 'visitors' yet? Word I heard was they would better off being caught by the cops than being caught by you! 
Mind you, I feel the same way about thieving little
.
Mind you, I feel the same way about thieving little
.
ABX, cops know who did it but have not nailed them yet. They did at least two houses and stole three cars in one night. Cops bounced them in one of the cars but they did a runner. Got finger prints and DNA.
We have recovered the car but nothing else. They drove it back to their suburb and left it in a bus stop.
Lucky I was not armed and did not spring them or multiple fatalities!!!
Dr
We have recovered the car but nothing else. They drove it back to their suburb and left it in a bus stop.
Lucky I was not armed and did not spring them or multiple fatalities!!!
Dr
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Hey I've got a question.
If you just put in rudder input alone is there a roll either direction.
I was thinking that to get the tail to yaw one 'elevator/rudder thing' would go up and the other down, causing a roll in the opposite direction to the yaw. Or have I got no idea?
If you just put in rudder input alone is there a roll either direction.
I was thinking that to get the tail to yaw one 'elevator/rudder thing' would go up and the other down, causing a roll in the opposite direction to the yaw. Or have I got no idea?
AustralianMade
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Lucky I was not armed and did not spring them or multiple fatalities!
Are you gonna sell the car now, or keep it?