(Other than) toe brake types?
Spitfire, Vampire/Venom have pneumatics, like the Dove. Not very powerful and prone to fading, just like all drum brakes.
Dexta,
I flew a Champ with heel brakes, but all the Citabrias I've flown had toe-brakes.
Dexta,
I flew a Champ with heel brakes, but all the Citabrias I've flown had toe-brakes.
Last edited by India Four Two; 10th Feb 2015 at 21:50.
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Many years ago I hired a PA28-140 at Wellington. No one bothered to tell me it didn't have toe brakes, just the hand brake.
Damned near made a hole in the fence, grabbed the hand brake just in time.
Pretty sure I bent the pedals trying.
Damned near made a hole in the fence, grabbed the hand brake just in time.
Pretty sure I bent the pedals trying.
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A proper(unmodified) Tiger Moth has no brake 
Nanchang CJ-6a, Yak 52 and Yak 18T all operate as per the Dove. Very useful, once you get past the "doughnuts-on-the-apron" stage and get the hang of it.
A "proper" Tiger Moth doesn't have a tail wheel either.
Mig 15 has a hand brake on the stick and I think the Polikarpov I16 and I153 may have had hand takes as well.
Another aircraft with an odd setup is the Aerocommander. It has toe brakes but the first inch or so of toe travel operates hydraulic nose wheel steering with the brakes becoming active if you push more than that.
Mig 15 has a hand brake on the stick and I think the Polikarpov I16 and I153 may have had hand takes as well.
Another aircraft with an odd setup is the Aerocommander. It has toe brakes but the first inch or so of toe travel operates hydraulic nose wheel steering with the brakes becoming active if you push more than that.
Slammer, yes you could always tell a heron/dove pilot.
His/her left thumb was large and callused.
The early bag brakes were always fading to zero, but when you put the Handley Page jet stream discs on the brakes were a gem.
Push the handle too hard and you would feel the seat belt biting into your shoulders.
His/her left thumb was large and callused.
The early bag brakes were always fading to zero, but when you put the Handley Page jet stream discs on the brakes were a gem.
Push the handle too hard and you would feel the seat belt biting into your shoulders.
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So what about the Chrislea series of light aircraft, Ace, Skyjeep, etc.? According to Wiki "The Ace had an unusual 'steering wheel' control arrangement which eliminated the conventional rudder bar. The wheel was mounted on a universal joint; turning it applied aileron, moving it vertically applied elevator and sideways the rudder."
I understand that this was "unpopular" with pilots, so later versions resorted to a flat on the floor sliding pedal arrangement, wherein the pilot slid his/her feet backwards and forwards to actuate the rudder.
How were the brakes operated on this type?
British engineering at its best.
I understand that this was "unpopular" with pilots, so later versions resorted to a flat on the floor sliding pedal arrangement, wherein the pilot slid his/her feet backwards and forwards to actuate the rudder.
How were the brakes operated on this type?
British engineering at its best.
As several have noted above, a lot of the old Super Cubs are fitted with heel brakes. When I did my rating I was assured I would get used to them but to be honest they always felt rather clumsy. I suppose the one advantage was somewhat less risk of inadvertently hitting a brake during rudder application.
The Dove and Heron and a brake ON OFF control on the yoke which sent air pressure to a differential valve assembly. The rudder pedals have a rod connected to the valve assemble which controlled the brake pressure to each wheel as required to steer. It worked great but changing the valve, then safetying all the B nuts was a pain!
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Summary
Hi All,
I'd like to thank you all for the info, and, of course the anecdotes - which make the topic a lot more interesting.
So here is the summary:
Straight floats (guessing 20)
Skids (1979)
Warbirds
Nanchang (43)
YAK50/52 (64)
YAK18 (19)
DH104 Doves (3)
DH114 Heron (0) + many of the motherlands’ aircraft
Spitfire (10)
Vampire (4)
Vemon (0)
Mig 15 (6)
Polikarpov I16 & I153 (0)
GA
‘real’ Tigers (some of 13+211)
Dragon (3)
Anything with ‘Moth’ in it’s name (200+)
Airtourer (76)
Chippy (55)
Auster (2)
Super Cub (12+41) (heel brakes)
Old Cherokees (??)
Tripacer (2)
Cessna 165 Airmaster (1)
Champion 7EC/7FC Chief and early Citabria’s (5+)
PA28 (some)
Pitts (honorary inclusion – doubt there is much wear on Pitts brakes!?!)
Robins (older ones?)
Sling 2 (2)
Jabiru (50)
RAAUS / UL etc
TC550 Texan
Pioneer
Eurofox UL
Tecman – early models
Liberty / Discovery XL2 – early models
Gliders
Most of them (100ish)?
Ka6crpe (sorry, had to Google that type – come to think of it the Blanik was the same, too!)
So guessing around 2880 of 15300: 20% of the CASA rego'd type are not toe braked.
Why you may ask? Well, you just never know what the aviation quiz masters will think of next!
Thanks again to all ( esp to djpil and tipsy for catching the omission!)
Cheers
AF
I'd like to thank you all for the info, and, of course the anecdotes - which make the topic a lot more interesting.
So here is the summary:
Straight floats (guessing 20)
Skids (1979)
Warbirds
Nanchang (43)
YAK50/52 (64)
YAK18 (19)
DH104 Doves (3)
DH114 Heron (0) + many of the motherlands’ aircraft
Spitfire (10)
Vampire (4)
Vemon (0)
Mig 15 (6)
Polikarpov I16 & I153 (0)
GA
‘real’ Tigers (some of 13+211)
Dragon (3)
Anything with ‘Moth’ in it’s name (200+)
Airtourer (76)
Chippy (55)
Auster (2)
Super Cub (12+41) (heel brakes)
Old Cherokees (??)
Tripacer (2)
Cessna 165 Airmaster (1)
Champion 7EC/7FC Chief and early Citabria’s (5+)
PA28 (some)
Pitts (honorary inclusion – doubt there is much wear on Pitts brakes!?!)
Robins (older ones?)
Sling 2 (2)
Jabiru (50)
RAAUS / UL etc
TC550 Texan
Pioneer
Eurofox UL
Tecman – early models
Liberty / Discovery XL2 – early models
Gliders
Most of them (100ish)?
Ka6crpe (sorry, had to Google that type – come to think of it the Blanik was the same, too!)
So guessing around 2880 of 15300: 20% of the CASA rego'd type are not toe braked.
Why you may ask? Well, you just never know what the aviation quiz masters will think of next!
Thanks again to all ( esp to djpil and tipsy for catching the omission!)
Cheers
AF
Last edited by as fragged; 13th Feb 2015 at 03:04. Reason: Add airtourer, thanks for the reminder from djpil + tipsy2 :)
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AF, even we early model Tecmans are adequately equipped 
A few weeks after first getting into a low serial number Tecnam JF (the certified version), I felt pretty used to it and consequently landed it very well into an ..errr..maximum demonstrated x/w (from the left - worst case). No problem..very well behaved aircraft. All was fine until the very last stages of the roll-out when there was a noticeable bit of weather-cocking setting in. No problem..bit of right brake will assist. Except that I'd forgotten that there was no differential braking. While the weeds definitely beckoned, a bit of gentle dual braking got the nosewheel down, steering established and honour preserved.
I did threaten to have the differential braking kit fitted but have never gotten around to it. Main thing is just to remember what you're flying. Perhaps it's a bit easier because of the hours I spent chugging around in an old Cherokee with a similar brake setup.
A few weeks after first getting into a low serial number Tecnam JF (the certified version), I felt pretty used to it and consequently landed it very well into an ..errr..maximum demonstrated x/w (from the left - worst case). No problem..very well behaved aircraft. All was fine until the very last stages of the roll-out when there was a noticeable bit of weather-cocking setting in. No problem..bit of right brake will assist. Except that I'd forgotten that there was no differential braking. While the weeds definitely beckoned, a bit of gentle dual braking got the nosewheel down, steering established and honour preserved.
I did threaten to have the differential braking kit fitted but have never gotten around to it. Main thing is just to remember what you're flying. Perhaps it's a bit easier because of the hours I spent chugging around in an old Cherokee with a similar brake setup.
