tail dragger difficulty?

[AerocatS2A]

Originally Posted by Genghis the Engineer

With a big nose taildragger, I'd always fly a constant turn, and traffic can just fit in with me! That said, I've only ever flown a few taildraggers with a nose big enough to necessitate that - Cubs and Chipmunks, and certainly the S6 mentioned in the original post, it's no trouble at-all to fly a standard circuit.

Yep. Something like a Cub has pretty good forward vis really. The Tiger Moth is ok because you can stick your head out the side and see forwards that way. The Pitts I aimed for a curved approach but if you're at a controlled aerodrome and in the landing sequence you don't get a lot of say in how you fly it, sometimes you just have to go straight in. I suspect if you're in something like a Spitfire the tower is generally keen for a buzz and break to the circuit so you're more likely to get setup nicely for a curved approach.

More broadly, wing-down and crabbed work on most aeroplanes, but other characteristics than the undercarriage can make the techniques work differently well on different aeroplanes.

G

I've only been exposed to the true wing down method once. That was when I was flying a Dash 8 and my FO proceeded to align the nose with the centreline at about 1000' and apply bank so that I was sort of leaning on my flight bag. "What the hell is this?" I thought. I soon realised this was the crosswind technique they'd been taught. I hate it when taken to that extreme, completely inappropriate for passenger ops. Every other pilot I've flown with has only started to drop the wing over the threshold or later.

[DaveUnwin]

"With the proliferation of dashboard cams in cars, would it be helpful to mount a similar unit in a position high enough on the aeroplane for a taildragger pilot to be able to see ahead without needing to zig zag?"

The SwiftFury prototype I flew about 8 years ago had a camera mounted in the lower nose bowl, with the screen in the panel. It worked well.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Originally Posted by AerocatS2A

Yep. Something like a Cub has pretty good forward vis really.

Not really true of the J3 / L4, which is flown from the rear seat. Most of the aeroplane seems to be in front of you and in the 3-point attitude one's bum is quite near the ground.

[AerocatS2A]

Fair point.

[tractorpuller]

Originally Posted by Shaggy Sheep Driver

Not really true of the J3 / L4, which is flown from the rear seat. Most of the aeroplane seems to be in front of you and in the 3-point attitude one's bum is quite near the ground.

Just take someone along and you can sit upfront ;-)

[Small Rodent Driver]

Originally Posted by tractorpuller

Just take someone along and you can sit upfront ;-)

If you are relatively athletic and have child’s legs perhaps.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Plus, it's much nicer in the back, especially with the whole RH side of the cockpit open. For me, flying it from the back was a big attraction of the L4.

[tractorpuller]

Originally Posted by Small Rodent Driver

If you are relatively athletic and have child’s legs perhaps.

I wouldn't say I have child's legs, but it sure feels cramped after a while. Same up front in the S2A. Hard to get around when you are instructing though.

[Flying Binghi]

Originally Posted by Shaggy Sheep Driver

Agree fully here. Brakes are for steering rather than stopping, especially in a tail wheel aeroplane, and even then should only be used in landing if absolutely called for (e.g a swing developing that full corrective rudder isn't holding - a touch of appropriate brake may be needed to save the day).

I'd agree when your doing initial training though if your operations progress to one way or short strips, and a suitable aircraft and tyre combo, then brakes may become fairly important.
If surface grip allows many T/W aircraft can do fairly heavy initial braking just after touch down. Obviously braking effort is reduced as speed decays so as to avoid tip over.
I would certainly advise any tail wheel new chum to look at practicing, in a suitable type, a bit of heavy braking and differential steering braking. A handy couple extra tools in the flight experience tool kit..





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