When I sbuild my europa monowheel I had not flow in 12 years (kids, job
etc.) but now that my kids are grown I wanted to start flying again. I got
a bi-annual flight review, flew about 3 hours in a cessna 150, flew an hour
in the factory mono-wheel and then started flying my plane.
When I was flying before it was modtly in Globe & Temco Swifts so I had a
lot of tailwheel experience (about 600hrs) but years ago. That is the only
tailwheel plane I had flown except for about 30 minutes in a Champ.
Even though I was "rusty" I found my mono-wheel to have excellent ground
handling. I spent serveral hours taxiing around before flying and found it
easy to steer and taxi. The only thing different than other taildraggers is
the steering radius is larger and you have to plan ahead in tight
situations. So far it has never been a problem.
In early flights I found it was a bit like golf - pretty easy to due but
hard to master!! In other words it's not hard to land, but it takes some
practice to land well. First off it must be landed how it wants to.
Airspeed and attitude control are important. Steering is easy but if you
hit the main wheel first it will bounce (very high!). After getting used to
it I find it much easier to land than the Swift and its wayy easier to get
it into shorter strips or unusual places. I regularly land in grass that is
pretty rough and thats even easier than smooth concrete. After flying it
for a few years now - I love the landing and handling. I can put the plane
where I want in any wind conditions, I can make last minute landing
adjustments easily and just like the handling.
The big question everyone asks is could they land it. I think anyone can
learn but for a lowtime pilot with no tailwheel experience it would be a big
handful. I would suggest that at a minimum people considering flying the
mono-wheel should have a tailwheel endorsment and be comfortable in another
tailwheel plane before even starting with a mono-wheel. After that a
checkout in a factory plane is probably a must. Not because it is hard -
but because it is different. I remember talking with Jim Brown who owned a
Pitts and had lots of tailwheel time. He was having a hard time with the
Europa because in the Pitts he lookd out the side on landing. When the
Europa dipped a wing his brain said to his feet that the plane was turning
and he would fight the steering. The solution was to look out the
windsheild when landing and poof! his landings were excellent. That is an
example of how it might be different that other taildraggers.
Anyone who wants to invest in some training and practice can learn to fly a
taildragger. Just a tiny bit more and the Europa mono-wheel is a blast. I
would not consider flying a sailplane or floatplane with out a bit of
training, this is no different.
Bob Jacobsen
A131
>From: DuaneFamly@aol.com
>Reply-To: europa-list@matronics.com
>To: europa-list@matronics.com
>Subject: Europa-List: Monowheel Ground Handling
>Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2003 22:29:45 EST
>
>
> I was talking to a prospective Europa flyer online today. He was
>asking about the handling problems while on the ground of the Europa
>monowheel. While I've got about 30 hours in a conventional taildragger, and
>have had the chance on three occasions to fly in Kim Prout's and the
>factory
>demonstrator, I was never asked to takeoff or land them.
>But I am also aware that the monowheel takeoff and landing technique is
>effectively different. Could a few of the seasoned Europa monowheel flyers
>on
>this forum provide some qualified discussion of the these two phases of
>flight? I'm sure he would appreciate it.
>
>Mike Duane A207
>Redding, California
>XS Trigear
>
>
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