Flight,
Over the last couple of weeks I have been taking glider lessons for my
commercial FAA glider rating in a Blanik L-13. Training now
completed and just waiting for an examiner for a check ride. This aircraft
is a mono-wheel like the Europa. Flying this aircraft is very simple on the
mono-wheel in all take off and landing configurations. Learning how to soar
for any length of time, now that is a precise science all by itself.
Balancing on the single wheel until it has lost all lift and as they like,
keeping it off the tail wheel as long as possible is very simple. Am I way
off base or is the landing and take off characteristic in these aircraft
that much different, so far as the mono-wheel characteristics or very
similar. And the Blanik only has a 10kt crosswind limitation. Also keeping
in mind the engine vs. no engine differences.
And one really fun piece of this training is speed brakes. Having never
flown an aircraft with speed brakes, these are great, you can almost hang it
on final approach with a steep angle. Lots of fun. I believe this
experience will make me a much better Europa pilot so far as balancing on
this basketball/wheel and ground handling. Wish I had speed brakes.
Thanks,
Steve
N42AH
A058
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Fergus Kyle
Subject: Re: Europa-List: Angle of Attack
----- Original Message -----
From: "Graham Singleton" <graham@gflight.f9.co.uk>
Subject: Europa-List: Angle of Attack
<graham@gflight.f9.co.uk>
|
| From: "josok" <josok-e@ukolo.fi>
|
|
| Since i am a very green pilot, and do only dream about flying my Europa,
please
| do not take this attempt too serious. I am flying the club's Supercub, and
especially
| on skies it asks for a fixed, 60 miles final, and because of the
white-out,
| you only set the descent rate at about 100 ft/min. The variable in this
| quotation is the settle down point of course. But since there are no
numbers
| on these very long and very white runways, it does not matter. In my
dreams i
| land the Europa the same way. Nail the speed on final, and set the descent
rate
| at an agreeable speed. Why would this work or not work?
|
| Jos
| In the flare, or rather when very close to the ground,last foot, the
tailplane loses the effect of the downwash from the wing. This is ground
effect of course. The result is that unless you do something about it, the
nose will drop and you will bounce. As soon as you feel this nose drop pull
the stick back quickly to prevent it.
| Simplest way is to feel for the ground with the tailwheel and as soon as
it touches stick hard back. The plane can't pitch up so it just quits
flying.
| Graham
Jos,
Graham has it! Another aspect is that you may have different
weights on approach - passenger, luggage, full tank - and the difference
between that and solo, no baggage and tanks toward empty - can be a
significant percentage of the total weight. Like most aircraft the Europa
exhibits very different drag characterisitics at extreme weights. You want
to know what approach speed will give you Graham's 'feel-for-the-ground'
values at round-out. That comes with care and research. But the approach
speed does not stay fixed as with a Supercub on skis. Because the Europa is
slick and smooth it floats when too fast. The reverse is even
worse..........
Good luck, and use a long runway to practice.
Ferg
|