I agree that on the ground the monowheel looks a bit strange. However
when it is in the air with the gear retracted I think it looks the part
more than the trigear.
With regards to a conventional tailtragger version it would be a more
viable proposition if the airframe was designed for it in the first
place. The positioning of the hard points for mounting the main gear in
this configuration calls for some inventive engineering. The engineer in
the UK who has done about 6 of these conversions reckons to allow about
2 months to do the work and he is familiar with the job. I believe, like
the trigear, it adds more weight to the airframe and only slightly eases
the handling skills required. One conventionally geared Europa a few
years ago sheared an undercarriage leg after a groundloop. Whilst this
was totally the fault of the pilot it shows that it is not the answer if
you wish to make the handling easier.
Nigel Charles
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of
BEBERRY@aol.com
Sent: 13 May 2006 11:38
Subject: Re: Europa-List: ...and another thing
Mono v Trike?? I have no comments about the flying characteristics
and th=
e
difficulties of landing and taking off for eirther type on differing
terrains , having only a relatively small experience of both...BUT..the
mon=
o just
does not look like a proper aeroplane. Why should this affect my
judgement?=
I
don't really know except for a natural prejudice which is the same one
that=
persuades me that even for =A31 a day all in no-one would persuade me
to ta=
ke a
trip on one of these new cruise ships that look like nothing more than
a
block of flats on a raft.
Personally if you want to go for both looks and safety, coupled with
decent=
all terrain usability, then a conventional tail dragger is best. There
are=
one or two around and they are great.
A bit of a stir to raise some comment!
Patrick
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