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Re: Europa-List: Mono or Tri-Gear, what to choose?

Subject: Re: Europa-List: Mono or Tri-Gear, what to choose?
From: Gilles Thesee <Gilles.Thesee@acgrenoble.fr>
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:32:25

Duncan & Ami McFadyean a crit :
> Not necessarily.
> The tri gear can be steered only by its rudder and mainwheel brakes. 
> The fixed taildragger can elect also to keep its tailwheel on the 
> ground for additional steering effect, until the rudder is fully 
> effective.
> At which point the fixed taildragger can raise its tail to a position 
> that keeps the mainwheels firmly on the ground; whereas a tri gear 
> would wheelbarrow if this is to be tried.
> The crosswind limitation of the TD is probably therefore higher than 
> the trigear, for a given level of pilot familiarity.

Duncan,

I suppose you are talking about Europa models, which I never flew.
Nevertheless, I recently had to cancel flights on a taildragger in a 
27/G40 kt wind whereas I had no problems taxiing with the nosewheel 
counterpart.
Also, on 9 th of August, while taking off Duxford with only circa 18/20 
kt from the left, the wind was being strongly felt while it usually 
poses no problem in a nosewheel aircraftt.

BTW, how come we were the *only* visiting airplane on this "taildragger 
and Robin" bonus day ? I was hoping to see some British Europas.
Maybe is it the fact that we had to cross the Channel on our way back at 
600 ft in rain ?

Best regards,
-- 
Gilles
http://contrails.free.fr



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