Interesting example....thx for sharing. Did the tail rise because of downwin
d full aft stick? Im confused why you were pointing downwind and not weather
-cocked into the wind ( which i would have thought would have ben the planes
natural tendency)?
Cheers and thx,
Pete
> On Apr 2, 2017, at 4:56 AM, Brian Davies <brian.davies@clara.co.uk> wrote:
>
> The Mono vs Trigear debate could go on for ever and there is no clear winn
er. Here is my take on it for what it is worth.
>
> I built my Europa as a Mono. Prior to flying it I had about 15 hours tail
wheel experience in a J3 Cub. I would describe myself as only an average pi
lot who has work to stay sharp and current. I received expert conversion tra
ining and then flew some 20 hours of the most challenging and enjoyable kind
. I then got too confident and tried to land on tarmac with a 90 degree 5-1
0 knot crosswind. It got away from me but the runway was 45 metres wide so n
o real drama. Just as the aircraft was coming to a stop at 90 degrees to th
e runway heading and with the wind now up my tail I touched the brakes and i
t tipped on its nose . The cost was three new Airmaster blades and an overh
auled hub. It was my fault, not the aircraft. The lesson I learned was- yo
u can never relax with a Mono- you must always keep on top of it. Once you g
et below a certain speed if you are still out of shape you become a passenge
r because you have no differential braking to save the day.
>
> I considered my situation and decided the Mono was great fun but I wanted t
o do some European touring and felt I would enjoy it more with a Trigear so I
converted. With the speed kit fitted it is probably 5 knots slower but I d
on=99t notice that. Once in the air I cannot tell the difference betw
een the two configurations. I have never regretted my decision to convert b
ut if asked I would always advise someone building a Mono to go for it and e
njoy the challenge. Yes, conversion is much harder than going Tri during th
e build but handling a Mono is one of those flying experiences that should n
ot be missed.
>
> Brian Davies G-DDBD
>
> From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-ser
ver@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Pete
> Sent: 01 April 2017 23:08
> To: europa-list@matronics.com
> Subject: Re: Europa-List: Re: Considering the purchase of a 2nd hand kit
>
> Fwiw, I had the generous opportunity to fly with Tim in his fine Mono a fe
w years back, and didn't notice any strange handling issues - in fact he sho
wed me two landings to prove it :) I did't get the impression it was any bu
sier than a normal taildragger either. Thanks again Tim! I had the same ob
servations on my other three mono demo flights. For sure it would have diffe
rent techniques with the outriggers than a 'normal' taildragger, but nothing
that couldn't be easily learned. Up here in canada, the young air cadets t
rain on gliders without disaster. I for sure will build mine as a mono, as t
he mono's attributes are what attracted me to the plane in the first place, a
nd the entire structure is based on the compact and efficient design. For su
re it is less busy on the ground than my short coupled and inadequate tailed
hummelbird :-)
>
> That said, the tri "gold rush" that is for sale would be the most economic
al way to get into a europa (the current north american resale values for eu
ropas has plummeted, simply due to their sparse numbers, and fickle NA flyer
s preference to match hole sonex's and RV's).
>
> So far i have not yet flown another type that is so beautifully harmonized
, stable and yet responsive. DD did his homework well! I still love this des
ign this 19 years after i first did my research.
>
> Cheers and blue skies,
> Pete
> C-IPWZ (not a europa ;)
>
> On Apr 1, 2017, at 1:54 PM, Pete Lawless <pete@lawless.info> wrote:
>
> Hi Ira
>
> I agree totally with Tim. In fact in the last 15 years since my mono has b
een flying I have never noticed any tendency to tip the nose down on braking
regardless of the G of G.
>
> You just need soft hands on the ailerons to keep the wings level. If you o
ver control and push the outrigger into the surface then it affects the C o
f G, unloads the tail wheel and a ground loop is waiting to happen.
>
> Having owned a share in a Cub I think the mono is neither harder nor easie
r just different.
>
> Pete
>
> G-RMAC #109
>
>
> On 01/04/17 18:15, houlihan tim wrote:
> Hi Ira
>
> "Prop strikes on Mono's are common". What makes you say that ?
>
> In the UK there is no noticeable difference between aircraft insurance pre
miums for tri gear and mono, which tells you something .
>
> Sure if you brake hard while turning you can upset things but the accident
rate is very similar for both types.
>
> I have had my 912 mono classic flying for 15 years now and yes I broke a p
rop ( only once) but as I attempted to land rounding out about ten feet too h
igh I blame the pilot (me) not the configuration , indeed in a similar situa
tion a tri gear would not only have damaged the prop but also the nosewheel.
>
> Better pilots than me have described the mono as no more difficult to oper
ate than a piper cub, Having only been a passenger in a cub I cannot give an
opinion on that.
>
> The mono is a tail wheel aeroplane and behaves like one,
>
> regards
>
> Tim
>
> G-BZTH
>
>
>
>
>
> On 01 April 2017 at 17:30 rampil <ira.rampil@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> To further your consideration, the mono wheel also has a spinny thing
> on the front end which is absent from most gliders. Prop strikes are also
> common with monowheels. Depending on you CG loading, a tap on
> the brake might just rock you forward! Fortunately (if one can say
> that in this context), the combination of carbon fiber prop and
> Rotax gear box usually prevents expensive engine damage.
>
> --------
> Ira N224XS
>
>
>
>
> Read this topic online here:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=467914#467914
>
>
>
>
>
> >
>
>
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 04/01/17
|