On Thu, 10 Aug 2006 02:08:45 -0400, "Morgans" wrote:

"dougdrivr" wrote

You also need to consider that this was on a very narrow taxiway (for a
TBM) and the TBM has no tail wheel steering. Deep "S" turns would require
lots of brake and ,if the tail wheel got off on the grass, alot of power
to straighten out and the chance of blowing someone over behind you....
[Snip]

I'll say again; I never saw the taxiway width being a problem for any other
warbird, while I was working there. 35 feet is plenty wide for a good
S-turn.

Yes, but: Most of the other warbirds you saw have tailwheel steering. Without
it, directional control is pretty indirect, and S-turning isn't just a matter of
a casual push on a pedal. Couple that with the realization that every S-turn
wears a brake pad, and that pads for TBMs are probably neither common nor cheap.
Heck, they're $200 a pair just for my Fly Baby....

Couple with a big radial cowling, the pilot probably doesn't truly get a good
view forward until the longitudinal axis takes a significant offset from the
centerline. With that, you're heading towards the taxiway lights that much
quicker, and you're going to want to turn back early enough so the wheels don't
leave the pavement.

Like Dougdrivr said, it certainly was the pilot's responsibility to clear the
taxiway ahead. But I can sympathize with the problems he faced.

Ron Wanttaja