"Rick" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Kirk Stant wrote:

Nowadays I fly high performance gliders, most of which
have the ultimate narrow taildragger gear - one main wheel on the
centerline. And in my experience, unless you get really sideways (or
snag a wingtip, which is the usual cause of a glider groundloop), they
have absolutely no tendency to switch ends on landing. My theory it
that the stability is due to the relatively long wheelbase (in
relation to gross weight), low CG, and (usually) a fixed tailwheel or
skid. Any ideas from you aero majors out there?


Consider that the wheel is usually very close to the CG, the arm between
the CG and the very effective rudder is long giving a great deal of
rudder authority at low speeds and that the tail skid or wheel does not
touch the ground until the glider is all but stopped, and sometimes not
even then 8-)


Rick


Don't forget that a glider has LONG wings out there. Those long wings have
a fair amount of mass, and if mass is distributed farther from the CG, it
will result in a a more stable aircraft. One extremely unstable aircraft
that comes to mind is the Sopwith Camel.. All the heavy parts (fuel tank,
engine, pilot, gun) were located in about a 7' or 8' secton very near the
CG..

KB