Ron,
It's not a swiveling tailwheel that locks itself when centered ala
scott;maule. It's full swiveling like a grocery cart caster (with a
smaller wheel!) that locks rigid, centered when activated. I believe
the idea was to keep side loads from castering the tailwheel on landing.
The tough part was remembering to lock/unlock the thing. There's a
reason competition aerobatic aircraft don't have retractable gear!

Jerry

Ron wrote:
To show my ignorance, what kind of tailwheel do most Pitts have if not
locking. If they don't lock, how are they 'steered', brakes alone? I have
only about 200 hours tailwheel time (T-18, Champ, and Kitfox), all have had
locking tailwheels, and all intimidate me. The Kitfox is a trainer for my
Noon Patrol Nieuport-ll.

Thanks, Ron

"Ditch" wrote in message
...

Hey all,
Here's the deal. I am going to be ferrying a Pitts S-1S from Florida to

New

York next week. This airplane is equipped with a Haigh locking tailwheel.

I

have about 800 hours in various models of Pitts (S-2A, S-2B, S-1C and

S-1S) but

have never flown one with a locking tailwheel. I have flown airplanes with
locking tailwheels, just not a light plane.
Does anyone out there have any advice on how to handle this one? I'm not

sure

what to think. I have heard good things and terrible things about this

system.

And, looking back on it...I know 5 pilots that have flown Pitts S-1's with

the

locking tailwheel...4 of them wrecked on landing rollout (And having flown

with

all of them, they weren't crappy pilots...all had Pitts experience and a

good

amount of tailwheel time). Crap...now I am getting nervous.




-John
*You are nothing until you have flown a Douglas, Lockheed, Grumman or

North

American*