Avid flyer

On Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:02:32 +0000, jan olieslagers
wrote:



So allow me to repeat the question: what kind and amount of work would
it take to convert a taildragger Avid Flyer to tricycle?

simple answer ...goes for any taildragger to milkstool conversion.

determin CG position.

cut fuselage apart and move the main gear rearward of the cg and weld
new mounts in position.

either replace the engine mount with one beefed up to support the new
nosewheel
or
cut apart and modify the forward fuselage to take the new nosewheel
mount.

this is probably major surgery on the airframe and will involve a
structural savvy aeronautical engineer to design the mods.

now speaking as a taildragger pilot myself it would be far better if
you polished those stainless steel testicles of yours and went and got
a taildragger endorsement.
you'll never regret mastering the change back to real aeroplanes.
they are lighter, they have less drag, and no matter the swagger of
the milkstool pilot you'll be way cooler.(you wont even need raybans
to look cooler)

Stealth Pilot

On 10/7/2009 8:02 AM, Stealth Pilot wrote:
On Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:02:32 +0000, jan olieslagers
wrote:



So allow me to repeat the question: what kind and amount of work would
it take to convert a taildragger Avid Flyer to tricycle?

simple answer ...goes for any taildragger to milkstool conversion.

determin CG position.

cut fuselage apart and move the main gear rearward of the cg and weld
new mounts in position.

either replace the engine mount with one beefed up to support the new
nosewheel
or
cut apart and modify the forward fuselage to take the new nosewheel
mount.

this is probably major surgery on the airframe and will involve a
structural savvy aeronautical engineer to design the mods.

now speaking as a taildragger pilot myself it would be far better if
you polished those stainless steel testicles of yours and went and got
a taildragger endorsement.
you'll never regret mastering the change back to real aeroplanes.
they are lighter, they have less drag, and no matter the swagger of
the milkstool pilot you'll be way cooler.(you wont even need raybans
to look cooler)

Stealth Pilot

and much safer in and out of rough field, IMO.

In article ,
says...

now speaking as a taildragger pilot myself it would be far better if
you polished those stainless steel testicles of yours and went and got
a taildragger endorsement.


But, Sir, there is no tailwheel endorsement in Belgium...

Nobody who want to teach TD either: I went to France to get the -in my
eyes necessary- training and even there they would no allow TD-flying
when there was more than 5 knots crosswind-component.

No 5 knots cross means that our flying will be restricted to about 15
days a year.


you'll never regret mastering the change back to real aeroplanes.
they are lighter, they have less drag, and no matter the swagger of
the milkstool pilot you'll be way cooler.(you wont even need raybans
to look cooler)


Nobody argues about the 'cool'-factor but insurances have no 'coolness'-
factor: they charge significantly more for a TD than tricycle. Sadly
they do that for a valid reason.

As for stainless balls: no need for them in a plane. Sounds bad for
weight and balance.

Just my 2 (euro-)cents,

Tom De Moor (as Jan living near Brussels, Belgium)

Tom De Moor schreef:

Nobody who want to teach TD either: I went to France to get the -in my
eyes necessary- training and even there they would no allow TD-flying
when there was more than 5 knots crosswind-component.

In this respect I know better: two of my instructors are experienced
PPL-taildragger pilots, both making beautiful 3-point landings occasionally.

Mind you, they are my instructors on Belgium ultralight (2-seater, 450
kg max gross) which is more like a US-an LSA, and fits the Avid Flyer
neatly.

As for the endorsement: perhaps it doesn't exist legally, I don't doubt
you are right. But no club will let me fly its taildraggers without
proper training, and neither will I risk my own - if ever I buy this
Flyer, at the moment I don't think so.

De groeten, Tom!

On Oct 7, 10:28 am, Tom De Moor
wrote:

But, Sir, there is no tailwheel endorsement in Belgium...

Nobody who want to teach TD either: I went to France to get the -in my
eyes necessary- training and even there they would no allow TD-flying
when there was more than 5 knots crosswind-component.

No 5 knots cross means that our flying will be restricted to about 15
days a year.

Nobody argues about the 'cool'-factor but insurances have no 'coolness'-
factor: they charge significantly more for a TD than tricycle. Sadly
they do that for a valid reason.

There's no tailwheel endorsement in Canada, either. And we pay no more
for insurance on a taildragger than a trike. The taildragger's dragon-
breath is way overestimated. We train all of our students on the
Citabria, including teenage girls and a few folks who have some
trouble learning. They all get it. And the Citabria (7ECA) is going to
be way more squirrelly than an Avid, with its touchdown speed of over
50 mph. They demonstrate 10 kt crosswind landings and TOs before they
solo. I've done 15-20 kt xwinds in these. They will teach you how to
*actually* fly, something rather handy.

Dan

I soloed in the 50's as a 16 year old kid. I was turned loose with a
conventional gear plane with 8 hours and 20 minutes of dual. It can't be too
hard--I managed it. :-)

Going through my old log books I see very few references to wind or gusty
conditions.
So I guess all the todo today about "taildraggers" has to do with
un-learning all the sloppy habits that tricycle landing gear instills.

Sadly I can't afford a Pacer and had to settle for a Tri-Pacer. Insurance
woud have been double and this OF needs all the bucks for the gas tank. :-)

As a result there are many rough strips that I won't venture into.

Cheers:

Paul
N1431A
2AZ1
Indian Hills Airpark, AZ