Tamed by the Tailwheel

Yesterday I had an acro lesson scheduled, but since the ceilings were
too low we decided to do some pattern work instead since I'm also
working on the TW endorsement. The grass field at the airport had some
soft spots from the rain this weekend, so the plan was to fly over to
Queens City Airport, just outside of Allentown, PA. While I have
managed to make some good three point landings on the grass, the
majority of my eight or so hours in the Super Decathlon has been
devoted to acro, with pattern work making up only a small percentage of
my time up to this point.

Although I knew the winds were 310 with gusts between 20-24 kts, when
we departed from Rwy 25 I was still surprised at how quickly the wind
was pushing me off centerline. I corrected, but as we had been warned
by a glider pilot a few minutes earlier, the ten minute trip over was
extremely bumpy and likely made worse by the numerous ridges in the
area. After arriving I overflew the field to verify the most
appropriate runway, which was Rwy 33. My instructor informed me that
the pattern is particularly tight, with one reason being that there is
a ridge on the approach end of Rwy 33.

I flew out and made the 45 to the downwind while getting knocked around
the entire time. On the first pattern I found myself rushed and not
able to get properly set-up. I knew that I was too fast on final and
while I flared at about the right time, I allowed my attitude to fall
somewhere between that required for a wheel landing and a three point.
Combining those two factors caused me to bounce more times than I care
to remember, so I decided to go around. What became readily apparent to
me is that while one can get away with excess speed on the grass, the
margin for error on the hard top.

One the next trip around the pattern I think I was more relaxed and was
able to not only get my prop and throttle setting nailed, but I managed
to get my speed closer to where it should be. This approach was far
more stable with a good flare, but again my attitude was a hybrid
between a wheel and three point. I think part of the problem was that
I wasn't keeping the stick far enough back for a good three point
attitude. My instructor commented that if I had just given it a little
more forward pressure it would have been a good wheel landing, although
that's not what I was trying to do. We did one more trip around the
pattern before heading back and that was probably the worst of the
three.

Back at Van Sant we had about a 60 degree crosswind, but I managed to
keep the upwind wing down. Fortunately, the grass allows more mistakes
to be forgiven than on asphalt. I think my biggest problem happens to
be speed control. While I'm comfortable with no flap landings in a
172, I think the higher speed on downwind in the SD makes it harder to
bleed off speed for the approach. I'm 23 squared on downwind then once
abeam the numbers I bring the MP to 15" and prop full forward. At that
point my airspeed is about 120 mph. My instructor mentioned that he
often keeps cruise speed on downwind until abeam. I've done enough
spins and stalls in the SD to know that with throttle to idle it still
takes some work getting the airspeed down. Because I don't want to
make my pattern too wide I'm reluctant to spend too much time bleeding
off airspeed before completing the pattern.

But I think that if I can get my airspeed control nailed consistently I
can really get a handle on this. When my airspeed is on point my
landings are pretty good, but it's a matter of nailing the airspeed
more often. Doing this in a 172 is almost a no brainer. Perhaps I
should let the instructor demonstrate a few landings for me. It was
humbling experience and I felt like I was a new student pilot all over
again. I think my feet are still tired from all the dancing I had to
do.

Dave

120 on downwind!!!
You're about 40 mph faster than you should be. It's no wonder you cannot
get slowed down! You should be no more than 85 MPH by the time you enter
the pattern. If you want to bleed speed, slip it and don't let the
airspeed increase when you kick it straight.
Forget about the prop until short final. If you are below 1600 RPM at
15" MP, you are probably below the minimum governor speed

Dave,

Your speed on downwind is fine, it allows you to mix with other
airplanes. Suggest you just pull the power back further when you make
the initial reduction and then quit looking at the m.p. gauge and use
the power as you need it to descend and hold your speed where you want
it. Speed control is utterly essential on tailwheel airplanes. It's
okay to be decelerating through the pattern and nail the speed on
final. If you're fast, close the throttle and slow down, using a
forward slip if necessary, although with a little planning you won't
need to slip the airplane. Wait until you are on final for the prop,
out of consideration for the folks around the airport. Make sure the
throttle is closed before you go into the flare and then strive to get
the stick all the way back to the stop before touchdown. It may mean
that the tailwheel touches first, but that's perfectly fine, it's
designed for it.

Have fun finishing the checkout.

All the best,
Rick

Don't worry about keeping the airspeed high on downwind. It's perfectly
ok to do that. Unless you're a student learning to fly patterns, you
should be able to fly your pattern at any speed you choose within
available parameters for your airplane's configuration. In fact, it's
good to get used to doing this, as it's only a matter of time until some
controller will ask you to do it for traffic separation.
The Decathlon isn't all that slippery that you can't scrub off some
airspeed any time you wish. Trust me, I've done it hundreds of times.
Just play the approach and the airspeed accordingly, configuring the
airplane the way you want it as you turn base and onto final.
Just make sure, and this is especially important in tailwheels, that you
are configured correctly for airspeed, altitude, and attitude, as you
cross the threshold prior to flare transitioning.
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/CFI Retired
for private email; make necessary changes between ( )
dhenriques(at)(delete all this)earthlink(dot)net

wrote in message
ups.com...
Yesterday I had an acro lesson scheduled, but since the ceilings were
too low we decided to do some pattern work instead since I'm also
working on the TW endorsement. The grass field at the airport had
some
soft spots from the rain this weekend, so the plan was to fly over to
Queens City Airport, just outside of Allentown, PA. While I have
managed to make some good three point landings on the grass, the
majority of my eight or so hours in the Super Decathlon has been
devoted to acro, with pattern work making up only a small percentage
of
my time up to this point.

Although I knew the winds were 310 with gusts between 20-24 kts, when
we departed from Rwy 25 I was still surprised at how quickly the wind
was pushing me off centerline. I corrected, but as we had been warned
by a glider pilot a few minutes earlier, the ten minute trip over was
extremely bumpy and likely made worse by the numerous ridges in the
area. After arriving I overflew the field to verify the most
appropriate runway, which was Rwy 33. My instructor informed me that
the pattern is particularly tight, with one reason being that there is
a ridge on the approach end of Rwy 33.

I flew out and made the 45 to the downwind while getting knocked
around
the entire time. On the first pattern I found myself rushed and not
able to get properly set-up. I knew that I was too fast on final and
while I flared at about the right time, I allowed my attitude to fall
somewhere between that required for a wheel landing and a three point.
Combining those two factors caused me to bounce more times than I care
to remember, so I decided to go around. What became readily apparent
to
me is that while one can get away with excess speed on the grass, the
margin for error on the hard top.

One the next trip around the pattern I think I was more relaxed and
was
able to not only get my prop and throttle setting nailed, but I
managed
to get my speed closer to where it should be. This approach was far
more stable with a good flare, but again my attitude was a hybrid
between a wheel and three point. I think part of the problem was that
I wasn't keeping the stick far enough back for a good three point
attitude. My instructor commented that if I had just given it a
little
more forward pressure it would have been a good wheel landing,
although
that's not what I was trying to do. We did one more trip around the
pattern before heading back and that was probably the worst of the
three.

Back at Van Sant we had about a 60 degree crosswind, but I managed to
keep the upwind wing down. Fortunately, the grass allows more
mistakes
to be forgiven than on asphalt. I think my biggest problem happens to
be speed control. While I'm comfortable with no flap landings in a
172, I think the higher speed on downwind in the SD makes it harder to
bleed off speed for the approach. I'm 23 squared on downwind then
once
abeam the numbers I bring the MP to 15" and prop full forward. At
that
point my airspeed is about 120 mph. My instructor mentioned that he
often keeps cruise speed on downwind until abeam. I've done enough
spins and stalls in the SD to know that with throttle to idle it still
takes some work getting the airspeed down. Because I don't want to
make my pattern too wide I'm reluctant to spend too much time bleeding
off airspeed before completing the pattern.

But I think that if I can get my airspeed control nailed consistently
I
can really get a handle on this. When my airspeed is on point my
landings are pretty good, but it's a matter of nailing the airspeed
more often. Doing this in a 172 is almost a no brainer. Perhaps I
should let the instructor demonstrate a few landings for me. It was
humbling experience and I felt like I was a new student pilot all over
again. I think my feet are still tired from all the dancing I had to
do.

Dave

I think you did well. Those windspeeds are not for learning!

It is definitely easier on grass ("the grass tarmac") than on asphalt.

I am always ready to convert a wheel landing into a three-pointer.
It's never happened that I intend a three-pointer and convert it to a
wheelie, but if it should happen that way, why not?


-- all the best, Dan Ford

email (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
the blog: www.danford.net

perfect thread for me since i just did my first tailwheel lesson
yesterday. citabria 7gcbc. runway 9 wind 180@15 or so. some gustiness
but mostly just a strong-steady blow. for a first lesson i sure got my
money's worth. by the end, she had me running on one wheel and holding
it right down the centerline. plan on getting the tw endorsment then
some aerobatics and lots of spin and unusual (like in how the hell did
i wind up upside down and backwards???)attitude training.


dan

wrote:

somewhere between that required for a wheel landing and a three
point.

I've found the SuperD difficult to get to flair to the three point
position. I've had to almost pry back to get it there and then relax
backpressure a bit so it doesn't go too nose high. (I'm not
recommending
this technique, just mentioning that I've experienced difficulty
getting
the SuperD into a nice three point attitude.) I don't find the same
problem with the regular Decathlon, so I guessed it was the extra
weight
up front?

btw, I've flown with Azhar, mostly in the Stearman and Great Lakes, so
say "Hi from Rick Macklem up in Canada", when you see him.
Have fun and good luck with it, rick

rmack,

Trim the airplane more aggressively on short final if you are having
difficulty getting the nose up. Slide in some extra nose up trim when
on short final, it will help. If you run out of elevator, slide in
nose down trim to get more effective elevator area but be prepared to
pull like crazy to take advantage of it.

It's impossible to get it "too nose high" on landing. Believe it or
not, it's okay to roll the tailwheel first. You touch down even more
slowly and have better control and less risk of a loss of control
accident on rollout. The slower you touch down the less energy you
have to manage during rollout.

All the best,
Rick

With due respect to all who have replied with various techniques, it
seems everyone is working with way too much airspeed! Now I don't claim
to be the base ace or ass, whichever comes to mind, but I do have a lot
of time in aircraft with the wheel in the rear and god only knows how
many thousands of landings with them (perhaps 20-30,000+?). The
apparent discussions as to wheel or tail aka "3 point" is amusing since
the ultimate outcome is supposed to be a safe and uneventful landing to
a full stop...isn't it?
In thousands of hours in crop dusting in a variety of aircraft,
dirt/grass/asphalt/concrete for landing areas, I never knew if it was
going to be a 3 point or a wheel landing. Most of the time it was a
slow speed wheel landing with minimum roll and braking or reverse
thrust. We didn't have time to screw around with rollouts and holding
centerline or whatever. We needed to land, get reloaded and back into
the air. The time we spent not spraying was non-revenue. Many of the
strips were barely as wide as the landing gear and difficult to work
from/on.
The biggest flaw I have seen in modern pilots is speed control and
right behind that is not knowing how to use rudder/aileron coordination
for landings. It continually amazes me at the lack of skill or even
knowledge of CFI's when it comes to slips with any degree of accuracy.
It all seems to be very pedantic with little or no pilot skills
involved. I am continually reminded of that when I fly with pilots who
have gotten their certificates in the past 15 years or so.
There is no magic in flying tail draggers any more than flying trikes
vs tailwheel, turboprops vs radial engine vs piston. Its a matter of
good technique and from what I read across the boards, it is a dying
art. No wonder I am called an old gray haired hardnosed as$hole.
Anybody can fly at cruise speeds. Who can fly on the lowest reaches of
the envelope with complete control and understanding of what they are
doing? There is the challenge.
Ol Shy & Not So Bashful (this time)

wrote in message
oups.com...
With due respect to all who have replied with various techniques, it
seems everyone is working with way too much airspeed! Now I don't
claim
to be the base ace or ass, whichever comes to mind, but I do have a
lot
of time in aircraft with the wheel in the rear and god only knows how
many thousands of landings with them (perhaps 20-30,000+?). The
apparent discussions as to wheel or tail aka "3 point" is amusing
since
the ultimate outcome is supposed to be a safe and uneventful landing
to
a full stop...isn't it?
In thousands of hours in crop dusting in a variety of aircraft,
dirt/grass/asphalt/concrete for landing areas, I never knew if it was
going to be a 3 point or a wheel landing. Most of the time it was a
slow speed wheel landing with minimum roll and braking or reverse
thrust. We didn't have time to screw around with rollouts and holding
centerline or whatever. We needed to land, get reloaded and back into
the air. The time we spent not spraying was non-revenue. Many of the
strips were barely as wide as the landing gear and difficult to work
from/on.
The biggest flaw I have seen in modern pilots is speed control and
right behind that is not knowing how to use rudder/aileron
coordination
for landings. It continually amazes me at the lack of skill or even
knowledge of CFI's when it comes to slips with any degree of accuracy.
It all seems to be very pedantic with little or no pilot skills
involved. I am continually reminded of that when I fly with pilots who
have gotten their certificates in the past 15 years or so.
There is no magic in flying tail draggers any more than flying trikes
vs tailwheel, turboprops vs radial engine vs piston. Its a matter of
good technique and from what I read across the boards, it is a dying
art. No wonder I am called an old gray haired hardnosed as$hole.
Anybody can fly at cruise speeds. Who can fly on the lowest reaches of
the envelope with complete control and understanding of what they are
doing? There is the challenge.
Ol Shy & Not So Bashful (this time)

Are you telling me I work my airplanes at too high an airspeed, and am
advising others to do the same?

Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/CFI Retired
for private email; make necessary changes between ( )
dhenriques(at)(delete all this)earthlink(dot)net