---------------------------------------------------------- Europa-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Fri 04/25/08: 2 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 05:05 AM - Re: Conventional Tail Wheel Conversion (Greg Fuchs (FB)) 2. 05:15 PM - Re: Conventional Tail Wheel Conversion (JR Gowing) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 05:05:38 AM PST US From: "Greg Fuchs (FB)" Subject: RE: Europa-List: Conventional Tail Wheel Conversion Thanks, I was silently wondering too. Greg Fuchs Do not archive -----Original Message----- From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Paul McAllister Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 7:03 PM Subject: Europa-List: Conventional Tail Wheel Conversion Hi all, I have had a number of "off forum" emails wondering why after nearly 800 hours of monowheel time am I changing to a conventional tail dragger. Well the reason isn't anything sinister, where I have simply given up on trying to land the darn thing !! There are a few things that have prompted my down this route. I had been doing a bit of research on the topic and it was becoming apparent that there might not be a drag penalty with conventional gear, actually after exchanging a few emails with Duncan I am beginning to think that conventional gear might even have less drag. Another advantage is that on the ground cooling is much improved. I find I have a bit of a problem with oil temps bumping up near 250 f in the summer time. A few other factors are playing into it, my daughter is wanting to fly the aircraft and I just can't get comfortable with the idea of her having to come up to speed with landing it on the pavement. I think I was probably 100 hours in before I started to feel comfortable. Getting hull insurance on it with her as PIC would be near impossible. Why not a Tri gear ? I am not prepared to pay the 40 pound weight penalty What finally ticked me off was last September the port out rigger jammed up, I realized it as the aircraft was rolling out so I flicked the wing up, got it to lock but the violent action caused me to swing the aircraft around to 90 degrees on the runway and I got a propeller strike. It was minor, just grazing two blades by a few mm, but it still put me out of action for 6 weeks and $1500.00 in the hole I was so irritated by this that I promptly ordered a tail dragger conversion. The other thing that interests me is that I suspect that I can make it go faster. Without the wheel in place I can close up the air outlet, and while I am about it re work the inlet, and re route the exhaust. I am also speculating that the drag from the "half wheel" exposed plus the opening is quite significant, perhaps more than some nicely faired gear legs and wheel pants. Performance numbers from Duncan suggest that this might be the case. Lastly the electric flap drive will let get a little more flap travel so I might be able to add a few degrees of negative reflex in the flaps. So, I guess I am going to be busy over the winter. Cheers, Paul ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 05:15:52 PM PST US From: "JR Gowing" Subject: Re: Europa-List: Conventional Tail Wheel Conversion Thank you for your thoughts Paul JR (Bob) Gowing UK Kit 327 in Oz Do not archive ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul McAllister" Sent: Friday, April 25, 2008 12:03 PM Subject: Europa-List: Conventional Tail Wheel Conversion > > > Hi all, > > I have had a number of "off forum" emails wondering why after nearly > 800 hours of monowheel time am I changing to a conventional tail > dragger. Well the reason isn't anything sinister, where I have simply > given up on trying to land the darn thing !! > > There are a few things that have prompted my down this route. I had > been doing a bit of research on the topic and it was becoming apparent > that there might not be a drag penalty with conventional gear, > actually after exchanging a few emails with Duncan I am beginning to > think that conventional gear might even have less drag. > > Another advantage is that on the ground cooling is much improved. I > find I have a bit of a problem with oil temps bumping up near 250 f > in the summer time. > > A few other factors are playing into it, my daughter is wanting to fly > the aircraft and I just can't get comfortable with the idea of her > having to come up to speed with landing it on the pavement. I think I > was probably 100 hours in before I started to feel comfortable. > Getting hull insurance on it with her as PIC would be near impossible. > > Why not a Tri gear ? I am not prepared to pay the 40 pound weight penalty > > What finally ticked me off was last September the port out rigger > jammed up, I realized it as the aircraft was rolling out so I flicked > the wing up, got it to lock but the violent action caused me to swing > the aircraft around to 90 degrees on the runway and I got a propeller > strike. It was minor, just grazing two blades by a few mm, but it > still put me out of action for 6 weeks and $1500.00 in the hole > > I was so irritated by this that I promptly ordered a tail dragger > conversion. The other thing that interests me is that I suspect that > I can make it go faster. Without the wheel in place I can close up > the air outlet, and while I am about it re work the inlet, and re > route the exhaust. I am also speculating that the drag from the "half > wheel" exposed plus the opening is quite significant, perhaps more > than some nicely faired gear legs and wheel pants. Performance > numbers from Duncan suggest that this might be the case. > > Lastly the electric flap drive will let get a little more flap travel > so I might be able to add a few degrees of negative reflex in the > flaps. > > So, I guess I am going to be busy over the winter. > > Cheers, Paul > > > -- > Checked by AVG. > 24/04/2008 6:32 PM > -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message europa-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Europa-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/europa-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/europa-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.