---------------------------------------------------------- Europa-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Fri 12/28/18: 1 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 06:50 AM - Re: Usa flight question (Bud Yerly) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 06:50:14 AM PST US From: Bud Yerly Subject: RE: Europa-List: Usa flight question Will, The Trigear is a pussy cat in crosswinds but do consider these things: The manual says 15 Knots max for cross wind. I have done that on numerous occasions on asphalt and at higher crosswinds. I will use full flaps up to 15 Knots cross wind. If higher than that, =BD flaps doesn=92t increase touchdown speed, but improves roll control somewha t. Wing low or crab on final is appropriate. Like the mono, a crab approach u ntil the threshold is fine and then a smooth rudder input to align the fus elage with the runway with a touch of aileron to keep the wings at the desi red wing low attitude. One should add =BD the gust factor on final in strong gusty crosswinds for better control. However, that speed must be bled off later. Touchdown speed is only slightly higher than normal and rarely above 50 unl ess an unplanned touchdown occurs due to lack of proficiency or turbulence. WARNING: NO NOT ATTEMPT TO FORCE THE PLANE TO THE GROUND. GO AROUND IF TO O FAST. SET AN APPROACH SPEED, AND USE NORMAL CROSSWIND TECHNIQUES TO ACHI EVE AS CLOSE TO A NORMAL LANDING SPEED AS POSSIBLE. If unfamiliar with the landing field, plan for a low approach or two to dra g the runway to ascertain how the winds will affect your flare and landing. Buildings, trees, ridge lines, burms, and shoreline angles affect the win d direction and even velocity. Landing distances and flare distances are i ncreased in strong crosswinds so plan accordingly. Note: The roll to yaw coupling in the crab to wing low can be counteracted with a small amount of aileron. Even in a full 15 knot gusty crosswind th e transition from crab to wing low is effortless. Turbulence in the flare is another matter. As speed bleeds to touchdown speed, some stirring of th e stick is necessary to keep this light airplane precisely aligned and at t he desired landing attitude. I use a crab on final, then approaching the threshold, I transition to my w ing low. Rarely do I need to bury the stick into my leg with upwind ailero n. About 2-3 inches of stick is all that is required at 50KIAS just prior to touchdown. I plan to land on the upwind wheel and stay on the upwind wh eel (yes flying down the runway on one main can be done) increasing the win g low until the plane stops flying and the downwind wheel settles at about 45-50. After touchdown, hold the nose off until rudder no longer can keep the cent erline, which happens very fast. Once the nose wheel is on the ground you are in a steeringless tricycle. The transition to high speed tricycle must be done instantly when the nose is on the ground. Rudder into the wind and perhaps some upwind brake dragg ing will be necessary to stay on the centerline until taxi speed. Large ru dder inputs are not enough to maintain the centerline as speed decreases, s o brake will be required for steering (see taxi below). Keep some aileron into the wind and increase the amount of aileron into the wind to aid steering as speed decreases. (Some steering can be done with ailerons alone. Try it some time on a nice calm day.) I keep the stick to neutral to just slightly aft on roll out in gusty condi tions to allow the nose gear and brake to do its directional job. Takeoff is not the reverse. Take off with 10 degrees of flap minimum for a lower takeoff speed, angle a nd stall margin. =BD flap is about the max I care to do. Worst case is left cross, 912S/914, and a constant speed prop for the rudde r control during the initial takeoff roll. So some right brake on takeoff roll is necessary for slightly longer than you are used to but only to abou t 35 Knots. For very strong cross winds, a good fist full of aileron into the wind is a ll that is necessary (2-3 inches). In very strong winds, I keep the upwind wheel planted and the aircraft on the centerline until I am above rotation airspeed. Rotation speed is 35 Knots plus =BD gust factor or just rotate at 45 Knots. ROTATE, BUT DO NOT HORSE THE PLANE AIRBORNE. ROTATE ENOUGH T O GET THE NOSE WHEEL OFF THE GROUND AND KEEP THE TAKEOFF ATTITUDE. During the takeoff roll, use rudder and only if needed, a touch of brake to keep t he centerline. If you have full aileron in, the plane will roll rapidly up on one wheel which startles many pilots. (The roll rate at 45-50 KIAS in t he Europa is quite impressive.) Once the aircraft nose wheel is off the gr ound at 45, takeoff follows quickly. Allow the aircraft to immediately cra b into the wind and neutralize aileron for a wings level climb out. Mainta in your takeoff pitch attitude until safely airborne as rollers off of buil dings and the like, can cause a downforce that may result in a secondary gr ound contact immediately after liftoff. Maintain your takeoff attitude and fly the plane out of the turbulence and your gear will take any skips or b umps. WARNING: DO NOT APPLY FULL AILERON AND HOLD IT ON TAKEOFF IN THE EUROPA UN TIL NOSE ROTATION AS THE AIRCRAFT ROLLS QUITE SHARPLY AT 45 KNOTS AND WILL RAPIDLY PICK UP THE WING. IF YOU HORSE THE PLANE OFF WITH FULL AILERON, IT IS LIKELY YOU WILL STALL THE DOWNWIND WING AND ROLL TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE, THE WIND WILL CONTINUE TO LIFT THE UPWIND WING AND IN A STALLED CONDITION, YOU WILL ENCOUNTER WILD EXCURSIONS AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL AND RUNWAY DEPARTURE (CRASH). Taxi considerations. Long taxi operations in a crosswind with the nose gea r shimmy dampener loose will cause the upwind wheel brake to get very hot =85 Hot enough to melt plastic brake lines that are unprotected or unshiel ded. A slightly stiff nose gear will allow the wheel to stay in a slight o ffset to prevent excessive brake use and overheating of your disks and lini ngs. Limit your taxi time in strong cross winds. Taxi using appropriate c ontrol for the direction of the crosswind to your taxi. Taxiing downwind l eaves you with little or reversed rudder control so your only option is bra ke steering. Although the trigear can be planted in a crab at 55 Knots and the nose whee l lowered, and brakes applied as necessary to lower the heart rate, I find it easier to drag the field, ascertain the winds in a very low approach, fi nd where the air is smooth for touchdown, and set up my approach again for the conditions. Crab on final, kick it out prior to the flare, and concent rate on keeping the centerline and achieving that slow flight wing low atti tude prior to touchdown about 50 KIAS in a gusty 15 -25 knot cross. HOLD T HE WING LOW IN THE ONE WHEEL LANDING ATTITUDE TO KEEP ALIGNMENT UNTIL THE S PEED BLEEDS OFF, THEN DROP TO A TWO POINT, AND ROLL IN THE CROSSWIND RUDDER , KEEPING THE AILERON INTO THE WIND AND SET THE NOSE DOWN USING ONLY NEUTRA L TO SLIGHT BACK PRESSURE ON THE STICK FOR NOSE WHEEL GROUNDING. THEN IMME DIATELY PUT YOUR HAND ON THE BRAKE HANDLES FOR THAT MOMENT WHEN FLYING CONT ROLS WILL NOT MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. After landing, check for tire wear and brake heat and if hot, allow to air cool. Tires deflect and in very strong cross winds will drag on a tight fi tting pant. (Vibration and tire drag stress the wheel pants so look for cr acks as well.) I haven=92t had to flip up my main wheel pants for brake cooling , but I did route my brake lines so as to avoid heat from the disk affecting my cheap plastic brake lines. Shielding the brake line is a cons ideration for those who are frequently faced with long taxi and high cross winds where the brake lines loop inside the wheel well parallel to the brak e disk. Best Regards, Bud Yerly Sent from Mail for Window s 10 ________________________________ From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com on behalf of William Daniell Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2018 4:32:17 PM Subject: Europa-List: Usa flight question Costa rica and Nicaragua have high winds this time of year. San Jose is 2 0G37 today for example. It is all central and west side so my intention is to stick to the Caribbean side to avoid this, however one never knows. Fortunately it's all down the runway. Does anyone have any experience of landing in this sort of wind and any advice? I've done 16kt straight down the runway which was no drama. Also Im wondering whether taxing could be an issue..... 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