Today's Message Index:
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1. 03:43 PM - Central Fla Piet fly-in (CapnAvid@aol.com)
2. 03:47 PM - Taxing with a fixed tailwheel (shad bell)
3. 09:16 PM - Re: Taxing with a fixed tailwheel (Catdesigns)
4. 11:17 PM - Re: Central Fla Piet fly-in (Mike Whaley)
Message 1
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| Subject: | Central Fla Piet fly-in |
Mike Whately
Central Fla Piet fly-in; when and where? I'm at Sun-n-Fun volunteering and
would join you if not too far away--no airplane, just me as a builder.
Message 2
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| Subject: | Taxing with a fixed tailwheel |
Chris, Dad went that route to save all the weight he could back there. He is about
220 and I am About 180lbs. The wing is set back 4 inches I think and engine
mount is a couple inches longer than plans. It is definitly eaiser to taxi
a Champ or Cub or anything with a steerable tailwheel, but a hell of a lot less
fun...ha ha ha. It took us longer to get good at taxing NX92GB than it did
to learn to fly it. It sure turns heads when you roll up on the ramp and are
goosing the throtle holding full down elevator and mashing full rudder and brake
to turn. Everybody looks and says "What in the hell is that guy doing?!!!"
(Except the older guys who have flown planes with tail skids) We did go through
a few tailwheels before we figured out it needs ball bearings, industrial
castor with sleeve bushing did not last and the wheel split in half, steel wheel
makes a lot of noise and still wears too fast on pavement. The 2 1/2 in
wheel from wicks or Aircraft spruce works well.
You have to think well ahead and know where you want to taxi, especially when
exiting a runway on to a narrow taxi way, I had to shut down, unbuckle, and climb
out the first time I flew off to a local airport to show it off. I hesitated
my turn off the runway and didn't leave enough room. It is fine on grass,
it slides on around. The best thing is you touch down strieght and for the most
part it will stay there with little inputs. I have landed in 30-40mph quarting
gusty crosswind (once, and only out of necesity) and stayed on the asphault
runway, so as far as the airplane design, and the fixed tailwheel I feel it
is pretty forgiving. If you fly out of busy, controlled, paved airports a sterable
wheel would be a lot better, and you would have to change tailwheels a
lot less.
Shad
P.S. Guys, Please don't give me the credit for building 92GB, it is Dads airplane
and he built 99% of all the parts on it, I just did some riviting and helped
out here and there. Although I am very proud of his accomplishment, and I
get to fly it he he he.
Shad,
I see you have a fixed tailwheel. How well does it taxi on pavement? Any operational
issues with a fixed wheel? It would certainly lighten things up back
there.
Chris Tracy
Sacramento, Ca
Website at http://www.Westcoastpiet.com
http://www.airport-data.com/search/search2.html?field=model&code=pietenpol
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Message 3
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| Subject: | Re: Taxing with a fixed tailwheel |
Thanks Shad, that's exactly the advice I was looking for. I will stick
with my sterable tailwheel for now as I doubt I will land on grass very
much. Do they even have grass runways in California? Good to have a
great flight report as it's always something I have wondered about.
Tell your Dad he did a great job.
Chris Tracy
Sacramento, Ca
Website at http://www.Westcoastpiet.com
Message 4
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| Subject: | Re: Central Fla Piet fly-in |
Valkaria airport (X59) on Feb. 17th. It's not a Piet-specific fly-in,
though it sounds like we'll probably have a couple Piets there
(hopefully more!) Full info available here:
http://www.mlbpilots.org/ValkariaAirFest/
-Mike
Mike Whaley merlin@ov-10bronco.net
Webmaster, OV-10 Bronco Association
http://www.ov-10bronco.net/
Central Fla Piet fly-in; when and where? I'm at Sun-n-Fun volunteering
and would join you if not too far away--no airplane, just me as a
builder.
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