Hi Ivor,
I've a great appreciation for the tail dragger as I started with PA-12
and then a Luscombe 8A. The nose gear offers a better steering option in
rough conditions
than the tail dragger. I know what it's like to have to gun it to break
the tail loose from a bundle of grass or gravel. The positive steering
of the nose gear is much
like the little red wagon for positive direction. You can't pivot about
one gear like the brake assist tail dragger, but you can plan better for
maneuvering and you don't
have the shock of the tailwheel hammering back thru the fuselage. When
you're parked and tied down, the aircraft is better aligned with the
breezes too, so for my
money, the best dollar is spent on having the extra wheel up front. I
always land on the mains, slow a lot and then let down carefully on the
nose gear, so it shouldn't
be a problem. Having the rudder and the nose wheel tied together is
sweet, but I don't use the rudder in normal flight. That might be
different in the XL.
Best regards,
Larry McFarland 601HDS at www.macsmachine.com
do not archive
Ivor Link wrote:
>
> *Subject:* To drag the tail or not.
> I'm in the early stages of scratch building an 601 XL - The intent is
> to visit bush areas to hike around the country ( I chose the 601 over
> the 701 merely from the point of view that the cruise speed provides a
> better weekend range radius). The question begs to be answered should
> I build it with the training wheel on the tail? I learnt to fly on
> military taildraggers so am not intimidated - but seeing as the plane
> looks just as sexy with a nose wheel, I was wondering whether there
> are any stories of strength concerns with the nosewheel set up in
> rough airfield conditions?
> Ivor Link
> South Africa
