Original Posted By: Kevin McDonald
While tuned into the History channel the other night, I saw a really goodprogram on the characteristics of the F4U Corsair. It appears that it had aswivel, non-steerable tailwheel, that was locked for take off and landing.It seems that it would simplify the rigging associated with attaching asteerable tailwheel to the Piet.Any one tried this? Obviously, I am not a tailwheel pilot (yet). I sawcomments on the Chat group the other day about someone supplying a unit,but fat fingers errased the message. I see the whole gammut of skid, to fixed tail wheel, to steerabletailwheel, to swivel tailwheel. Can anyone point in the right direction toresolve what the pro's and con's are of each? I have ruled out the skidbecause I will be on 50% grass and 50% asphalt.All the best in 1998,-=Ian=-________________________________________________________________________________
Pietenpol-List: Swivel Tailwheel
Pietenpol-List: Re: Swivel Tailwheel
Original Posted By: Ken Beanlands
Dear Ian: Real Piet Pilots would probably be better informed than me....Have flownPiper Cub, Aeronca Champ, Piper Vagabond and Luscombe. Steerable tailwheel isdefinitely a plus on airports where you want to keep from hitting other birds.It does wonders for your blood pressure and those who would like to stayfriends and fly with you. At these slow speeds you might be O.K., and I thinkyou would go to steerable rather than simple swivel if you taxied both down aflight line with a crosswind blowing.Ian Holland wrote:> While tuned into the History channel the other night, I saw a really good> program on the characteristics of the F4U Corsair. It appears that it had a> swivel, non-steerable tailwheel, that was locked for take off and landing.> It seems that it would simplify the rigging associated with attaching a> steerable tailwheel to the Piet.>> Any one tried this? Obviously, I am not a tailwheel pilot (yet). I saw> comments on the Chat group the other day about someone supplying a unit,> but fat fingers errased the message.>> I see the whole gammut of skid, to fixed tail wheel, to steerable> tailwheel, to swivel tailwheel. Can anyone point in the right direction to> resolve what the pro's and con's are of each? I have ruled out the skid> because I will be on 50% grass and 50% asphalt.> All the best in 1998,> -=Ian=-________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Ian: Real Piet Pilots would probably be better informed than me....Have flownPiper Cub, Aeronca Champ, Piper Vagabond and Luscombe. Steerable tailwheel isdefinitely a plus on airports where you want to keep from hitting other birds.It does wonders for your blood pressure and those who would like to stayfriends and fly with you. At these slow speeds you might be O.K., and I thinkyou would go to steerable rather than simple swivel if you taxied both down aflight line with a crosswind blowing.Ian Holland wrote:> While tuned into the History channel the other night, I saw a really good> program on the characteristics of the F4U Corsair. It appears that it had a> swivel, non-steerable tailwheel, that was locked for take off and landing.> It seems that it would simplify the rigging associated with attaching a> steerable tailwheel to the Piet.>> Any one tried this? Obviously, I am not a tailwheel pilot (yet). I saw> comments on the Chat group the other day about someone supplying a unit,> but fat fingers errased the message.>> I see the whole gammut of skid, to fixed tail wheel, to steerable> tailwheel, to swivel tailwheel. Can anyone point in the right direction to> resolve what the pro's and con's are of each? I have ruled out the skid> because I will be on 50% grass and 50% asphalt.> All the best in 1998,> -=Ian=-________________________________________________________________________________
Pietenpol-List: Re: Swivel Tailwheel
Original Posted By: Steve Eldredge
On Tue, 6 Jan 1998, Ian Holland wrote:> While tuned into the History channel the other night, I saw a really good> program on the characteristics of the F4U Corsair. It appears that it had a> swivel, non-steerable tailwheel, that was locked for take off and landing.> It seems that it would simplify the rigging associated with attaching a> steerable tailwheel to the Piet.> > Any one tried this? Obviously, I am not a tailwheel pilot (yet). I saw> comments on the Chat group the other day about someone supplying a unit,> but fat fingers errased the message. > > I see the whole gammut of skid, to fixed tail wheel, to steerable> tailwheel, to swivel tailwheel. Can anyone point in the right direction to> resolve what the pro's and con's are of each? I have ruled out the skid> because I will be on 50% grass and 50% asphalt.> All the best in 1998,> -=Ian=-> Well, with my limited tailwheel experience, I think the best tradeoff is a tailwheel that is stearable but has a spring type lock so that the tailwheel can be made to swivel. This allows you to lock up a wheel and swing the tail gor tight maneuvering but still retain some level of control during take-off, landing and taxiing. Both Scott and Maule make such tailwheels and I believe it's generally agreed that the Scott is a better (though more expensive) unit. I have an old Maule tailwheel that only unlocks when the tail is swung to the right. I'm not sure if this is supposed to work this way or if it's broken. Anyone out there know if this is normal?Actually the tailwheel you described is fairly common among warbirds. I've seen simular arangements on T-6 Harvards (yes, Harvards, I am Canadian after all). I believe they were also used on the P-51 and P-47. BTW, I also saw that episode. Planes of Fame, wasn't it? It's a great show. They walk through everything from the pre-flight to shutdown. So far they've don the P-38, Corsair, PT-17, and my personal favorite, the Chipmunk. They were running all day on Christmas Day on the Speed chanel (I believe).Ken________________________________________________________________________________
On Tue, 6 Jan 1998, Ian Holland wrote:> While tuned into the History channel the other night, I saw a really good> program on the characteristics of the F4U Corsair. It appears that it had a> swivel, non-steerable tailwheel, that was locked for take off and landing.> It seems that it would simplify the rigging associated with attaching a> steerable tailwheel to the Piet.> > Any one tried this? Obviously, I am not a tailwheel pilot (yet). I saw> comments on the Chat group the other day about someone supplying a unit,> but fat fingers errased the message. > > I see the whole gammut of skid, to fixed tail wheel, to steerable> tailwheel, to swivel tailwheel. Can anyone point in the right direction to> resolve what the pro's and con's are of each? I have ruled out the skid> because I will be on 50% grass and 50% asphalt.> All the best in 1998,> -=Ian=-> Well, with my limited tailwheel experience, I think the best tradeoff is a tailwheel that is stearable but has a spring type lock so that the tailwheel can be made to swivel. This allows you to lock up a wheel and swing the tail gor tight maneuvering but still retain some level of control during take-off, landing and taxiing. Both Scott and Maule make such tailwheels and I believe it's generally agreed that the Scott is a better (though more expensive) unit. I have an old Maule tailwheel that only unlocks when the tail is swung to the right. I'm not sure if this is supposed to work this way or if it's broken. Anyone out there know if this is normal?Actually the tailwheel you described is fairly common among warbirds. I've seen simular arangements on T-6 Harvards (yes, Harvards, I am Canadian after all). I believe they were also used on the P-51 and P-47. BTW, I also saw that episode. Planes of Fame, wasn't it? It's a great show. They walk through everything from the pre-flight to shutdown. So far they've don the P-38, Corsair, PT-17, and my personal favorite, the Chipmunk. They were running all day on Christmas Day on the Speed chanel (I believe).Ken________________________________________________________________________________
Pietenpol-List: Re: Swivel Tailwheel
Original Posted By: jkahn(at)picasso.dehavilland.ca (John Kahn)
Much about tail wheels deletedI use the matco 6" solid tail wheel. It is lighter than certified stuffbut still much more beef than is really needed for a piet. It weighsabout 4.5 lb. I think. It is steerable and fully swiveling bothdirection. I have been very satisfied with it so far. I have flownfrom pavement only so far and can't imagine what is would be likewithout tw steering. Check their web site. www.matcomfg.com I knowthat they are avail. from aircraft spruce for about $125. They alsohave an 8" pneumatic one too.stevee________________________________________________________________________________
Much about tail wheels deletedI use the matco 6" solid tail wheel. It is lighter than certified stuffbut still much more beef than is really needed for a piet. It weighsabout 4.5 lb. I think. It is steerable and fully swiveling bothdirection. I have been very satisfied with it so far. I have flownfrom pavement only so far and can't imagine what is would be likewithout tw steering. Check their web site. www.matcomfg.com I knowthat they are avail. from aircraft spruce for about $125. They alsohave an 8" pneumatic one too.stevee________________________________________________________________________________
Pietenpol-List: Re: Swivel Tailwheel
Original Posted By: jkahn(at)picasso.dehavilland.ca (John Kahn)
Locking full swivel tailwheels were very widely used especially on largetaildraggers for many years. You lock the tailwheel straight when you lineup on the runway. With the tailwheel locked there is still a fair amountof directional control from rudder and brakes especially as you speed up.The problem is that all directional control when slow taxiing on full swivelis with brakes, so the airplane must have easy to operate wheel brakes.My personal preference is a lock-to-steer/full swivel tailwheel (I will probably have to make it myself) with a locking pin that would lock the steering horn to the wheel fork for steering and you could retract it fromthe cockpit to let it full swivel.johnk________________________________________________________________________________
Locking full swivel tailwheels were very widely used especially on largetaildraggers for many years. You lock the tailwheel straight when you lineup on the runway. With the tailwheel locked there is still a fair amountof directional control from rudder and brakes especially as you speed up.The problem is that all directional control when slow taxiing on full swivelis with brakes, so the airplane must have easy to operate wheel brakes.My personal preference is a lock-to-steer/full swivel tailwheel (I will probably have to make it myself) with a locking pin that would lock the steering horn to the wheel fork for steering and you could retract it fromthe cockpit to let it full swivel.johnk________________________________________________________________________________