gliderboy
Well-Known Member
Do it! It'll make you a much better pilot and you'll have a blast. If the money runs short find a partner or sell the plane.
Re: ". I've also found almost every groundloop incident I've seen has been wheel landings so I just stray away from that. If it's windy enough that you need it there's no reason to fly an airplane you're just using for fun anyways. "
I fly an L-19 glider tug and virtually every landing we make is into gusty crosswinds (we're near the ocean). It's been my observation that most ground loops start when people lower the tail. This occurs for two reasons:
1. When the tail is down the AOA increases and lift increases. With the tail up, the AOA is low and wing isn't producing much lift (especially if you raise the flaps as soon as you touch down.) Further, with the tail up, the rudder is very effective, when the tail comes down it is blanketed by the wing and becomes much less effective.
2. Many people don't fully understand the aerodynamic factors acting on the airplane. Some know to put the stick into the wind to prevent the up-wind wing from lifting, but most don't understand that the down-wind aileron can be used to pull the plane straight. This because the down-wind aileron is passing through undisturbed air and because it has a lot of leverage way out there on the end of the wing.
If you can't control the plane as it rolls down the runway with the tail up, you need more training. You should be able to 'fly' the airplane down the runway using only rudder and aileron during a wheel landing.
None of this is particularly difficult, it just takes practice.
Re: ". I've also found almost every groundloop incident I've seen has been wheel landings so I just stray away from that. If it's windy enough that you need it there's no reason to fly an airplane you're just using for fun anyways. "
I fly an L-19 glider tug and virtually every landing we make is into gusty crosswinds (we're near the ocean). It's been my observation that most ground loops start when people lower the tail. This occurs for two reasons:
1. When the tail is down the AOA increases and lift increases. With the tail up, the AOA is low and wing isn't producing much lift (especially if you raise the flaps as soon as you touch down.) Further, with the tail up, the rudder is very effective, when the tail comes down it is blanketed by the wing and becomes much less effective.
2. Many people don't fully understand the aerodynamic factors acting on the airplane. Some know to put the stick into the wind to prevent the up-wind wing from lifting, but most don't understand that the down-wind aileron can be used to pull the plane straight. This because the down-wind aileron is passing through undisturbed air and because it has a lot of leverage way out there on the end of the wing.
If you can't control the plane as it rolls down the runway with the tail up, you need more training. You should be able to 'fly' the airplane down the runway using only rudder and aileron during a wheel landing.
None of this is particularly difficult, it just takes practice.