[jhb] Re: Farmstrip Assignments
- From: "bones" <bones@xxxxxxx>
- To: <jhb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2007 18:15:58 +0100
The all time nasty sod for landing practise was the Auster. The Tiger has a
reasonable landing gear that will absorb gentle descent rates - but a heavy
landing will throw you back into he air. The Auster only has bungee rubber
suspension so ANY descent rate gets translated into a climb rate on impact.
Landings in an Auster have to be PERFECT.
As you rightly say speed control in a taildragger is far more critical than
for a nosewheel aircraft. Excess speed means a longer float before you stall
onto the runway and many pilots let the aircraft settle on well before
they've let the speed drop off enough to allow the aircraft to do the
settling. A faster touchdown just transfers more energy into the landing
gear and it will return this with enthusiasm.
Normal approach speed in the Tiger is 55 but short field is 50. With speed
back to this you sideslip to settle your descent rate and aim for the
threshold. As you flare the extra drag kills speed instantly and you
literally flop on the runway. If you float you are too fast. I'll say that
again as it applies to ANY aircraft. IF YOU FLOAT YOU ARE TOO FAST. If you
try and cheat by pushing the aircraft onto the runway (so your instructor
doesn't see you floating) then you touch down too fast and as the wings are
still generating lift you are going to bounce. Landings are all about speed
control.
A C150 approaches at 60mph but a short field approach is flown at 50mph with
full flap. The approach is flown with power, slightly lower than normal and
you point the aircraft at the threshold. Landing is definitely not dainty.
As you get to the runway and are inches above the ground you close the
throttle and the aircraft drops onto the runway and you immediately apply
full brakes. It's not gentle - but you haven't got room to allow the
aircraft to flare and float like you allow it to do on a long runway. If you
are too high to plant the aircraft on the runway at the threshold or if you
are even a tad too fast you go around. If you don't do this in real life, to
be blunt, you don't get a second chance.
Anyone who flies into Gerry's farm strips and doesn't know the short field
approach speed for the aircraft they are flying deserves a whack on the
head. In FS you don't have an instructor next to you pressing his face
against yours and bellowing "50.. 50.. 50.." in your lughole or saying
"bloody awful, too fast, go around. Pathetic attempt." Amazing how much this
sharpens the mind..
bones
-----Original Message-----
From: jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Peter Dodds
Sent: 05 September 2007 12:49
To: jhb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: pdodds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [jhb] Re: Farmstrip Assignments
Gerry,
I am the master of spellig nerrors - Gerroff!
Peter DoDDs and cIx !!<g>
Our guys are having a ball with this event with 9 members taking part (with
178 members in total, 9 is a lot for an event, believe me <g>). We have a
number of international members, and one, from Canada, is using the event to
learn about the UK!
Last night I was too tired for ATC, so decided to explore the Tiger Moth's
bottom end limits. I found I could approach a strip (Halwell 460m
long) at 50mph or a tad less, touching down at 40mph JUST above the stall,
and stop in about 350m with no brakes. One unexpected delight from this
really slow approach and round out was that every touchdown was a greaser.
Previously I tended to touch down at about 60mph with significant complaint
from the undercarriage laccy bands and often a bounce.
I for one am learning far tighter control of my fave aircraft. The other
thing I have noticed is how much more I use the rudders when real world
flying than I used to. This comes from excessive Tiger flying on FS!
Peter
Other related posts:
