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tail wheel

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john(at)leptron.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 10:37 am Post subject: tail wheel

Hi Guys,  

While we are still on the tail wheel thing, I would like to say that the best single item I replaced in 1000 hours in fox’s was the tail wheel. I went to a matco pneumatic wheel last year and can say that is as close to a easy and straight run out I have ever had. Any one else change things?  

   

John Oakley  

        [quote][b]

lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:21 pm Post subject: tail wheel

John,  I went to the Homebuilders special dual fork.  I like it.



Lowell

---

mike
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:20 pm Post subject: Re: tail wheel

About 750 hrs on the fox and I can't say I've done much to the tail wheel other than look at it, day in and day out.  Although I will say I need to be careful with the tail at the big airport, seems the lights down the center and on the sides like to give the tail wheel a good bounce if I hit one.  My skill has to come in so that I land just to the left of center about a foot and that puts it just about right to miss both the light in the center and on the left.  If I hit the lights on the left they make the airplane move just a little hitting the main wheel.

john(at)leptron.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:52 pm Post subject: tail wheel

Lowell,

I also had my CAP rebuilt with the new hub last winter and it is much

smoother that ever. Works way better.



John






John,  I went to the Homebuilders special dual fork.  I like it.

 	  Quote: 	
		   Hi Guys,



 While we are still on the tail wheel thing, I would like to say that the

 best single item I replaced in 1000 hours in fox's was the tail wheel. I

 went to a matco pneumatic wheel last year and can say that is as close to 

 a

 easy and straight run out I have ever had. Any one else change things?



 John Oakley

john(at)leptron.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 3:36 pm Post subject: tail wheel

Lowell,

The tail wheel you used was the one I really wanted, but, no one had them

when I bought. I am not unhappy with the matco though.



I am looking at buying a new set of mains and have seen some from Italy and

grove also, any one else try something different?



John




John,  I went to the Homebuilders special dual fork.  I like it.



Lowell

 	  Quote: 	
		   Hi Guys,



 While we are still on the tail wheel thing, I would like to say that the

 best single item I replaced in 1000 hours in fox's was the tail wheel. I

 went to a matco pneumatic wheel last year and can say that is as close to 

 a

 easy and straight run out I have ever had. Any one else change things?



 John Oakley

ruebd(at)skymail.csus.edu
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 9:18 am Post subject: tail wheel

John:



	I fly in and out of hard surfaced runways primarily, so am not

blessed with the forgiveness that grass can give, which usually allows

more side slip to the mains than does a rough asphalt, which is quite

grabby, and not inclined to give a pilot a break, or should I say it is

inclined to cause a break in the intended straight, forward path.  I

have been thinking that a larger tailwheel rolling radius, together with

the resilience of a pneumatic tire that is not a continuous, hard edge,

could very well cause the whole system to have better manners. 

	Your thread is the first confirming input that I have had on

this topic, and I am encouraged by it.  I assume that you previously

were using a smaller diameter, hard rubber tired assembly similar to

mine.  

Thanks,	Duane Rueb 



--

john(at)leptron.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:02 am Post subject: tail wheel

Duane,

My original tail wheel was the maule, yuk, I would never fly one again. My

matco looked funny when first installed but I sure do love it. You are right

about the larger and narrow tread.

john



--

john(at)leptron.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 9:15 am Post subject: tail wheel

For those that asked, the matcomfg.com tail wheel I installed on my fox, is a WHLT-8 PNEU. It still shows up as 217.72 dollars from them. It showed up in 2 days.  

   

John Oakley  

   

        [quote][b]

jleathem(at)cogeco.ca
Guest

Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 8:32 am Post subject: tail wheel

We have been flying a IV in SW Ontario out of a grass strip for about 6 years now.  After going through a period of groundloops, none of which thankfully damaged the plane, we eventually removed the full castoring function from the tail wheel and replace the springs to the rudder with compression springs.  We have never had a ground loop in the 2 years since but we do need to devise a manual method to disengage the tail wheel tracking and restore full castoring for handling the plane in the hangar and on the ramp.  The plane now tracks straight on the grass on landing without a lot of rudder input and x-winds are not a problem.  However, she is still definitely twitchy on paved surfaces regardless of the wind conditions and we need to be very alert and very quick but smooth on the rudders to avoid exciting roll-outs.  Result is where I have the option at an airfield, I will land on grass with a x-wind rather than in to wind on pavement.  

   

J. Trevor Leathem  

Oakville, Ontario  

   

        [quote][b]

dave(at)cfisher.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 8:58 am Post subject: tail wheel

Trevor,

  

 I have a IV in Ontario as well and  my  tailwheel locks straight ahead and I also has the compression springs. Mine will  breakway on turns unless you don't grease it often then it becomes hard to break  free. 

 I had to fly in a strip this morning to do some  service for a guy.I landed on his runway 17 on grass wind 100 (at)  9  knots,  when I left it  was 13 gust 18 knots 090 and when i took  off the tailwheel has no tendacy to kick out on the TO roll at all.  

  

 Dave 

 [quote]   ---

mike
Guest

Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 11:29 am Post subject: Re: tail wheel

this is the best pic of my wheel, not sure what it is, but it works great.  Just for a tip, on landing with a tail wind, I know somebody mentioned having troubles doing such a thing.  When I land with the wind at my back, you fly in as normal, don't slow up more, cause the landing speed will be faster, you maintain normal glide and decent and when your ready to flair, put in an extra amount of power, just a little, cause if you don't, chances are you will drop out about 5 ft off the ground, at least in my plane you do.  Another thing, be ready on the rudder, cause your going to be a little faster than normal on the roll out, so correct as soon as it's needed.

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