Simviation Forums

What takes your fancy, for General Aviation?...>>>

http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/why-taildraggers

I rather like that comforting little steering wheel under the nose... ...!

Paul... 8-)...!

What takes your fancy, for General Aviation?...>>>

http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/why-taildraggers

I rather like that comforting little steering wheel under the nose... ...!

Paul... 8-)...!

Uhoh...you just brought up one of the most controversial aviation topics out there! (along with toe brakes vs heel brakes)

I have only flown trikes, but hopefully will begin training once school starts in a tail dragger. Trikes are okay though, gives you better visibility and better cross-wind tolerance while avoiding those pesky ground-loops or nose overs...usually....
Taildraggers though offer shorter take off runs (higher wing incidence) and structural simplicity while also teaching people how to use those things you rest your feet on in a trike

Goodly afternoon Paul...

Adam ""wahubna" hit the nail right on the head when he mentioned controversial aviation topics...

Having owned and flown many types with both types of gear and brakes I think it all comes down to what each individual aviator likes and loves.

For example lets take the DeHavilland of Canada DHC-3 Otter, in the wheel/ski configuration she lands with the tail wheel but on amphibious floats she lands like a nose wheel aircraft. Probably the best STOL Bush Aircraft ever made, she can get into places most so called Bush Aircraft can only dream about.

Our Cessna 185 another aircraft that in the wheel/ski configuration will land with a tail wheel but put amphibious floats on her and she lands like a nose wheel aircraft.

The Grumman Tracker that was in the Royal Canadian Navy used both a nose wheel, tail wheel/roller and tail hook.
Quite the aircraft...

http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/asse ... racker.pdf

Having put a good many year in the left seat of the Douglas DC3 on wheels and wheel/skis it was a large tail dragger.
Once in the left seat of the Douglas DC4 and 6s I didn't ever care to see another DC3.

Folks think they are a great aircraft, however they have never worked them...

Loading and unloading is either uphill or downhill...

I love Nose Wheels....

..its when they snap off, that's the problem!... ...!

They always seem far too delicate/fragile to me, for the load they have to safely support under various conditions!

Nose wheels, long grass, and Rabbit/Gopher holes, don't mix... ...!

Maybe four wheels would be better....
.....Two under the wings, steerable, and two under the tail... ...!

Fairchild C123?... ...!

Paul... ...!

It depends on the type of aircraft. Nosewheels are fine on airliners, military types etc. My first love is light aircraft & taildraggers are still very popular among this community.

When I was young most light aircraft were taildraggers. I've always thought of them as real aeroplanes. Tricycle types like the Cessna 150 & Piper Tri-Pacer* were just being introduced when I started my first job in aviation. I can still remember the first one landing at Shoreham Airport where I worked. They were considered a gimmick at the time & my boss who was an aviation pioneer & highly experienced flying instructor said they would never catch on. How wrong this would prove to be.

*It's becoming very difficult to find a Tri-Pacer with a nosewheel in this country nowadays as most of them have been converted into taildraggers. That must say something. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_PA-20_Pacer

I have a nice little Flight Sim Cessna 152 converted to a Tail-dragger in my Sim Hangar, which can be a lot if fun?, especially when taxiing, and trying to figure out if I am lined-up properly with the runway, during take-off...and not drifting over, onto the grass...!
Not a lot can be seen over the nose, apart from the sky!... ...!

Fortunately, the take-off run is generally very short in a Tail-dragger... ...!

Paul....dragging my Tail... 8-)....!

I have a nice little Flight Sim Cessna 152 converted to a Tail-dragger in my Sim Hangar, which can be a lot if fun?, especially when taxiing, and trying to figure out if I am lined-up properly with the runway, during take-off...and not drifting over, onto the grass...!
Not a lot can be seen over the nose, apart from the sky!... ...!

Taxiing, take off & landing taildraggers involves a different technique. The 2D panel in FS is not very realistic in this respect.

PS. These shots were taken at the LAA Rally at Sywell last year. Count the nosewheels. https://plus.google.com/photos/111776794913843321815/albums/5649154205922801425?banner=pwa

I have a nice little Flight Sim Cessna 152 converted to a Tail-dragger in my Sim Hangar, which can be a lot if fun?, especially when taxiing, and trying to figure out if I am lined-up properly with the runway, during take-off...and not drifting over, onto the grass...!
Not a lot can be seen over the nose, apart from the sky!... ...!

Taxiing, take off & landing taildraggers involves a different technique. The 2D panel in FS is not very realistic in this respect.

PS. These shots were taken at the LAA Rally at Sywell last year. Count the nosewheels. https://plus.google.com/photos/111776794913843321815/albums/5649154205922801425?banner=pwa

The first picture I saw was of the radial Great Lakes  8-)
(classic tail-dragger)

By the way, fantastic shots, thank you for sharing!

[quote]The first picture I saw was of the radial Great Lakes

[quote][quote]The first picture I saw was of the radial Great Lakes

[quote][quote][quote]The first picture I saw was of the radial Great Lakes