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landing and almost departing!

Ode to the Tail Dragger

Tail dragger, I hate your guts.
I have the license, ratings and such,
But to make you go straight is driving me nuts.
With hours of teaching and controls in my clutch
It takes a little rudder....easy, that's too much !

You see, I learned to fly in a tricycle gear
With one up front and two in the rear.
She was sleek and clean and easy to steer,
But this miserable thing with tires and struts
Takes a little rudder.....easy, that's too much !

It demands your attention on the takeoff roll,
Or it heads towards for the boonies as you pour on the coal.
Gotta hang loose, don't over control.

This wicked little plane is just too much
With a lot of zigzagging and words obscene
I think I've mastered this slippery machine.
It's not too bad if you have the touch
Just a little rudder....easy, that's too much !

I relax for a second and from the corner of my eye
I suddenly realize, with a gasp and a cry
That's my own tail that 's going by!
You ground looping wreck, I hate your guts,
Give a little rudder....Oh no, THAT'S TOO MUCH !
-------------------------------------------------------

It's not the steering link, or the chains. It's the touch!
 
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It's not the steering link, or the chains. It's the touch!

I am reluctant to enter into this conversation in the fear I might offend someone. I am the manufacturer of the RV/Rocket Steering Link and as a point of discussion there are over 1000 of them out there in the RV/Rocket world. I do not know how many Silver Bullet Steering Links are out there but they seem to be quite popular. I sell the RV/Rocket Steering Links with an unconditional guarantee and that is, if it is not for you for any reason, I will gladly refund your purchase. I am a pilot and builder and I would not begin to tell anyone else what they should or should not install or feel comfortable with on their aircraft.
As with any choice of system, the Steering Link has it's pros and cons. Chains, also have their pros and cons.
Tailwheel aircraft are damaged in landing accidents all the time and sometimes by new tailwheel pilots and sometimes by very experienced pilots. I do remember a DC 3 being ground looped on the grass as it came into Sun'n'Fun a few years back.
An aircraft can behave badly for many reasons and one of the reasons may be poor pilot technique. It may also behave poorly on the ground for other reasons. It may be inherently unstable due to high center of gravity or a short wheelbase. It may be deliberently or inadvertantly set up with toe in or toe out or some of each or with an overall misalignment or a sticking brake caliper.
One thing, I think we may all agree on is that these are machines without personality and that they will only react to the imputs which we as pilots give them.
If I am to give council it would be that flying a taildragger is a skill and must be learned as any other skill. I believe that the RV and Rocket aircraft are benign types but they are not designed as trainer aircraft. Any aircraft, trainer or not will only respond to the imputs that are given but trainers are by design far more robust than the RV/Rockets are.
I myself believe if you require loose chains to contol your aircraft there are more important issues to look at. If you just like the feel of loose chains or the response of a Steering Link then each to his own.
Wayne Hadath
F1 Rocket
1st Place 2008 Rocket 100
 
Rocket Link

Hay Wayne
I think the rocket link it the only way to go. I'm not sure of the developer of the link but I think Jim Clement has had something to do with it in the Tailwind side. It does take some getting use to. I recall my transition from typical spring C-170 to DIRECT Rod steering in a Tailwind(no inner spring). I was everywhere on that runway. There are limitations without having a unlocking tailwheel such as turn radius. But I came to appriciate the rod link steering in a Tailwind on a gusty day. The wind would try and drag the tailwheel across the pavement if the X-wind was real bad. If it was the locking type- I think that could unlock the wheel- would have been a bad thing. But tap the break and you are back on the road. "Literally", It was like driving a car with your feet. After I was used to it, I really enjoyed it.
 
Should not worry about that...

Wayne Hadath said:
I am reluctant to enter into this conversation in the fear I might offend someone.
Click to expand...

If anyone takes what you wrote with offense, they need to find something else to do with their time. I appreciate the facts stated, even though I have a different preference, it is just that, my preference. I know many who have the opposite preference and are very happy. I am not sure if the choice of link was a factor related to the incident that started this thread, and I dont think anybody will ever know. Things happen - "there are those that have, and those that will."
 
First I want to say, I'm glad to here you are ok.

Now the plane that's another thing. That is a sad story. What's at fault, who knows. I don't want to come out and say the pilot is faulty, because it just might be a mis-alignment. As far as loose or tight chains or a direct link. I don't think it matters too much either. But I will say loose chains will slow the turn rate down a bit for the slow thinker. Meaning you will have a milisecond more thought before something happens, will it help, don't know. Depends on the operator. I will say that if you force the tail down, pull back on the stick, before it's ready, you might be in for a real ride. I remember a couple flights ago. I pulled the stick back to lower the tail before it's time, cold out and air was real heavy. I had a wing raise up. I was very causious and just let it stay that way and it lowered on its own. I thought about it for a few hours afterwards and come to the conclusion that what was happening was, I had my heavy coat on and when I pulled the stick back, I went to the right just a tad, well the left wing lifted a couple inches. With the nose up and the left wing raising just a little, it gave a real weard feeling, even for a guy that has thousands of landings tail wheel. It would have been real easy for me to freak and correct wrong and really have a mess.

I would be willing to bet if the plane got put back together and aligned properly or at least check real good and the operator went and got some good instruction from an RV instructor, even let such person fly his airplane to make sure it flies proper. The problem will go away.
 
JonJay said:
. Things happen - "there are those that have, and those that will."
Click to expand...

Just a a side note I was talking with a very very experienced pilot last summer, this fella is a AG pilot flies a P-51 and a lot of other taildraggers and has been doing it a long time. In the course of conversation the topic of ground loops came up, his opinion was ground loops only happen when the pilot gives up. And he was quick to tell me he has ground looped a plane before but he admitted he quite on the plane. So the point of this is I don't buy the "those that have and those that will" don't ever quite on the plane
 
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