VF84Sluggo
Well Known Member
I've owned a few taildraggers over the years, including an RV-3. Thinking of getting a -3 again.
Now, each one I owned had the wheel pant longitudinal axis aligned with the planes longitudinal axis. Thus, when on the ground the wheel pants had a 'nose-up' attitude, just like the plane, and a 'level' attitude in cruise flight, just like the plane.
Lately, though, I've seen pics of a couple of RV's with the wheel pant's axis level with the ground when the plane is on the ground, the longitudinal axis NOT aligned with the plane's. Looks odd to me. Plus, in flight it seems like the plane would be flying with its toes pointed down! LOLOL
Yes, I realize that with the pants aligned with the plane, the trailing edge of the pant could contact the ground on a less than perfectly smooth grass strip, and maybe that's why people install them level. Still, it just doesn't look right.
Here's a pic of an RV-3 for sale that has the level/tippy-toe down in-flight wheel pant install. You can see the trim stripe on the pant does not parallel the one on the plane. Looks odd. It's a shame, because this -3 looks very nice, but that wheel pant NONalignment would just get to me after time, I'm sure.
Not sure how hard it would be to re-mount the wheel pants in an "attitude" that matches the fuselage, but I'd have to do it.
Now, each one I owned had the wheel pant longitudinal axis aligned with the planes longitudinal axis. Thus, when on the ground the wheel pants had a 'nose-up' attitude, just like the plane, and a 'level' attitude in cruise flight, just like the plane.
Lately, though, I've seen pics of a couple of RV's with the wheel pant's axis level with the ground when the plane is on the ground, the longitudinal axis NOT aligned with the plane's. Looks odd to me. Plus, in flight it seems like the plane would be flying with its toes pointed down! LOLOL
Yes, I realize that with the pants aligned with the plane, the trailing edge of the pant could contact the ground on a less than perfectly smooth grass strip, and maybe that's why people install them level. Still, it just doesn't look right.
Here's a pic of an RV-3 for sale that has the level/tippy-toe down in-flight wheel pant install. You can see the trim stripe on the pant does not parallel the one on the plane. Looks odd. It's a shame, because this -3 looks very nice, but that wheel pant NONalignment would just get to me after time, I'm sure.
Not sure how hard it would be to re-mount the wheel pants in an "attitude" that matches the fuselage, but I'd have to do it.