spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 7:57 pm
by n502pd
Just wondering out loud…sorta…about anyone who has installed a regular, spring coupled, full castering tailwheel assembly instead of the Sonex direct drive design? I was signed off as conventional gear pilot, but still feel that I am just a second class one because of the direct drive Sonex, which is the only TW aircraft I have ever flown. i an most definately not disappointed with the design, but this spring I will be transitioning to hard surface operations. Some have replaced the hard rubber wheel with a pnumatic one, after indicating the hard rubber one tends to skip sideways much easier than the pneumatic tire. this sort of makes me concerned prior to my first hard surface event. And then there is the full castering TW modification, but I am not sure I want to do that just yet, if ever.
Does anyone have experience with the pnumatic tire, and/or the full castering TW mod? That you would want to tell about, maybe!!?
As always, thanks in advance!
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 8:28 pm
by peter anson
Hi Joe, for a start, there is no difficulty using the hard rubber wheel on sealed runways, but all the combinations you have mentioned have been tried in Australia except maybe the spring coupling because you would need to make two sided steering arrangement for the bottom of the rudder.
I have been using a pneumatic tire for about 6 years and much prefer that to the hard wheel. It is quiet and grips better. The trade off is extra maintenance.
Brian Ham, Sonex with Jab 3300, has a solid rubber full castering tail wheel. I’m pretty sure it still uses a solid steering strut. He has been flying his Sonex for about 5 years and appears happy with the arrangement.
Steve Woodham, Sonex 892, has built a full castering pneumatic tail wheel. Steve is a regular contributor here and is pretty likely to add his voice. The only disadvantage I can think of is that you would be more likely to land tail wheel first because of the extra height needed for the castering mechanism. On the plus side, taxiing visibility would be improved.
Peter
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:22 am
by wlarson861
The side skidding is due to crosswinds pushing the tail. With a full castering tailwheel that would not happen. The tail wheel would break free and the tail would swing. If brake and rudder are not immediately applied you are headed for an excursion towards the edge of the runway or off runway; or worse a full fledged ground loop. I learned tail wheel in a Luscombe 8A, with too much crosswind and not enough rudder it was easy to loose directional control. That meant much “dancing” on the rudder pedals on roll out. The only advantage to a full castering tail wheel is the tight steering on the ground if you have differential braking . I find the directional control from the plans design much easier than a castering type tail wheel. My 2 cents worth.
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 9:22 am
by DCASonex
Also learned to fly in a Luscomb 8A and that is the reason I put differential (hydraulic disk) toe brakes in mine, back when Sonex was telling all that replacing their mechanical drum brakes would put the plane over on its nose, and that Luscomb experience is also why I am sticking with the direct connected steerable tail wheel.
David A. Sonex TD
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 11:01 am
by Bryan Cotton
I don’t see adding springs bringing any improvement to ground loop tendencies or sideways skipping. The primary benefit of a spring coupled full castering tailwheel is the ability to make tight turns.
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 8:22 pm
by Corby202
The only down side to the standard Sonex direct coupled tailwheel in my opinion is the large turning circle (yes I had to get out once and turn the plane around on a narrow grass strip} and that is a minor disadvantage compared to all the advantages in my opinion. I am no tailwheel expert (500 hrs) but I have found the Sonex to be the easiest of all the tailwheel aircraft I have flown to land. Even the small hard rubber 4" wheel works fine on hard or soft surfaces its just so damn noisey.
I fitted one of Peter Ansons 6" pneumatic wheels, just so much better. I did have one scare with the pneumatic wheel due to a puncture but even then I still had control. I do not like full swiveling tailwheels, they seem to have a mind of their own.
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 9:17 pm
by fastj22
Flyboy accessories has sonex tailwheel kits that will allow a full castering assembly. I have one and it works great with differential braking.
https://www.flyboyaccessories.com/RV-an … ts-s/1.htm
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 9:55 pm
by n502pd
Wel, these are some great replys!Thanks to all. I will forge ahead with what I have, a 6 in hard rubber tail wheel, and after confirmation of a fix for a squelch problem on the com radio, I will, as they say, endeavor to continue! and if I can get the last 17 hours flown off the phase one without any problems, maybe I shall see some of you in fayetteville in June!
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 2:13 am
by woodmw
Joe, What area were you able to get to fly off phase 1?
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 4:34 am
by sonex892.
H Joe
As far 99 percent of the normal flying activities go, That is taxying ,take off,landing. The original sonex wheel does a fine job. I did about 800 landings on the same 4" tailwheel. The thing is still not worn out and is in my spares box.
I made a steerable breakaway full castoring tailwheel using a Peter Anson designed 6" aluminium wheel and pneumatic tires. I love it. Until it breaks free at full rudder deflection it feels just the same as the original tailwheel.
The advantages of what I have now are only. Less noise, greater maneuverability both while taxying, and pushing it around the hanger. It does lift the tail up a bit but that improves the visibility. As far as touching down tail first, I used to do that all the time with the original 4" wheel anyway. The only disadvantage I have found is more maintenance is required.
I had spring steering on a Sonerai I didnt mind that either. I dont know how that would work on a sonex with the rudder hot being hinged on centreline.
Steve
Sonex 892
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 9:54 pm
by n502pd
woodmw wrote:Joe, What area were you able to get to fly off phase 1?
The DAR gave me 75 mile radius. I am about 8 miles sse of KGYI, sherman-denison, texas. why?
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 2:41 am
by woodmw
I was just wondering how far you could go for the $$$ burger. I was in Ft. Worth for 7 years about 15 years ago. Based at Hicks Field, T67.
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 9:44 pm
by n502pd
many years age I flew over the top of love field, and around naval air station dallas before it closed, and was much younger, and fearless, and now look back on those years as been there…done that. also did a YE event out of love field which was a hoot. atc vectored us down and around cedar hill where the tall tv towers emitt several hundred kw of power. I got into an area where that power totally saturated the front end of my only radio for about 2 min, and i could not hear a thing. talk about worried for those 2 min! flew on course away and radio recovered fine, as was my landing! so, to answer the question of the $$$ hamburger, I wont fly the sonex into that area of dfw ever. I will fly around the mess there every time, if i ever go that direction. I most likely will go to Gainsville for BBQ, or Ceadar Mills at gordonville tx for a nice lunch. at least thats my plans.
I appoligise for being off topic here!
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2019 2:18 am
by woodmw
You won’t put much time on Sirpeedee going to Cedar Mills unless you go by way of Bridgeport. But the food was always great when we went there.
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 1:41 pm
by N418SX
Late to the party here, but having owned and flown a Vans RV-8 for years, the most important lessons in landing with a full swivel tail wheel have nothing to do with crosswinds. First, is main gear alignment. Make sure it is straight. I’ve seen several accidents caused by toe in/out errors. Second, technique. Wheel landings handle crosswinds much better than 3 point landings. Third, fly the airplane until you tie it down. Primary trainers used to be almost exclusively taildraggers. 40 some odd years of flying a tailwheel airplane has taught me that it is not the airplane, its the pilot. FWIW, our foundation Sonex will be a taildragger with a flyboyaccessories.com tailwheel on it.
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2019 5:44 pm
by GraemeSmith
Bump the thread…
I’ve been pushing my X-Wind limits for the day I get caught there. Not planning on it - but getting caught out here in New England can be a possibility. Our airport has a couple of nice crossed runways - so I can practice pushing it out on the one with the X-Wind and if I run out of rudder or skill - can then land on the head to wind runway.
I have the Sonex 6" solid rubber tire right now and am definitely getting into territory where it’s beginning to judder a bit and if the surface is rough - it definitely is skipping - even if yoked hard back to keep it on the pavement. Now - I’m NOT suggesting this is a routine way to fly - or want to fly - but it is about expanding the toolbox a bit. Just in case.
So I’ve been getting the feeling that a softer compound, or softer tire (pneumatic?) might well help the tire stick it out longer when in tenuous contact with the pavement. I see Peter Anson mentions a pneumatic above. Peter what are you using and anyone else have any thoughts about this?
TIA
Re: spring coupled tail wheel
Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2019 5:14 am
by peter anson
Hi Graeme, I’m using what I make and sell: http://www.ansoneng.com/sample-page/products-summary/6-pneumatic-tailwheel-to-suit-sonex/
I originally fitted the pneumatic wheel just because I hated the noise of the little solid wheel while I was taxying but I think that it does grip and steer better. The downside is more maintenance. I am currently using (and supply) the wheel with a tire that is meant for electric scooters. On sealed runways they last about 140 landings. On grass they would last much longer.
Peter