Alternating one-wheel landings

[FastEddieB]

Over on the CT forum, the topic of intentionally landing on one wheel came up, first as a way to prevent sudden nose-down tendencies with tundra tires, then I brought it up as a possible way to make wheel landings in a taildragger a bit easier.

Anyway, I had a chance to go flying yesterday. The winds were variable, so I figured a good time to play with recording one-wheel landings with a tail-mounted GoPro on my Sky Arrow.

Hardly a "Drunken Cub" routine. More like a "Slightly Inebriated Sky Arrow"!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AFSbr5g7q8

[designrs]

Great Eddie!

[drseti]

Beautiful, Eddie! I speculate that things would look somewhat less symmetrical in a side-by-side aircraft than they do in your tandem SkyArrow.

[Flocker]

Great video!!! What's your technique?

[FastEddieB]

Great video!!! What's your technique?

Whatever "technique" I had I think I developed in my Citabrias.

I guess I...

1) Come in a little fast and carry a little power.

2) Right before touchdown, lower one wing a little and apply opposite rudder. If done immediately before touchdown, inertia should keep any appreciable drift from occurring.

3) If drift seems to be developing, counter it with a little rudder/yaw away from it. With the small bank angles I used it really is a tiny amount*.

4) Once the wheel is on, just leave some power on. With practice and available runway you should be able to roll along on one wheel for thousands of feet.

5) Best case to start is a smooth crosswind, where ideally you should be landing on the upwind wheel first anyway. That should counter any drift. Just leave the power in and drive it down the runway on that upwind wheel. Good example here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc2FYTBvMTE

6) If at all shy, do NOT try this by yourself! Though usually benign, anything new and unusual can get you in trouble. I'd recommend going up with an instructor or someone proficient and comfortable with the maneuver when playing with it for the first time.


*For a more extreme example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dplkwrW8Dqs

[rgstubbsjr]

Nice video, thanks for sharing.

I like to do that sort of thing periodically. It has also provided me with plenty of proof that the gene pool could use some more chlorine.

I was practicing "crosswind" landings in a plane I had never flown before, just to get the feel of the rudder, et al. After about an hour of practice I taxied back to the FBO to get a cup of tea.
As I was walking in, a guy comes running up to me, screaming obscenities at me.
Says he: "What the Fxxx do you think you were doing out there!" (repeat 4 or 5 times)
Says I: "Practicing crosswind landings"
Say he "There was NO CROSSWIND!!!!" "How stupid can you be?!! How irresponsible can you be?!!! It's people like you that cause problems for all of us!"
Says I: There was a zero kts crosswind, from both sides of the runway.
Says he: "How stupid can you be?!! How irresponsible can you be?!!! It's people like you that cause problems for all of us!"
Says I: "Really?"
He followed me into the FBO and berated me to everyone and anyone in the place. People were howling with laughter which just wound him up even tighter.
He finally threatened to call the FAA on all of us, and the girl behind the counter said "Let me dial that number for you. Do you mind if I put you on speaker? I can't wait to see how this turns out.", and handed him the phone. Finally, one of the owners took the phone out of his hand, and told him off, and tossed him out.

I wonder if he ever called the FAA.

Everybody should practice zero kts crosswind landings. Might even help you when it's more than zero kts.

[Wm.Ince]

. . . " one of the owners took the phone out of his hand, and told him off, and tossed him out.
I wonder if he ever called the FAA.

That sounds like somebody we know. . . .