Sport Pilot Talk

joey4420 wrote:Tricycle, tailwheel; high wing, low wing; auto or stick..

You forgot:

Yoke, stick; steerable nosewheel, castering nosewheel; flaps, flapperons; wet wing, fuel tank; toe brakes, heel brakes; VOR, GPS; avgas, mogas; tube and fabric, metal, wood, composite; pusher, tractor; tandem, side by side... so many decisions!

I'm not too discriminating -- just needs to have wings and fly -- they're all good in their own way!

I remember a movie about flying taildraggers. At one point a student complains it’s too hard. I’ll never forget the instructor’s response:

“It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard...is what makes it great.”

On second thought, the movie might have been about baseball. But you get the idea.

joey4420 wrote:Tricycle, tailwheel; high wing, low wing; auto or stick..
I prefer no rudder peddles so much easier to fly

Great little airplane, Joey. . . .

"On second thought, the movie might have been about baseball. But you get the idea."

"A League of Their Own" remains one of my top frequent viewing pics.

"There's no crying in aviation!"

I have logged time in 41 makes and/or models. There is not one that I didn't like and wouldn't have wanted to own. If you love flying, it's hard not to love anything that flies.

TimTaylor wrote: If you love flying, it's hard not to love anything that flies.

Or anyone.

Military trainers are sometimes tail draggers. PT-17 and T-6 come to mind immediately. The military must've seen some advantage.

JJay wrote:Military trainers are sometimes tail draggers. PT-17 and T-6 come to mind immediately. The military must've seen some advantage.

Would stand to reason, as just about all WWII fighters were tail draggers.

Sling 2 Pilot wrote:Would stand to reason, as just about all WWII fighters were tail draggers.

..and some bombers, e.g. B-17.

It didn't take very long after the war for military trainers to get tricycle gear, like T-28s, T-33s, T-34s, T-37s, T-38s, etc., 'cause fighters and bombers were getting tricycle gear (F-80, F-86, B-24, B-29, B-36, B-47...).

Being easier to take off and land was part of the transition to tricycle gear airplanes, but the introduction of jet aircraft was also a factor. Having an airplane pushing hot air out the back with its CG behind the main gear does not work well. Then all the designers wanted to make their airplanes like the latest and greatest of the military offerings.

drseti wrote:"There's no crying in aviation!"

That's what they all say, until they get the first repair bill.

MrMorden wrote:That's what they all say, until they get the first repair bill.

On point.

Why taildraggers s*ck and why many pilots love them anyway:

https://www.flyingmag.com/technique/pro ... gers-suck/