Fokker triplane rudder throw?
08-29-2017, 06:26 PM
#1
Fokker triplane rudder throw?
After reading the article in the current AMA mag about taking off, it got me thinking about my 1/4 scale triplane. It is a bear on the ground on take offs. I had full rudder travel and high expo. The article recommends against just that.
So I am going to try dual rates with lower rate on take off, and no expo, then switched to higher rates while flying. I am wondering how you Fokker triplane pilots set up your rudder in the radio?
So I am going to try dual rates with lower rate on take off, and no expo, then switched to higher rates while flying. I am wondering how you Fokker triplane pilots set up your rudder in the radio?
08-30-2017, 04:13 PM
#4
Yeah, that is how I always did it. My memory seems to be telling me though that I had less trouble with my 1st triplane before I used expo. It has been a long time though (12 years) So I am going to try it again without. The point is to not have so much throw that you do not get into trouble in the first place.
09-05-2017, 02:01 PM
#6
I'm not a fan of expo, myself, but that's something of a personal taste, and your mileage may vary.
I set rudder on most WWI's, including the triplane, for a fair amount of throw (not hard against the stop).
I think technique is critical on short coupled taildraggers, and one of the things I do on take-off is to "stab" at the rudder the moment I detect a drift, immediately letting it go back toward neutral. Watching videos of the full-scale replicas shows much the same technique. It's kind of a dance, really, on the rudder bar - tap and release, and repeat as necessary until flying speed is reached.
The big mistake I see a lot is folks hit and holding rudder too long - after begging the plane to turn that much, it's gonna oblige!!
Best regards,
Lee McD
I set rudder on most WWI's, including the triplane, for a fair amount of throw (not hard against the stop).
I think technique is critical on short coupled taildraggers, and one of the things I do on take-off is to "stab" at the rudder the moment I detect a drift, immediately letting it go back toward neutral. Watching videos of the full-scale replicas shows much the same technique. It's kind of a dance, really, on the rudder bar - tap and release, and repeat as necessary until flying speed is reached.
The big mistake I see a lot is folks hit and holding rudder too long - after begging the plane to turn that much, it's gonna oblige!!
Best regards,
Lee McD
