converting tricycle gear to taildragger?
03-07-2005 | 06:46 AM
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From: Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA
converting tricycle gear to taildragger?
Hi there, I've just got myself a low wing trainer at a really good price but it has tricycle gear. [
]I want to learn how to handle taildraggers coz I've already started biulding myself a giles G202.
Does anyone know how I should go about converting the tricycle gear to taildragger. Which dimesions etc. ??
Thank you for your help![8D]
]I want to learn how to handle taildraggers coz I've already started biulding myself a giles G202. Does anyone know how I should go about converting the tricycle gear to taildragger. Which dimesions etc. ??Thank you for your help![8D]
03-07-2005 | 09:19 AM
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RE: converting tricycle gear to taildragger?
ORIGINAL: clinty
Hi there, I've just got myself a low wing trainer at a really good price but it has tricycle gear. []I want to learn how to handle taildraggers coz I've already started biulding myself a giles G202. Does anyone know how I should go about converting the tricycle gear to taildragger.
You will need to go into the fuselage and epoxy (use 30 minute epoxy) a 1/4" plywood plate to the bottom of the fuselage. I also suggest epoxying some 3/8" or 1/2" triangular stock from the fuselage sides to the ply plate for additional strength. The plate should be located such that the AXLES of the landing gear are even with the leading edge of the main wing. For a tailwheel assembly, I highly recommend the Sullivan tailwheel assemblies. Depending on how the fuselage is constructed you may want to inlet and epoxy a 1/8" - 3/16" piece of LITE ply in the tail to fasten the tailwheel to. I inlet and epoxy a lite ply plate in my planes, then use #4 socket head SCREWS to fasten the assembly to the plane. Make sure you rebalance the plane afterwards.
For flying the plane:
1. When taxiing hold full up elevator. This keeps the tail planted on the ground for steering.
2. For the takeoff run I usually HOLD A LITTLE up elevator - about 1 or 2 clicks worth. Be ready to give the plane some right rudder when the tail lifts off the ground to offset the prop torque. The plane will get up on the main gear (remember to HOLD the up elevator until the plane is up on the mains, then you can ease off on it ), let it build up speed, then give it A LITTLE up elevator and she will lift off.
3. For landing, FLY the plane down until the mains are about 3" from the ground. You should have about 1/8 - 1/16 throttle on at this point. Now reduce the throttle to an idle. SLOWLY add in some up elevator and HOLD IT. What you want to do is bleed off speed, not balloon back up. The plane will settle in to a nice 3 point landing. Remember to give it full up elevator while taxiing back.
Which dimesions etc. ??
The wheels should be be about the same distance apart as the mains are now and the height should be such that the prop you will be using will have a MINIMUM of 1 1/2" of ground clearance when the plane is level to the ground.
Thank you for your help![8D]
Hi there, I've just got myself a low wing trainer at a really good price but it has tricycle gear. [
]I want to learn how to handle taildraggers coz I've already started biulding myself a giles G202. Does anyone know how I should go about converting the tricycle gear to taildragger. You will need to go into the fuselage and epoxy (use 30 minute epoxy) a 1/4" plywood plate to the bottom of the fuselage. I also suggest epoxying some 3/8" or 1/2" triangular stock from the fuselage sides to the ply plate for additional strength. The plate should be located such that the AXLES of the landing gear are even with the leading edge of the main wing. For a tailwheel assembly, I highly recommend the Sullivan tailwheel assemblies. Depending on how the fuselage is constructed you may want to inlet and epoxy a 1/8" - 3/16" piece of LITE ply in the tail to fasten the tailwheel to. I inlet and epoxy a lite ply plate in my planes, then use #4 socket head SCREWS to fasten the assembly to the plane. Make sure you rebalance the plane afterwards.
For flying the plane:
1. When taxiing hold full up elevator. This keeps the tail planted on the ground for steering.
2. For the takeoff run I usually HOLD A LITTLE up elevator - about 1 or 2 clicks worth. Be ready to give the plane some right rudder when the tail lifts off the ground to offset the prop torque. The plane will get up on the main gear (remember to HOLD the up elevator until the plane is up on the mains, then you can ease off on it ), let it build up speed, then give it A LITTLE up elevator and she will lift off.
3. For landing, FLY the plane down until the mains are about 3" from the ground. You should have about 1/8 - 1/16 throttle on at this point. Now reduce the throttle to an idle. SLOWLY add in some up elevator and HOLD IT. What you want to do is bleed off speed, not balloon back up. The plane will settle in to a nice 3 point landing. Remember to give it full up elevator while taxiing back.
Which dimesions etc. ??
The wheels should be be about the same distance apart as the mains are now and the height should be such that the prop you will be using will have a MINIMUM of 1 1/2" of ground clearance when the plane is level to the ground.
Thank you for your help![8D]
Hope this is of some help.
03-08-2005 | 03:07 AM
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From: Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA
RE: converting tricycle gear to taildragger?
Thanks very much Campy!
I think I will do exactly what you said.
I have just got a Phoenix Scanner and have read a couple of threads about the plane. The general perception is it is a very good low wing trainer. So this is the plane I'm gonna mod.
I'm still busy building the Giles, it's a GP Giles G202 46 size. I'm gonna put a TT 91FS in her. I reckon I'll toss my Scanner around for quite some time before I can venture on the Giles!
Oh, I'm putting a Saito 56 in the scanner(Side mounting it - have to do some mods there too) I LOVE building!!!, had the 56 laying around! Got if from my Sig Citabria. I reckon I'm gonna put a 72 in the Citabria, didn't like the 56's performance in there. I'll eventually get another smaller aerobatic plane for the 56. I think it's a bit of a waste putting a beautiful Saito 4-stroke in the Scanner but ... 
Thanks once again!
I think I will do exactly what you said.
I have just got a Phoenix Scanner and have read a couple of threads about the plane. The general perception is it is a very good low wing trainer. So this is the plane I'm gonna mod.
I'm still busy building the Giles, it's a GP Giles G202 46 size. I'm gonna put a TT 91FS in her. I reckon I'll toss my Scanner around for quite some time before I can venture on the Giles!
Oh, I'm putting a Saito 56 in the scanner(Side mounting it - have to do some mods there too) I LOVE building!!!, had the 56 laying around! Got if from my Sig Citabria. I reckon I'm gonna put a 72 in the Citabria, didn't like the 56's performance in there. I'll eventually get another smaller aerobatic plane for the 56. I think it's a bit of a waste putting a beautiful Saito 4-stroke in the Scanner but ... Thanks once again!
03-08-2005 | 11:29 AM
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RE: converting tricycle gear to taildragger?
You may want to look at the Worl Models Rambler 30 and/or 45. The basic difference between the 2 is the 45 has retracts. Both of these are classified as low wing trainer/sport type planes.
I have a Rambler 30 with an OS 52 4s in it. Flys great with the 52. I had (past tense [&o] ) a Rambler 45 with an OS 46 FX in it and the plane moved out quite well. I lost an arguement with a steam roller we had at the field.
This is my second Rambler 30. The initial one had an OS 46 FX in it - in fact that was the plane I learned to knife edge on.
Good luck with the Phoenix Scanner.
I have a Rambler 30 with an OS 52 4s in it. Flys great with the 52. I had (past tense [&o] ) a Rambler 45 with an OS 46 FX in it and the plane moved out quite well. I lost an arguement with a steam roller we had at the field.
This is my second Rambler 30. The initial one had an OS 46 FX in it - in fact that was the plane I learned to knife edge on.
Good luck with the Phoenix Scanner.
