What is the difference between tail dragger and three cycle?
 

Hello All,

What is the difference between tail dragger and three cycle?

Never flown a tail dragger only three cycles, im feeling confident with trikes.

I’m building a Sig mid star 40, as many recommended and what I see from the kit, this plane preferred to be a tail dragger, and it will be a tail dragger.

What should i be ready for, In terms of take off and landing?

Thanks
Alex

RE: What is the difference between tail dragger and three cycle?
 

Just how they handle on the ground with take off and landing. Some people have a hard time adjusting to them. I didn't really notice too much difference myself.

RE: What is the difference between tail dragger and three cycle?
 

Tail draggers actually handle a little better than tricycle gear does on grass runways. A tail-dragger can be a bit tougher to control on a paved runway until you learn one simple thing. When taxiing and taking off with a tail dragger on a paved runway, you need to keep a little bit of up elevator on the control stick. This pushes the tail, and hence the tail wheel, down against the pavement and provides more positive steering control. If you forget, the plane may have a tendancy to spin around or "ground loop" while you're trying to steer it.

RE: What is the difference between tail dragger and three cycle?
 

You will be fine, just keep up elevator while taxiing and release before take off. I learned on a tail draggers and it seemed more fun than trikes.

dave trimmer.

RE: What is the difference between tail dragger and three cycle?
 

You and your plane's rudder are going to become best friends. With a taildragger, rudder control before, during and immediately after takeoff, and the same in reverse for landing, become very important. You'll find your throttle will need to be carefully maniuplated during the takeoff run, in conjunction with the rudder, to keep the plane going straight down the runway. The same is true during landing, you'l need to fly the plane (and by that I mean stay on the controls) right up untill it slows to a stop.
Sounds like a lot of work? It is, but it's very much worth it. And with enough stick time, it will all become second nature. Flying a trike will almost seem like cheating.

Andy

RE: What is the difference between tail dragger and three cycle?
 

I'm currently learning on a taildragger and what they say about take-offs and landings are very true. It takes a lot of rudder control on the ground. when landing I'm using throttle and elevator to get the flare just before touching the ground. Its a BLAST to see one land just right. Got 14 flights with 11 to go before my instructor will let me solo. He's let me land 5 times and luckily my plane (Mustang P-51 PTS) is still in one piece. Good Luck!

RE: What is the difference between tail dragger and three cycle?
 

Thanks guys

RE: What is the difference between tail dragger and three cycle?
 

i am just about finished my first plane and it's a tail dragger, i really don't notice much difference on realflight

RE: What is the difference between tail dragger and three cycle?
 

Yeah, lets talk about that.....[&:]

so i must hold it on the ground while its running,

and then release it at some point?

or it will take off from this position?

Thanks

RE: What is the difference between tail dragger and three cycle?
 

A "ground loop" is a out of control turn that you can't stop. The tail of the plane skids around and the inertia of the turn causes the plane to tip resulting in one wingtip dragging the runway. The centrifugal force of the turn acting on the plane's CG tries to make the plane turn even more and overwhelms the traction of the tailwheel causing it to skid. It's most likely to happen during high speed taxiing down wind or during a downwind landing. When taxiing upwind or landing into the wind, the airspeed is high enough for the rudder to be effective.

RE: What is the difference between tail dragger and three cycle?
 

You will find that proper toein and caster are more important on a tail dragger. If you do not have some toein--and equal amounts on both wheels--ground loops are more apt to happen. Also, placement of the main landing gear relative to the CG is more important on a tail dragger. If you get the gear to far ahead of the CG, landings will be very bouncy and takeoffs requiring more runway before lift off, if to far aft, you will tend to nose over when taxiing.