Any taildragger trainers?
 

This time of year (late August) our field is unfriendly to tricycle gear trainers. We have a thick weed growing throughout the runway that makes taking off with tricycle gear difficult, even with large wheels. Are there any ARF 40 to 60 sized trainers with tailwheels available? I would like to direct my new students away from tricycle trainers. I suppose we could convert tricycle gear to taildraggers, but this may be beyond someone just starting out.

Thanks

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

The Hanger 9 PTS Mustang is a tail dragger, but some don't think its a trainer. The WM Mach II Skyraider is a low wing trainer that is a tail dragger. Most popular ARF's are trike gear from what I've seen. It isn't really that tough to convert though, but then again if you are new you might be a bit intimidated. Have new members come to a club meeting with the Fuse so they can get some help there?

Just some thoughts,

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

Actually, there is a high wing Sky Raider as well. These planes are inexpensive and fly very well. The low wing version mentioned earlier also doubles as an entry level Pylon Racer in what is known as Club 40 racing. Look it up in the general category of the pylon racing section here.

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

The Sig Kadet LT-25 trainer is a taildragger. Don't be put off by the fact that it is only a .25 size plane. Kadets are great trainers regardless of size. I converted my first trainer, a Kadet Senorita into a taildragger and it worked great.

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

So you want to go from an airplane that won't nose over or yaw when it hits a weed to an airplane that will nose over and yaw when it hits a weed.

Why not just take a gas powered string trimmer an cut the weeds?

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

The OLD standby - Telemaster

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

Ok. Thanks - I'll look them up.

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

The LT-25 is closer to the size of a standard 40 sized trainer.

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

LT 40 with plastic LG is an easy conversion. a tail skid is fine do to the ample rudder. I modified my LT 40 some only 1/2 the dihedral and a slightly larger rudder plastic landing gear and tail skid. os 46 for umph otherwise its stock:D it goes inverted well and is still a joy to fly for experinced and newbies alike. :D

tail dragger for an LT 40 is a very common conversion.

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

Thanks again. And good suggestion on the LT40. It is a great trainer and it is available as an ARF. Will a Sullivan tail wheel assembly work on an LT40?

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

The 4*60 is easier to fly than my trainer was. Comes as an ARF or kit. I dusted of an old trainer that someone gave me, and tried it a month or so back. Just like my Explorer 40, a bit of cross wind gust caught it as I was taxing to the center line and flipped it on it's back. I've never had the 4* even hint that it wanted to hike up on one wheel.

As for noseing over, the only time I've upended the 4* was when I snagged a wheel in a ground squirl hole just after touching down. Of course that hole would have stopped a jeep dead in it tracks also.

Don

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

Yes but the pull pullor pushrod has to come straight from the rudder servo. No easy way to just link off the rudder like a 1:1 instilation.

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

Thunder Tiger Stick .46. Great to fly, loads of fun and well easy to land. I also use a filed which is pretty shrub infested at this time of year. Good thing bout the Stick is it's ability to glide into a slow landing, and even on the bouncy one's, the tendency for it to flip forward at the sign of a long weed is minimal, at least in my case. Your students will love it too. The 0.46 gives it that bit extra ooomph too.

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

I agree with the Telemaster.
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/tel40gas.htm
Unfortunately they only come as kits (which I prefer) unless you go electric or big sizes.

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

Weed & Feed once a week in the morning when there is still dew on the grass... problem solved.

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

The World Models LA Flyer is a shoulder wing, tail dragger primary trainer ARF that sells for $99.99.

You can check it out at http://www.airborne-models.com

Edit: Forgot to mention, these planes are specifically designed to fly with the O.S. .40 LA engine, although your students could certainly buy whatever they would like. 5.1 lbs. total flying weight should be no problem for the frugal .40 LA.

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

:Dbroad leaf killer perhaps...FERTILIZER on flying fields is for masochists[sm=angry_smile.gif];);)

[8D] any nose wheeled trainer can easily be converted to a tail dragger. some lite ply scrap and tri-stock on the floor in front of the wing...add some 1/4 20 T nuts and use plastic bolts. I like plastic gear as well. the LT 40 has a rudder set up that makes it just a little tricky, but not hard, to add a tail wheel. A piece of MUSIC wire (not soft wire [:@]don't ask me how I know) glassed to the bottom of the rudder and dropped through the fuse to a tail wheel assembly will work fine just mount the elevator horn slightly off center.
( the elev push rod goes down the middle inside of the fuse on LTs) close together is OK but don't let 'em touch.

he ground handling of an LT 40 set up this way is superb.. I would also recomend you NOT use soft foam wheels but use the Dubro low bounce wheels without tread for the weed situation. Perhaps a skid and no tale wheel if you think your weeds would grab the small tail wheel.

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

I guess i should have put in there that assumes a good riding lawn mower is req'd.

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

Yes, weed killer and re-seeding is what we really need. We are a small club (30 members) so our budget is small. Seeding 2+ acres of land is expensive.

Taildraggers do handle our field much better than tricycle gear planes. I'm going to suggest that one of our newer students convert his trainer to a taildragger and see how he does with it. When I was learning RC I found taildraggers actually easier to handle on takeoff than tricycle gear, but I had full-scale experience with taildraggers prior to RC.

Thanks.

RE: Any taildragger trainers?
 

I am currently learning on a .40 scale cub with a .40 LA. Very predictable plane. Fly's like a dream.