Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

I have seen many threads on the subject, and many at my local field do this with the tricycle gear planes they have.

What I want to know is why convert to a tail dragger? I am told they are trickier to tae off, and ground handling is worse so I wonder why do it?

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

Cause all teh cool kids are...

:)

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

I've also seen tail draggers converted to tricycle gear. A tricycle configuration generally does handle better and is easier to land in my opinion. A well designed tail dragger can also ground handle fairly well but some can be a handful. I have mostly tail draggers with a couple tricycle geared planes.

For a beginner, I strongly recommend staying with the tricycle gear on a first airplane.

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

Just because it is different. I don't think that there is that much, (there is some) difference in ground handling. I personally like wheel pants on the mains, it looks finished that way. You can put wheel pants on a trike, too, but because I fly off grass, I think it would look clunky with the size wheels I use, 3" or bigger.

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

I'd say the advantages are less drag, removing weight from the nose and less complicated control linkages.

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

I have the same question. Rebuilding my crashed trainer and I was considering making it a Tail dragger . Is it worth the trouble.I have soloed 3 months ago on a try- cycle trainer and was going to make these changes for practice on a tail dragger. Is there any problems the with this conversion .

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

One thing about taildraggers is they can turn in a much shorter radius and at a much higher speed than a trike without tipping over. A ground loop dosen't nessesisarliy mean flipping on it's back

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

Why did I converted my midstar from trike to tail dragger?

Pro:
• The airplane designed to be a tail dragger.
• Front wheel adds weight and drag
• Avoid the control system of the front wheel

Cons:
• Trike is easier to taxi and handle on the ground
• Its a little bit trickier to take off with a tail dragger
• The front wheel absorb the impact of bad landing

Alex

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

I converted my trainer to a tail dragger for a couple of reasons.

1. wanted something to do ;) :)
2. I wanted to add a touch of "difficulty" to the plane, to prep me for the next plane.
3. I wanted to add floats to it, so I wanted to move the gear around anyways.

Jon

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

Just the "cool" factor, I guess. It's the traditional landing gear, and historically, up until the '50s, most aircraft had a tailwheel (it's still called "conventional" landing gear). My first plane was a tricycle gear, and everything since then has been a taildragger. No big deal once you get the hang of it, just like anything else.

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

I converted my Great Planes PT40 to a taildragger, dual aileron servos, and external rear servos for tailfeathers.

Why did I do this? Simply for something different to do, and I wanted to modify another kit.

A little over two years ago I had the pleasure of converting a Lanier ST40 trainer from nitro to electric. Cost over $500 to convert it but it was a real pleasure to do. But with it costing so much and coming out as nice as it did I am afraid to attempt to learn on it. Not flying this beauty until after my first or even second trainer.

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

If I had it my way, all my planes would be tail draggers. I find them just as easy to handle on the ground. Landing is smoother too. If you do a proper flare on approach, the landing is smooth as glass. The nose wheel is a pain.

CGr

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

Typically - people convert Trainers to tail draggers. Most warbirds and 3D airplanes are tail draggers. If a trainer is a 'stepping-stone' then it should seem logical to try and step up to a taildragger by converting your trainer to a taildragger, before stepping in to a warbird that has flight characteristics that a beginner may not be ready for. That's why I wanted to do it...but opted to buy a H9 Piper Cub.

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

Tail dragers handle rough fields and tall grass better. Trikes are difficult to handle on our rough field.

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

Because conventional gear is what a good airplane is supposed to have. :eek:

I know, I'm a tail wheel zealot. :)

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

Bingo! That's my main reason. I've converted a few trikes to tail-draggers because I HATE trying to keep a nose gear aligned after a season of smacking rough sod and washboard ruts at our grass strip. A tail dragger also has about 1/3 less drag from the large wheels (two instead of three). More-so with skis, as mentioned above. A trike ski tends to either fall in a hole or lift up and catch the prop (bad for ski and prop!)

Tail-draggers just look better IMHO. Personal taste.

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

Something with a tail-dragger trainer, it is almost impossible for it to topple over from that wind that always seems to be to the rear of you.

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

Tail dragging trainers are easier to handle IMHO. The long arm between the rudder and the mains on a trainer reduces the ground loop tendency. What makes warbirds so hard to handle is the short distance to the tail wheel.

I built my original trainer as a tail dragger to save some weight and avoid the cost of a nose wheel (it was a SPAD, so cheap counts), and now any plane I build is a tail dragger.

As others have said, the nosewheels are a real pain on a rough grass field.

Brad

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

Personally, I was sick and tired of trying to get the PT40's front wheel straight. So when I had to do some repairs I went ahead and converted it. Next plane is going to be a taildragger anyways, so I figured it was worth giving it a try. Plus it doesn't tip over as easily, which is nice, especially with some cross wind.

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

If there is a reason for converting the gear to tail dragger, this would be it. But frankly, its much ado about nothing.:D

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

Nose gears are a real PITA to deal with.

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

I like tail draggers better and they are less trouble than the the tricycle jobs
http://image2-6.rcuniverse.com/e1/ga.../lg-123518.jpg
Here is my LT40 ARF I assembled about 10 years ago. I flew it yesterday - - wonderful

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

A fellow flyer just converted a trike to a til drager.......

Question?

Where should the front mains be placed for a good rotation point and ground handeling.

Right now, both are hard to achieve.

It is very squirley/touchy ground handeling which may cause the take offs being squirley.

As I see on the LT 40, the wheels are just ahead of the leading edge............I think the plane we are talking about needs the gear farther forward.

Is there a RULE OF THUMB to to try?

Thanks

Roger

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

When I moved from my NexStar to a Four Star, the one thing that was most highlighted by everyone else was the process I would have to undergo to learn how to handle a tail dragger. It took me about 30 seconds to realize that there are only advantages with a tail dragger and how much easier it was to handle. It got to a point where I wouldn't even consider buying anything BUT a tail dragger. Trikes in my opinion are more erratic and when you land, you cant make corrections like you do with a tail dragger that will allow for turning at high speed. It all boils down to stick input which expo might be able to correct if set properly.

RE: Tail dragger conversion; Why?
 

well... how else are you going to learn how to fly an extra:)
Plus you don't have a nose wheel that's going to dig into soft dirt spots or grass and cuase a nose over, which will kill the prop and the verticle stab.

Tail dragging is so much easier, I don't know what all the hoopplaa was about.
I read so much it. It had me scare to death of going tail dragging..lol

Just practice taxing it around without the wing for 5-10 mins.
Once the tail lifts , you'll have more control..verse a trigear will still be bouncing.lol
And the darn nose wheel dosen't stay striaght ,straight for too long after a hard wack.
yeah...sure man...as if you're going to take your nose wheel assembly apart at the field after a hard landing.
If you're luckie you didn't forget 2 plier at home.lol

Just don't firewall it...ease into it.
Half of the time i don't even need to apply rudder.

I think some people didn't set their toe in or toe out correctly to be having nightmares with a taildragging.
mmm..i nevered attemp to just install music wires as the main. I purchase pre made aluminum or fibers ones.The have toe in built in already.

For ground handling or taxing making tight turns just pump the throttle...That's why I extend my rudders .:)