chrisfo

Anybody have any ideas and or pictures on what would be the best method to convert an Aerostar 40 to a taildragger........ Thanks


Chris

teufelhund

My Feedback: (2)

Hi Chris, I see hits but no info, so here you go. A tail dragger gear should be setup by locating the CG and the datum line(this line runs along the fuselage side) on your aircraft. The datum line is used to have a reference of 90 degrees for the 15 to 20 angle you will need. CG(forwardmost)-Do this with the wing on the plane and mark the location on the fuselage side with a vertical line use low tack tape or pencil, once you have this marked remove the wing. Now using the datum line for a 90 degree angle mark your CG line from top to bottom of the fuse side. Now mark a line 15 to 20 degrees in front of this(vertical line) starting at the top of the fuse side where it will intersect with the CG line. You can use a yardstick or whatever you have that is perfectly straight to bring this line below the fuse side. You can now take the mains and rest them against the bottom of the fuse, move the gear until the axle contacts the yardstick or what you have used then make sure the main gear is square to the fuse and mark the front and back side of the main gear. Use a solid main gear (aluminum or wire) as this absorbs landing shock. Make sure that you reinforce the new area for the gear with 1/4 ply. The tailwheel area should be reinforced also with a piece of 1/8 ply if mounting on fuse bottom; ie when using Sullivan TW this assembly uses two screws and blind nuts. This sounds more complicated than it really is. You can PM me if you have any questions. Ben

Newc

I converted a trainer to a taildragger some years ago and simply installed an aluminum gear so that the wheel's axle was just a small bit ahead of the leading edge of the wing and installed a tailwheel. Obviously you need to reinforce the area where the gear will be attached with plywood and triangle stock between the plywood and the fuse sides and/or formers.

Make sure that the wheels are well aligned by making sure that both wheels are the same distance from the rudder and nose.

woodbutcher

This may be obvious but , check your CG after as it might now be tail heavy, not a good thing !

chrisfo

Thank's for the posts everyone........... now what's the best way to make the tailwheel turn with the rudder. The elevator spans the full lenght of the horizontal stab making the connection difficult for me. Thank you


Chris

ROBT4

A couple of guys at our grass field kept their sig kavalier tailwheel freewheeling and i never seen them having any trouble landing or takeoffs.I would'd recomend it on a paved field though.

teufelhund

My Feedback: (2)

Hi Chris,
You could let the tailwheel freewheel with no problems as ROBT4 suggested. If you want to connect it to the rudder for control you could try this; http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...FV47&P=ML...it connects to the rudder with just a spring so that the tailwheel assembly absorbs the landing impact instead of the rudder. Or just make your own(see pic) Ben

chrisfo

Thanks for the reply, but the elevator spans the whole lenght of the stab. I cant figure out how to connect the tail wheel to the rudder?

Chris

Newc

What I do routinely is to epoxy a brass tube vertically into the rear of the fuse. This is where the tail gear wire goes. But before inserting the wire into the tube, put a wheel collar on the straight piece of the wire with a long (~1�) hex head bolt. After all is tight and the bolt head is pointing straight back (a flat spot filed onto the wire where the hex head bolt tightens will help keep alignment), slip a piece of fuel tubing all the way on to the bolt, with another inch or two of tubing left past the bolt. At the end of the fuel tubing use a wood screw to attach the tubing into the bottom of the rudder. This not only allows complete tail wheel control, but does so with shock protection.

I’ve attached a photo that shows this on one of my planes. I use this method for all my planes up to and including a couple that are 80� wingspan. In the picture, ignore the line coming off the tail wheel area at a 45 degree angle to the lower right. It’s a result of me taking the picture in the garage and the plane hanging from the ceiling.

krossk

My Feedback: (27)

Here's how I did my Avistar: I used a set of DuBro main gear mounted just behind the LE anchored to an additional ply plate epoxied behind the front bulkhead in the radio compartment and then used a sharpened brass tube in the drill to run another ny-rod from the new tail wheel to the rudder servo.

chrisfo

Thank you......... that's what i'll do.


Chris

Kostas1

Also have you flown your "new" Avistar yet?
What will be now the difference with the tail dragger conversion in flight?

krayzc-RCU

My Feedback: (31)

just how it takes off/lands is what will be different

Kostas1

General flight characteristics will be the same?

krossk

My Feedback: (27)

I just completed the conversion yesterday, so no flight info. I don't expect any significant differences other than take-off / landing.

pojarnii

I made a very similar conversion to my Avistar after an incident involving high speed low passes (no Admiral's daughters). The only real difference is that I didn't connect the tail wheel to the rudder or rudder servo. Taxiing is a bit more challenging but works just fine with a little practice. A stiff wind can be too much for the rudder only to overcome, but that is pretty rare and only an issue at low speeds.

I kind of like the new challenge, the Avistar looks great as a tail dragger (I actually get compliments on it) and the landings seem to be easier now. The only real downside is that there is more clean up now due to the tail being so close to the grass and dirt.

Good luck with your conversion!

captinjohn

The use of plastic screws to hold landing gear on is a good idea I think. The screws will break instead od ripping out bottom of your plane.

krayzc-RCU

My Feedback: (31)

ripping out gear huh

krossk

My Feedback: (27)

That was kind of my thought too. I figure if I botch a landing so bad I rip the gear out, then I deserve to have some repair work - and the coresponding reminder to improve my landing skills!

ttolliver

My Feedback: (1)

FYI

I just discovered, using teufelhund's method, that Great Planes L-4 gear (GPMQ1840) places the wheel axles perfectly on a Sig LT-40 when attached immediately behind the former at the wings leading edge -- and with the straight edge of the landing gear pointing forward.

Thanks,
Tom

KojakDave

My Feedback: (4)

Thanks to ideas from this post, I am in the process of making my Avistar a taildragger! I used the Dubro tailwheel also, but I drilled a small hole in the LE of the elevator at the center and bent my own wire to fit through the hole and into the bottom of the rudder. I CA'd the exposed wood at the edges of the hole to help keep it strong and epoxied the tailwheel wire into the rudder. It seems to work pretty nicely, I just hope I haven't weakened the elevator. I epoxied a piece of plywood into the floor of the fuselage under the batter and receiver area and have drilled the holes for the main gear. I just finished painting the gear white to match the fuse and will hopefully finish and get some pictures taken tomorrow.

KojakDave

My Feedback: (4)

Well, here it is: [link=http://image.rcuniverse.com/gallery/photos/98759/lg-50477.jpg]My Avistar Taildragger[/link]. I took it out for some flying today and it was great! It seems to handle a lot better on the ground with the tailwheel than it did with nose gear, and since I fly from a grass field I have to worry less about bending or breaking the gear on a rough patch. Well, happy flying to everyone!

Dave

klynisix

db4962-

Do you have any closeups of the taildragger conversion? Is it holding up? How did you strengthen the fuse where the tailwheel mounts?

klynisix

krossk-

What was the purpose of using the brass tube? Does it matter what angle the pushrod exits the bottom of the fuse? How did you strengthen the tailwheel mount? I like this set-up. I am thinking of using it for my LT-40 conversion.

parrthd

i also modified an avistar into a taildragger........best thing i ever did to this plane.

i drilled a clearance hole through the middle of the elevator where it meets the fuse/horizontal stab, next i took a peice of clothes hanger (that's right......straight outta the closet), next i made a couple quick bends to route the wire up through the elevator and to the bottom of the rudder...


i'll post a couple pics and explaine the rest.....i gotta go ........

ok, i attached the wire to the bottom of the rudder with fiberglass tape+thin ca, bent the bottom of the wire to match the bottom of the fuse, attached the two wires with wire ties and epoxy, made a makeshift "rod guide" and attached it to the back of theh fuse and there you go...

i know, i know, it's not the best looking plane in the world BUT it still flies great and it taught me to fly!!!