Quote:
Originally Posted by cmarbach
It seems to me that if I hold my RV-7 (180 HP const speed prop) just off the runway eventually I have to increase the pitch enough that I think the tailwheel hits first and I get a little "hop" before it settles on the runway. No big bounce, but when I first touch I'm not staying on the ground either. Any hints to be better?
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Your stall angle in ground effect is greater than your 3 point angle on all the ground. Just accept it or change your hold it off technique a little.
The solution is fly it on more and DON'T hold it off, aka "Wheel Landing". Some tail draggers that was the ONLY recommend way to land.
Yes you should land near stall, but with such a slick and low stall aircraft like the RV it's hard to three point it with short main gears, unless you fly it on a little. Have you done any two pointers? Have you flown it on with the tail up? Try it for a touch and go. Clearly this is a faster landing, and a better techqnique for windy conditions.
Some where beteen a hold it off tail wheel plop and two point is the three point in the RV. Some times a dab of power gets it. It's hard to do it consistantly. In the RV-4 with passenger and bags you tend to carry power and keep the tail up to avoid the tail wheel plop landing.
With the higher speed wheel landing (not a lot higher), if you bounce you might go flying again... avoid PIO (pilot induced oscillation).. either let it settle for a small hop, add power to stabilize and try again (runway permitting), or add power and go around. Again if the bounce is big add power and go around. Flying it on is fun.
With your technique you will almost always hit the tail wheel first. Also your technique is not a good idea in gusts, cross winds, you need a little airspeed for control authority, fwd slip for cross wind, a little power even .... Not every landing needs to be short or near stall. On the other hand landing too fast is recipe for something to bad happen and it to get out of control fast.