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01-27-2013, 08:11 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SC
Posts: 12,887
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim T
Couple of things.
Have you compared the cost of insuring a taildragger vs a tri-gear?
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This is really a myth. The difference isn't large enough to matter and after the first 100 hours in type, it goes away.
Besides, life is too short, fly the plane you want to fly!
__________________
Bill R.
RV-9 (Yes, it's a dragon tail)
O-360 w/ dual P-mags
Build the plane you want, not the plane others want you to build!
SC86 - Easley, SC
www.repucci.com/bill/baf.html
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01-27-2013, 08:25 PM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pocahontas MS
Posts: 3,884
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I've owned a Thorp, & flown several others. I learned to fly in a Luscombe & bought the Thorp soon after getting my license. I thought the Thorp was a great handling plane on the ground, and mine had 'hard' links from rudder to tailwheel.
A friend built an -8, & later owned a Thorp. He never complained about the Thorp, but was never comfortable in the -8 (and he has a LOT of hours in a lot of tailwheel a/c, including Pitts & Baby Great Lakes). All the other RV's are very docile on the ground (as taildraggers go).
Odds are, your plane had gear alignment issues, as others have mentioned. Try to get some time in several other t/w models, & start on grass, if you can. Grass is a lot more forgiving when you touch down with less than perfect alignment with the runway. :-)
FWIW,
Charlie
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01-28-2013, 02:30 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Sonoma County
Posts: 3,821
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During takeoff and landings, forward visibility is not really an issue. Usually not much to run into on a runway. But with a side by side, you have a huge blind spot even if you S turn your way along. It makes the chance of damage during ground maneuvers very real.
Years ago, Van's decided to only take trikes to air shows for that very reason. Your chances of hitting something or someone on the ground are far greater than ground looping.........Now a tandem is another story.
__________________
VAF #897 Warren Moretti
2019 =VAF= Dues PAID
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01-28-2013, 04:01 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Canton,NC
Posts: 190
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Bob, I'll take you up on that offer......
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Dad of an Air Force C-17 flight instructor
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01-28-2013, 04:04 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Canton,NC
Posts: 190
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Jim T......That thought HAS crossed my mind.
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Dad of an Air Force C-17 flight instructor
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01-28-2013, 07:20 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
Posts: 3,932
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim T
Also, if you don't really have need of a taildragger why subject yourself to that kind of anxiety?
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Same could be said for the nose wheel, given the number of tip overs.
I've flown both the T-18 and various RV's, and can say that the flying characteristics are similar. I haven't landed a Thorp though, I let the owner do that. He didn't have any trouble doing it, and he wasn't a high-time pilot, either.
__________________
Rob Prior
1996 RV-6 "Tweety" C-FRBP (formerly N196RV)
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01-28-2013, 08:00 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Battleground
Posts: 4,348
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Jimmy - as others have mentioned, the tailwheel RV's are about as docile as they come. However, they need to be treated with respect just as any tailwheel airplane does. This is part of the fun and challenge for me and what has always driven me towards tailwheel aircraft.
This is a hobby/lifestyle for me, something I do for fun. Part of the fun is operating the machine and being challenged, having to think about technique and practicing it.
To me, the tailwheel is a big part of the fun. I simply prefer to fly and own tailwheel airplanes. That is my personal preference and nobody can argue with that, and I won't argue if others preference's are something different.
You have to start splitting hairs if you want to judge nose vs tail in RV's. Everybody justifies what they have, and I am no different.
You will be thrilled with either.
__________________
Smart People do Stupid things all the time. I know, I've seen me do'em.
RV6 - Builder/Flying
Bucker Jungmann
Fiat G.46 -(restoration in progress, if I have enough life left in me)
RV1 - Proud Pilot.
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01-28-2013, 08:32 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 176
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I have owned...
2 T-18s and have landed a -6 and a -9. My first T-18 was easier to land than the second. Could have been gear misalignment. I don't think you'll have a problem landing an RV-6.
__________________
David Taylor
RV-7 N207DT
Wings
Warner Robins, GA
"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one. "
Elbert Hubbard
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01-28-2013, 09:47 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
Posts: 2,182
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There are a couple of T-18's at my home field. The builder of my RV-6 got his checkout in one of the T-18's and he always said the T-18 is much more difficult to keep straight and the RV-6 he built (now mine) is a piece of cake to keep straight during landing rollout compared to the T-18. The other T-18's owner also always said he has to be pretty quick and nimble with the feet to keep it straight too.
I've got a fair number of hours in a friend's RV-4, another friend's RV-8, and now about 50 in my RV-6. I find the RV-6 to be a bit harder to land consistently well, than either the -4 or the -8. The -8 was a piece of cake to land consistently well every time. I have no problems keeping my -6 straight during the landing rollout, that part is really tame. My biggest landing issue when I first got the -6 was judging the height above the runway to flare, and flaring a bit too high, since I'm short and cannot see as well over the nose and outside the plane as well as I could in the -8 or the -4, but over time I've gotten accustomed to that without having to rig up a thicker seat cushion since I like the way the seat height is while in level cruise 
__________________
Neal Howard
Airplaneless once again...
Last edited by Neal@F14 : 01-28-2013 at 09:50 AM.
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01-28-2013, 10:25 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Battleground
Posts: 4,348
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neal@F14
My biggest landing issue when I first got the -6 was judging the height above the runway to flare, and flaring a bit too high, since I'm short and cannot see as well over the nose and outside the plane as well as I could in the -8 or the -4, but over time I've gotten accustomed to that without having to rig up a thicker seat cushion since I like the way the seat height is while in level cruise 
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The 6 is the most forward limited in sight of any of the fleet. Not sure if this helps Neal or if you are already doing this, but once I get into ground effect my sight line is out the bottom left corner of the windscreen. I use the same technique in my Bucker with forward visibility which is 90% blind in cruise and 100% when the nose is raised. The advantage the Bucker has is even if you put the stick back too early, if you are straight, at the right airspeed, and keep the stick in your lap, she settles in with 11 inches of oleo travel. Not so much with the 6 which will bounce and skip. Still, all is forgiven if you keep the stick in your lap.
__________________
Smart People do Stupid things all the time. I know, I've seen me do'em.
RV6 - Builder/Flying
Bucker Jungmann
Fiat G.46 -(restoration in progress, if I have enough life left in me)
RV1 - Proud Pilot.
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