3 point or wheelies

[tpvdb3]

I’ve only been doing 3 point landings in my rv9, what are your thoughts on wheelies?

 

[swjohnsey]

I do mostly wheelies in my RV-4. I land a little slower doing a three point.

 

[JDeanda]

Here We Go

<starts making popcorn>

 

[alpinelakespilot2000]

The angle of attack for a "full-stall" landing is bit greater on the RV-9 given its airfoil (making comparisons to other 2-seat RVs not very useful). In my experience, that means airspeed control is pretty crucial to 3 point without ballooning. Thus, my most consistent landings tend to be tail low 2-pt. YMMV.

 

[wcalvert]

In anticipation of the inevitable "crosswind of which you cannot avoid", get some instruction on the wheelie technique. You'll be happy you did. And besides, being comfortable doing whichever is required (or just happens) makes for a much more successful landing event overall.

Cheers

 

[crabandy]

Yes………..

I almost exclusively wheel landed the first 60 hours or so. It took me a while to get used to 3-pointing while the wing was still flying, different than the full stall 3 point of the legacy tail wheels. More set the attitude and let it settle and wait about 3 seconds to bring the stick into your lap.

3 points are definitely shorter and needed on shorter runways. Also nice to make a nice 3 point out of a botched wheelie…….

 

[RV8JD]

If you don't already have a copy, I'd suggest getting "The Compleat Taildragger Pilot" by Harvey S. Plourde. Good stuff for new and experienced conventional gear pilots.

 

[FireMedic_2009]

Awesome

<starts making popcorn>

. We need to put it on the big screen

 

[hoyden]

I mainly do 3 point. I found this video where Doug Rozendaal takes the mystery out of tail wheel flying.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3q2Swzi2q8

 

[Toobuilder]

"My thoughts" on any landing technique is to effectively use the one most appropriate to the conditions.

 

[PCHunt]

If you are flying a tailwheel airplane, you should be proficient at doing both types of landings.

If you intend to do a "wheel" landing, and "just saying" it doesn't doesn't quite measure up to your standards, then just carry on and turn it into a tailwheel-first landing, and pretend that's what you wanted to do all along.

Or, conversely, if you intend to do a "full stall landing", .... and let's just say for the sake of argument, that you happen to Bounce, then turn it into a wheel landing.

Never happened to me, of course.......

 

[rv8ch]

I mainly do 3 point. I found this video where Doug Rozendaal takes the mystery out of tail wheel flying.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3q2Swzi2q8

That's a great video - and one phrase in the video gets said by me almost every flight "See the centerline? That's where the professionals live!"

Just for the record, I'm a tail low wheelie lander, unless I want to stop very short.

 

[mountainride]

Tail low wheel-lander here as well. It get me the the most consistent "greasers". 3 point results in shorter rolls but tricky to not drop the last few inches, not usually a bounce but a firmer plant and landing gear flex. The RVs have good rudder authority even in the tail low position. Not so much on 180's etc where rudder authority isn't so great in tail low and it needs to either be tail on the ground or pinned on with the tail high.

 

[planenutz]

<starts making popcorn>

+1


99.99% wheelies for me. Only time I do a three-pointer is when the Instructor asks me to demonstrate one during my BFR check ride.

 

[Michael Seager]

If you cant do both really well then you got some learning to do.

 

[newt]

I aim for wheelers most of the time because I find them harder and practice makes perfect. 3-pointers are a piece of cake in the RV-6.

- mark

 

[BillL]

If you cant do both really well then you got some learning to do.

Greetings, Mike!!