Take off....do you get your tail up?

[Steve Sampson]

Coming to the -4 from a Supercub and Pawnees I am preconditioned to push the stick forward to lift the tail once it will fly, and then pull it back to leave the ground. The -4 appears to prefer to fly off the ground in its 3 point attitude with a neutral stick. Is this a common view from the -4 community?

P.S. IKON has returned to my strip now and is making easy landings into 1020'.

 

[Andy_RR]

I was taught that getting the tail up early was an imperative to avoid aerodynamically induced bouncing caused by the wing being at a large angle of attack and therefore quite effective, even at the low speeds of the take-off roll. Mind you, I've not flown an RV yet...

I suppose it's more a requirement if you're operating from grass and perhaps the RV's don't sit fully stalled, so the wing is less effective.

Just my theoretical 2p.

A

 

[Mel]

Typically I always get the tail at least off the ground. You can still maintain a positive angle of attack but you will have better rudder authority with the tailwheel off the ground.
You also will be putting less wear on the tailwheel itself.

 

[dmeloche]

When I got my RV6 transition training from Mike Seager the process was a little forward pressure on the the stick until the tail lifts and then a little back pressure until liftoff. I've used this on my airplane and it seems to work pretty well.

Doug
RV6
240 hours

 

[Kahuna]

"Take off....do you get your tail up"

Yes.

 

[Low n Slow]

I raise the tail but keep it lower than most taildraggers I've flown.

 

[glenn654]

Steve,
My preference is to leave the tail down for a 3-count when taking off from hard surfaced runways, I find directional control is easier at the start by leaving the tailwheel down....if on grass I raise the tail immediately to reduce drag from the tailwheel, put the plane in a more aerodynamic position to hopefully accelerate as fast as possible and airborne which requires more rudder work.

Different strokes for different folks...

Glenn Wilkinson

 

[CraigH@KRPH]

Steve,
My preference is to leave the tail down for a 3-count when taking off from hard surfaced runways, I find directional control is easier at the start by leaving the tailwheel down....if on grass I raise the tail immediately to reduce drag from the tailwheel, put the plane in a more aerodynamic position to hopefully accelerate as fast as possible and airborne which requires more rudder work.

Different strokes for different folks...

Glenn Wilkinson

Same procedure I use.