[grosbeak]

While at the field on Friday I noticed that my AMR trainer 26 wasn't turning well on the ground and I soon found the cause - one of the springs that connects the tail wheel to the rudder was stretched, preventing the wheel from centring properly. While I was readjusting the springs one broke, so I decided to do some taxi tests with the tail wheel castering.


I was not expecting the plane to respond so well - I liked the ground handling so I left it like that. I was back at the field on Sunday and got three flights in.


It has taken a little getting used to - I notice it most when turning towards the pit area at the end of a flight. I just turn a little earlier now.


I'm sure it's different for each plane and of course the runway material and wind will have their way - but for this plane at this field, it works for me.

[davidmc36]

I had an old Dura-Plane set up with castering tail and found it worked decent on grass but would swing around too easily on asphalt and was twitchy in general and hard to control in crosswind.

[OLD PRAIRIE RED NECK]

I have them set up both ways. On grass it's hardly possible to tell the difference but on pavement the castoring one is pretty annoying!

[tommy]

I wonder if you could have the wheel trail farther behind it's present location if it would help? I have two though trains on this set up. Be careful in winds as there is no control touching the ground.

[OLD PRAIRIE RED NECK]

Originally Posted by tommy

Be careful in winds as there is no control touching the ground.

I believe it actually helps cross wind landings.

The rudder is still effective even after touch down so you do have control. The other thing that happens on touch down is the tail wheel automatically adjusts to the slip angle of the plane and doesn't give you that sudden directional lurch that normally happens when the tail wheel grabs the ground.

[Flypaper]

We need to have a device where, when you push it hard enough sideways, it unlatches. I remember working on some full size light planes that had that.

[grosbeak]

Flew it for the first time in a crosswind this past weekend. No worries at all!