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jerryrosie Certificates/Ratings/Crew Stations: "Jerry's Airborne Again" 06-26-02, 10:51z  I can't keep the secret any longer. Was waiting for pictures to post, but it looks like it may be a while before I can get some. But, .....(drum role)....I just bought an airplane!! It is a "MiniMax" , a home built, classed as an UltraLight as far as FAA regs go, but it looks like a "regular airplane" that has been left out in the rain and has shrunk a bit <G>. Sixteen feet long with a wingspan of 25 feet, weight of 252 pounds powered by a ROTAX engine generating 28 hp. Supposedly will cruise at 55 knots with an operating ceiling of 10,000 (which I seriously doubt <G>). The reason no pics are available? Right now it is resting on its trailer with the wings off sitting in my son-in-law's warehouse with an inoperative starter. (The parts are on order) I have not flown it yet since it is a single seater and I don't want to break it the first time I fly it - so I am getting some Ultralight time in a two seat trainer - had my first lesson last Saturday and have another scheduled for this Satl They do handle quite a bit differently than does a GA airplane. But, in my first hour we got through the first three lessons in the published USUA training manual. I expect that I will be proficient before the required 10 hours of instruction is completed. I do have one concern, however, that maybe the pilots here can address. It is a taildragger and I have no taildragger time and am finding it difficult to locate anyone with taildragger experience in the immediate area. Is there *really* that much difference in flying a taildragger once I get used to taxiing a machine that steers from the back? I know (intellectually) that I can expect some increased "torque effect" from the gyro effect as the tail raises, which must be overcome by rudder, but is there anything else that is different that would make it dangerous for me to solo my new machine without getting some dual time in a taildragger? Celebrate with me!! Pics and step by step progress reports to follow..... ***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation*** Cheers, Jerry (N94) **** VPC OffLine Reader Version 1.0.0.0 **** ++++ Registered to: Gerald J. Rosie ++++ **** OLR.PL Build 1.73 **** Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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Subject      Author      Message Date     ID      RE: Jerry's Airborne Again alanpugh 06-26-02 1    RE: Jerry's Airborne Again jerryrosie 06-26-02 2   RE: Jerry's Airborne Again James 06-26-02 3   RE: Jerry's Airborne Again AlanParkinson 06-26-02 4    RE: Jerry's Airborne Again jerryrosie 06-27-02 6   RE: Jerry's Airborne Again Mike_Greenwood 06-27-02 5    RE: Jerry's Airborne Again jerryrosie 06-27-02 7   RE: Jerry's Airborne Again vgbaron 06-27-02 8   RE: Jerry's Airborne Again Ben_Chiu 06-27-02 9

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alanpugh Certificates/Ratings/Crew Stations: 1. "RE: Jerry's Airborne Again" 06-26-02, 12:16z  Hi Jerry, That's great. I saw my first MinMax at Oshkosh '87 (or '89) and wanted one. The main concern with a tail-dragger is loss of rudder authority as you slow down during the landing roll - especially if the wind kicks the tail off the centerline of the runway. You may need to press full rudder and give it a shot of power to avoid a groundloop. I would think an ultralight which lands at about 40 kts wouldn't have a problem with that. Chances are, you won't be flying in any wind that would be strong enough to cause a problem. I suggest reading up on the subject. Try EAA.ORG, or "Stick and Rudder" by Wolfgang Lewische (not sure of the spelling). Or buy some time in a J-3 cub or other full-size plane. Or go back to FS5.1 and try to fly the DC-3, just kidding. Good luck, rubber side down. Alan Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

jerryrosie Certificates/Ratings/Crew Stations: 2. "RE: Jerry's Airborne Again" 06-26-02, 17:28z  >>especially if the wind kicks the tail off the centerline of the runway<< The POH recommends putting the stick in your stomach as soon as wheels touch down to give you good tail wheel contact with the runway for control. I don't expect or intend to be flying in strong cross wind conditions for the first couple of times anyway. With my limited experience, I think the toughest will be learning to steer it on the ground since steering from the back of any vehicle is not as intuitive as steering from the front. Hope others who might answer concur, because there are no tail draggers in the local area....<]:¬( >>Try EAA.ORG, or "Stick and Rudder" by Wolfgang Lewische<< Thanks for the recommendation. I'll do that this afternoon.... >>Good luck, rubber side down.<< Thanks! Sounds like good advice <]:¬) ***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation*** Cheers, Jerry (N94) **** VPC OffLine Reader Version 1.0.0.0 **** ++++ Registered to: Gerald J. Rosie ++++ **** OLR.PL Build 1.73 **** Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

James Certificates/Ratings/Crew Stations: 3. "RE: Jerry's Airborne Again" 06-26-02, 20:38z  Way to go Jerry Regards, James (CONman) Anderson -= VPC OffLine Reader Version 1.1.0.0 =- Registered to: James Anderson -OLR.PL v1.76- Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

AlanParkinson Certificates/Ratings/Crew Stations: 4. "RE: Jerry's Airborne Again" 06-26-02, 20:57z  Jerry, YYEEESSSSSS!!!! Well done, I'm sure you'll love the minimalist way of flying just as I did. It's far more "real" (in the sense that it's truly seat of the pants stuff) than conventional aircraft types, even though conventional pilots may look down their noses at you and say it's a toy. I've only had one flight in a tail dragger microlight (I was a weight shift man). I was very pleasantly surprised by the docile ground handling. The main problem with tail draggers is the fact that a ground vehicle with a steerable REAR wheel is directionally unstable - have you ever managed to get a shopping trolley to go the way you want it? So until you are going fast enough to get the tail up, and some air flow over the fin and rudder, the thing is going to behave as though it's got a mind of its own. It's usually much less of a problem with such light aircraft, though, because even with low power, they are still able to accelerate to a speed where aerodynamic controls start to bite the air, in a pretty short time. I'll be following your progress with great interest, so keep the updates coming! Alan **** VPC OffLine Reader Version 1.0.0.0 **** ++++ UNREGISTERED ++++ **** OLR.PL Build 1.73 **** Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

jerryrosie Certificates/Ratings/Crew Stations: 6. "RE: Jerry's Airborne Again" 06-27-02, 10:26z  >> It's far more "real" (in the sense that it's truly seat of the pants stuff)<< Yes, I have noted that already in my first UltraLight dual flight last Saturday. Much less "land by the numbers" by following a sequence and more "there's the runway, land on it - but keep your airspeed up" >>The main problem with tail draggers is the fact that a ground vehicle with a steerable REAR wheel is directionally unstable - have you ever managed to get a shopping trolley to go the way you want it?<< Yep, that's what I'm anticipating. I expect that I'll be following the POH to the letter on this aspect. They recommend 'donating' a half tank of gas to just practicing how to taxi before you ever think about flying. I expect that rear steering will take some getting used to while front wheel steering in more or less instinctual from driving a car for so many years. I hadn't considered that the rear wheel, itself, might be a bit 'uncooperative' in doing what I wan it to do.... >>I'll be following your progress with great interest, so keep the updates coming!<< I certainly will! And thanks for your encouragement and good wishes!! ***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation*** Cheers, Jerry (N94) **** VPC OffLine Reader Version 1.0.0.0 **** ++++ Registered to: Gerald J. Rosie ++++ **** OLR.PL Build 1.73 **** Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Mike_Greenwood Certificates/Ratings/Crew Stations: 5. "RE: Jerry's Airborne Again" 06-27-02, 03:01z  Hi Jerry, Way to go my friend!! That is simply fabulous news. When do ya think your first flight in that thing will be? You had BETTER have a ground crew taking pictures like there was no tomorrow <g>. --Greenie **6 miles SSE KSJC** -= VPC OffLine Reader Version 1.1.0.0 =- Registered to: Mike Greenwood -OLR.PL v1.76- Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

jerryrosie Certificates/Ratings/Crew Stations: 7. "RE: Jerry's Airborne Again" 06-27-02, 10:26z  > Way to go my friend!! That is simply fabulous news. When do ya think > your first flight in that thing will be? You had BETTER have a ground > crew taking pictures like there was no tomorrow <g>. Well - with UPS available, I should have the starter part in a couple of days and about an hour to install it, so the hold up will probably be my degree of self confidence in that I won't break my new toy. The BFI (basic flight instructor - Ultralight guys aren't allowed to call themselves CFI's cause they ain't) can only schedule one lesson per week, on Saturdays because he works at a 'real job', so it may take a while. I think I've convinced him to give me two lessons in one day next Saturday - one at 10:00 and another at about 3:00 when he finishes up with his other student, so that should cut the time in half, if he continues to let me schedule that way. Given that schedule, and assuming I get no hard and fast evidence that I am in grave danger unless I get 10-12 hours, dual, in a taildragger first, the 'maiden voyage' should happen before the end of July - in time for Carlisle Airport's 'Aviation Appreciation Day' on 10 August. Fingers are crossed - stay tuned..... Pictures will be available since a ground crew is a necessity to assist in putting the wings back on the first time <]:¬) ***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation*** Cheers, Jerry (N94) **** VPC OffLine Reader Version 1.0.0.0 **** ++++ Registered to: Gerald J. Rosie ++++ **** OLR.PL Build 1.73 **** Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

vgbaron Certificates/Ratings/Crew Stations: 8. "RE: Jerry's Airborne Again" 06-27-02, 15:17z  Jerry - Congrats! Hope you have many happy airborne hours. Now, let's get that put together so we can get some pix! Vic -= VPC OffLine Reader Version 1.1.0.0 =- Registered to: Vic Baron -OLR.PL v1.76- Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Ben_Chiu Certificates/Ratings/Crew Stations: 9. "RE: Jerry's Airborne Again" 06-27-02, 19:02z  > I can't keep the secret any longer. Was waiting for pictures to post, > but it looks like it may be a while before I can get some. But, > .....(drum role)....I just bought an airplane!! Congrats, Jerry!! Looking forward to the pictures. Clear skies! Ben -= VPC OffLine Reader Version 1.1.0.0 =- Registered to: Ben Chiu -OLR.PL v1.76- Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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