Outcast Tailwheels Info

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Includes: Highlander, Escapade, Summit and SuperSTOL.
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stede52
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Location: Carnation, WA

Re: Outcast Tailwheels Info

Post by stede52 »

That's quite the essay of your accomplishments, but you obviously didn't get the point of my post. I have nothing against nose wheel pilots, just stating a fact that they are easier to control in a crosswind than a taildragger and that any additional safety device is a good thing. NEGATIVE COMMENTs!!!!! How about that video of lies you made, I know it was lies because I know the truth, so lets not go there for your sake.:roll: Feel free to ask Troy his option about how I promote Highlanders, I'm sure you'll get a much different answer then what your post implies. Have a nice day :D
Steve D N419LD
MarkZ
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Re: Outcast Tailwheels Info

Post by MarkZ »

The topic interests me. I'm a high time tailwheel pilot with 3 take offs and landings in the Highlander. Personally I love the little airplane, however the one and only day that I've flown it conditions were gusty and x-windy. I've never flown a Pitts but have a lot of RV and other short coupled taildragger time under my belt sucessfully. I never flew behind a Rotex and found that I really like it. But, I found the airplane to be a handfull on take off and landing. I plan on getting more comfortable flying on and off grass and the owner is considering the nosewheel option even though he never has flown it. I really hope that we master it as a conventional geared airplane. The transponder is out of date and will be certified next week, at that point I'll see if I can master this georgeous little craft.
levyland
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Re: Outcast Tailwheels Info

Post by levyland »

Hello everyone,

I thought I might weigh in on this conversation.

I believe my comments on Jim's lockable tail wheel have been greatly polarising. The bottom line line is this.

As pilots we all make choices as to the equipment we feel necessary for the comfort, safety, and reliability for enjoying our airplanes.

Be it LRI, nav and or strobe lights, ELT, Spot or as simple as a com radio.

None are required, yet we make those choices as to what we feel are personally important to us.

I would like to draw this analogy to the lockable tail wheel.

I opted to spend an additional $200 on the Dynon pitot tube that supports the LRI function on the Skyview.

However I have never used the LRI function.

I have a 406 ELT AND SPOT ($1500) plus $150 a year but fortunately I have never needed them.

I think the lockable tailwheel option was $125?

Have I used it past my initial training? No.

But am I glad I have it? Yes

The reason being is that in a strong cross wind condition "I couldn't get my wallet out fast enough to have one."

And that is why I bought Jim's lockable tailwheel (option) over Chris's as he did not have one.

Im not badrapping Chris's product. I have never seen one in the flesh, but it looks to be well made.

I just wanted the extra margin of safety, and for a hundred bucks extra I thought it good insurance.

MHO

Cheers,

John
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stede52
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Re: Outcast Tailwheels Info

Post by stede52 »

Nice post John, thanks, and you are right, they are both very nice tailwheels.
Steve D N419LD
HS-JAT
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Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Re: Outcast Tailwheels Info

Post by HS-JAT »

I would never call the Highlander "Easy to Fly" on take off and landing in the taildragger version, and I have over 30 yrs flying Helicopters and Airplanes for a living.
levyland
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Re: Outcast Tailwheels Info

Post by levyland »

Howdy Pete,
I have never flown the Highlander but guys that have flown both say that the SS is heaps easier to fly than the Highlander. I find the SS a very straightforward airplane without any bad habits whatsoever. When John Von Kael was down here flying my plane he thought it was a real pussycat.
I do too.......
av8rps
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Re: Outcast Tailwheels Info

Post by av8rps »

MarkZ wrote:The topic interests me. I'm a high time tailwheel pilot with 3 take offs and landings in the Highlander. Personally I love the little airplane, however the one and only day that I've flown it conditions were gusty and x-windy. I've never flown a Pitts but have a lot of RV and other short coupled taildragger time under my belt sucessfully. I never flew behind a Rotex and found that I really like it. But, I found the airplane to be a handfull on take off and landing. I plan on getting more comfortable flying on and off grass and the owner is considering the nosewheel option even though he never has flown it. I really hope that we master it as a conventional geared airplane. The transponder is out of date and will be certified next week, at that point I'll see if I can master this georgeous little craft.
Mark,
I have a maule tailwheel ( like I believe you put on yours) and while there is nothing wrong with the tailwheel on a Maule, that tailwheel has probably wrecked more little homebuilts than all other tailwheels combined (I have a lot of personal experience on different aircraft that substantiates that strong opinion.) There is something about angle of the tailwheel and how much rudder deflection, which causes it to unlock the swivel when in your flare, without you knowing. Because the aircraft is so short if the tailwheel is crooked (turned to one side or the other) as soon as the tailwheel hits the ground the airplane goes sideways off the runway, or groundloops.

Fortunately there is an easy fix for this by just removing the bolt that holds the cam that actuates the full swivel option. That is the single scew on the back of the tail wheel itself. By removing that cam the tail wheel will no longer full swivel, so it cannot any longer unintentionally unlock, causing the problem. The only downside to doing this is you will lose full swivel funtion, but hey its better that than the airplane. I have flown a lot of these maule tailwheel equipped aircraft (avid, kitfox, highlanders, etc) and have completely tamed many of their ground handling problems by just removing that cam that makes the maule tailwheel swivel. If you happen to have one that has that issue, it can be way harder to land than a pitts (so dont feel bad ...it is most likely not you). But fixed it is an easy to fly taildragger. I would definitely try that since it is so simple to do before going to a nosegear. The highlander is a good handling taildragger, and you shouldnt have to be superman to handle it on the ground.

A strange thing about the maule tailwheel is that I have seen some that work perfect on these airplanes, and others that no one could handle. I have a kitfox project in my garage that was ground looped numerous times, and by very qualified experienced tailwheel pilots. Everyone was afraid of it. When I bought it the first thing I did was check to see if the swivel unlocked by full rudder deflection alone with tail elevated to a flying position (it should require inertia in addition to rudder deflection) and sure enough it unlocked with rudder alone, like it shouldnt. Ironically, only to the left, not to the right (but that is so many times typical). What a shame that such a simple problem caused so much damage and heartache, and so many to believe that a kitfox is a monster to handle on the ground, when it was the tailwheel causing all the issues all along, and not the airplane or the pilot.
MarkZ
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Re: Outcast Tailwheels Info

Post by MarkZ »

Thanks for the advice. That sounds like a great plan. A nosewheel kit has been purchased as the owner is a new pilot and he doesn't need the excitement as of yet. He can fly his Champ to get his tailwheel fix and the Highlander -A for all out fun and ease. I do look forward to getting more comfortable with the airplane out of my own backyard on the grass in the tailwheel config. I will certainly check the travel on the release but I don't plan on doing a lot of x-wind practice until we convert it. Again I appreciate all the help I can get from those experienced in this fine airplane.
av8rps
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Re: Outcast Tailwheels Info

Post by av8rps »

Mark,

One other thing to consider: Look at the other thread regarding the locking tailwheel in the subject line about the Tundra lite tailwheel ( http://wingsforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=218&t=22577 ) starting particularly at page two. While I think the new springless style tailwheels are going to be a way better way to go than what we have been using for decades (mostly because they are self centering, avoiding issues like the Maule has), I think the locking option is really the ultimate tailwheel.

I spoke with Troy right after he flew a Superstol with the locking tailwheel on the Highlander, and he said he believes it is the quickest, easiest, and safest way to transition a nose wheel pilot to tailwheel. Locking tailwheels have been used for decades on some hard to handle tailwheel aircraft, but from what Troy told me, if you put one on a Highlander it will turn it into probably the easiest to fly tailwheel aircraft you could own.
greg
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Re: Outcast Tailwheels Info

Post by greg »

If anyone wants to try one of these I'll sell mine for $400. It's satin black. Is probably got 100 hrs on it. Rubber doesn't show any wear (mostly grass).
greg
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Re: Outcast Tailwheels Info

Post by greg »

I think it is sold. Sorry, can't figure out how to edit the post!
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