Bob Kelly
Well-Known Member
I read something in the completed projects that has got me to thinkin'
its about wheel alignment ...
Not ever having experience with aircraft before
( this is my first ) in my haste to get her up and rolling I may have neglected an important part .... the wheel alignment !
.... i know on cars and motorcycles how important wheel alignment is ...
on trikes however i have never had a problem
of any sort ( vw trike , side cars ... etc )
However, in a tail Drager aircraft the more i think about it the more important it becomes...
as you only have 3 wheels on the ground ...and they leave the ground too.... the transision when they leave the ground could be all important if one wheel is pulling harder than the others ..... you may be compensateing with the stearing to keep it going stright but
when that traction goes away there could be a supprise and a change of drection in your travel..... ofcorse all the wheels should leave the ground at the same time... but we all know that doesn't happen .... miliseconds may count big here.
..... so my question is.... on a tail drager aircraft, are the front wheels pointing exactly stright ahead ? is there caster and camber on these wheels figured in ?
are the wheels toed in ? ( which would seam logical ... ) if so how much any idea ?
the Artical i read said he had one "Squirly airplane.... " then he fixed it .
.... um...well my aircraft is squirly too ...
not near as bad as it used to be ...but its not like you point it and it goes that way and never changes..... it wanders quite a bit.....
My Dads Robenson B1RD is worse than my gyro is at this .... hard to keep the thing going stright ! Being another ultralight perhaps wheel alignment would help this eh ?
any coments would be greatly appreaciated thank you !
Bob......
its about wheel alignment ...
Not ever having experience with aircraft before
( this is my first ) in my haste to get her up and rolling I may have neglected an important part .... the wheel alignment !
.... i know on cars and motorcycles how important wheel alignment is ...
on trikes however i have never had a problem
of any sort ( vw trike , side cars ... etc )
However, in a tail Drager aircraft the more i think about it the more important it becomes...
as you only have 3 wheels on the ground ...and they leave the ground too.... the transision when they leave the ground could be all important if one wheel is pulling harder than the others ..... you may be compensateing with the stearing to keep it going stright but
when that traction goes away there could be a supprise and a change of drection in your travel..... ofcorse all the wheels should leave the ground at the same time... but we all know that doesn't happen .... miliseconds may count big here.
..... so my question is.... on a tail drager aircraft, are the front wheels pointing exactly stright ahead ? is there caster and camber on these wheels figured in ?
are the wheels toed in ? ( which would seam logical ... ) if so how much any idea ?
the Artical i read said he had one "Squirly airplane.... " then he fixed it .
.... um...well my aircraft is squirly too ...
not near as bad as it used to be ...but its not like you point it and it goes that way and never changes..... it wanders quite a bit.....
My Dads Robenson B1RD is worse than my gyro is at this .... hard to keep the thing going stright ! Being another ultralight perhaps wheel alignment would help this eh ?
any coments would be greatly appreaciated thank you !
Bob......
