REFLECTOR: Runway Rash

[Pat Shea]

John,

Here's another data point: I have an XLRG w/ the
standard belville washer set up. I have the large nut
pretty tight which makes turning a little challenging,
but not too bad (btw, that's the criteria I used to
set it). There's been no sign of shimmy and no
adjustment has been necessary in the last 100 hours.

On takeoff, one mistake I made for too long was to
apply power just as the nose came into alignment w/
the runway center line (a la a spam can). Since I was
still turning, the nose wheel was still turned and it
took a lot of brake/rudder to straighten it out while
accelerating. The solution was to straighten the plane
out and let it track down the runway center line a few
feet before applying power. Duh...

On landing with a X-wind, I use the crab and jab
technique. Since rudder application in a Velocity at
landing speed produces a large roll component, you
have to apply opposite aileron to keeps the wings
level. Since the ailerons are less affective at that
speed, it's a relatively large aileron input too.

On takeoff, I've found it easier to come off the
rudders completely at rotation and then establish a
crab angle to climb out. I do this even with an X-wind
to prevent the inevitable roll component from the
rudder input. If rudder application is needed right
when I want to rotate, then I'll delay rotation a
second or two until I can get off the rudders again.
In the unusual scenario (there has been a few) where I
can't completely get off the rudders at rotation, I'm
applying opposite aileron in a big way knowing what's
coming... 

Just my thoughts, Pat    



--- John Dibble <aminetech at bluefrog.com> wrote:

> Actually it was on TO.  I was fighting the &(*&^
> friction steering trying to keep a straight line and
> had a lot of rudder and alerion in the same
> direction at rotation.  I've really got to figure
> out a better way to control shimmy.
> Unfortunately the crowd's attention was diverted by
> a (presumably drunk) person in the parking lot.  A
> policeman was trying to talk him out of
> the car and the next thing I heard was squeeling
> tires as the car jumped a curb and landed in a
> ditch.  Just another routine day in MS.   lol
> John



__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com