We've determined that Curtis Pitts would say that I am a little twitchy on pavement BECAUSE there are no twitchy airplanes.
When the ferry pilot brought it down he said, "Man-that little thing is an animal on hard surfaces"! Yikes I remember thinking. The old Smith didnt care ether way. This one just seems to have a mind of it's own-especially if you touchdown a little fast. We know the O-320 makes it nose heavy, especially at slower airspeeds. The tailwheel is a Scott 6" tire, double fork (model unknown but similar to a 3200 but solid tire). Three leaf springs position the rebuilt tailwheel to it's position 13" in front of the trailing edge of the rudder.
My juvenile mind says move the TW further back-It can't hurt. So, Karen at Aviation Products says she has a 21" SS stinger and a centering & steerable TW they have been making for years. Installed, that 3/4 stinger and wheel would be at the trailing edge of the rudder. The tail attitude of the airplane will lose about 2" in height (lack of visibility won't concern me- never know where I'm going anyhow). Any concerns with lowering the tail, elevator wash-out from the wings or anything like that? Weight and balance issues?
The S1C has the setup I'm considering. I also plan to do away with the steering cables from the peddles and connect the wheel to the rudder like the Pitts and my old Smith. See Pictures below.
See attachments below.
Current Pitts S1C Tailwheel
Aviation Products Brochure for Stinger
Smith Current Scott TW
Thanks Guys... Hey, there is new home on the market at Twelve Oaks. Down from $500,000 to $389K with hanger, new roof, septic, countertops, Kitchen redo to cherry cabinets and new paint in and out-Beutiful glass on the North side facing the bush-hanger is about 50X45 all on 4.5 acres. If you can't get enough of me here-move next door... 6 miles South of Ocala, FL. Irrigated, Rolled, Lighted 2,650' established 25yr turf, paved taxiways, equestrian in gated community with 2500 acres of riding trails maintained by the Forestry Division access through my property. Another one has 14 acres, two ponds meticulously landscaped (like a well kept park), sculputured Oak trees, Concrete Block, 2 bedroom cottage/restroom built in 2008.
"The problem in America isn’t so much what people don't know; the problem is what people think they know that just ain’t so." - Oklahoma's Will Rogers
When the ferry pilot brought it down he said, "Man-that little thing is an animal on hard surfaces"! Yikes I remember thinking. The old Smith didnt care ether way. This one just seems to have a mind of it's own-especially if you touchdown a little fast. We know the O-320 makes it nose heavy, especially at slower airspeeds. The tailwheel is a Scott 6" tire, double fork (model unknown but similar to a 3200 but solid tire). Three leaf springs position the rebuilt tailwheel to it's position 13" in front of the trailing edge of the rudder.
My juvenile mind says move the TW further back-It can't hurt. So, Karen at Aviation Products says she has a 21" SS stinger and a centering & steerable TW they have been making for years. Installed, that 3/4 stinger and wheel would be at the trailing edge of the rudder. The tail attitude of the airplane will lose about 2" in height (lack of visibility won't concern me- never know where I'm going anyhow). Any concerns with lowering the tail, elevator wash-out from the wings or anything like that? Weight and balance issues?
The S1C has the setup I'm considering. I also plan to do away with the steering cables from the peddles and connect the wheel to the rudder like the Pitts and my old Smith. See Pictures below.See attachments below.
Current Pitts S1C Tailwheel
Aviation Products Brochure for Stinger
Smith Current Scott TW
Thanks Guys... Hey, there is new home on the market at Twelve Oaks. Down from $500,000 to $389K with hanger, new roof, septic, countertops, Kitchen redo to cherry cabinets and new paint in and out-Beutiful glass on the North side facing the bush-hanger is about 50X45 all on 4.5 acres. If you can't get enough of me here-move next door... 6 miles South of Ocala, FL. Irrigated, Rolled, Lighted 2,650' established 25yr turf, paved taxiways, equestrian in gated community with 2500 acres of riding trails maintained by the Forestry Division access through my property. Another one has 14 acres, two ponds meticulously landscaped (like a well kept park), sculputured Oak trees, Concrete Block, 2 bedroom cottage/restroom built in 2008.
"The problem in America isn’t so much what people don't know; the problem is what people think they know that just ain’t so." - Oklahoma's Will Rogers
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