What I Have Learned |
| My buddy Archie said, "Ole, you dispense your wisdom
too cheaply." Archie tends to exaggeration, at least with regards to my
wisdom. But, the cheap part would be true; beginning today, I'm going to post here
the little lessons I'd like to impart to all my students. For lack of a better word:
lessonettes. *************************************************************** You can't always re-start A student told me he
wanted electric start because he was planning on soaring his trike and there wouldn't
always be somewhere to land. He wanted to be able to re-start in the air, for
safety. I'm going to have to watch this guy! I asked him where he would fly
that he couldn't land and take off again? He said "Over water or forest or
canyons..." So I explained that electric start would come in handy until the
day when it doesn't work as planned. Then what? The recovery system? The Snohomish
County Search and Rescue Team? Hang Gliders go farther Since the creation of FAR Part 103, the furthest distance flown in one hop by any 103 legal aircraft is still longer with zero fuel onboard than with 5 gallons. Larry Tudor flew from a tow in Hobbs, New Mexico across the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles and into Kansas for 308 miles. Later, Dave Sharp broke this record by a slim margin, flying 312 miles. Since then, Manfred Ruhmor flew something like 442 miles, out of Zapata, Texas! Never turn your back on your parked trike, in a breeze It will tip over in the slightest wind if you do. First, a wing goes up and the tip contacts the ground. Then, another gust comes through and flips the whole machine. Tie it down at all times. Set your parking brake and/or block the wheels. Keep some permanent tie-downs bundled up in the wing at the leading edge-cross bar junction, and when you have no tie downs available then tie off to your struts. This will probably not be sufficient in a dust devil. Neutralize static electricity before you refuel In the rest of the aviation world there is a ground wire that must be clipped to your plane to do this job for you before refueling. In the ultralight world we often refuel in the field with plastic jugs. This plastic can generate static electricity and that spark can ignite your fuel tank (and you), though it is rare. You can eliminate any small chance if you first touch the fuel jug to the fuel tank before opening either. The spark (if present) will jump harmlessly between containers. Bent axles lead to accelerated tire wear This is especially true if you operate on pavement- grass does not cause wear. If you notice that one tire is wearing more than another, you probably have a bent axle. Connect your wing to your trike on even ground I see many trikers struggling with their connection when the trike is not well-aligned to the wing. The job must be done on even ground, and you should step back behind the trike and be certain the rear of the trike is lined up too. Stone guards will keep rocks out of your prop Wheel pants work too, but you can fashion simple stone guards with a piece of aluminum strap and some wire mesh much more economically. You'll need them on all three wheels. Plastic props can be readily repaired with Super Glue and baking soda Greg, the Maestro, taught me this. It's simple and effective, but don't carry both substances in the same pocket! Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) sets Super Glue instantly. Get someone to show you how, many desert trikers are very good at this. Trikes require no special cross wind technique Landing a trike in a crosswind is exactly like landing in a head wind or no wind at all. Just as in other situations, the important thing to remember is to stay over your centerline and to get your rear wheels (mains) dragging first. This will center your nosewheel, too. The less friction the better. Pavement is hardest in crosswinds, gravel is better, but God created grass for crosswinds. Cheap tire fixer If your trike has those cheap tires from China- Chin Shens I think they're called, don't toss out the remains when they wear out! The Frenchies cut the bead out of the old tires and slip them over the new tires before they air them up. Now- you have a 4-ply tire, instead of 2-ply. Avoid those ugly facial scars! Having bashed my head on wingtip battens more than I care to admit, and having watched others do the same on my own wing, and fearful of someone poking an eye out (my own?), now I tie a piece of colorful Surveyors' tape on the last batten string, tear it short of the prop, and let it dangle. Since I have done this, I have no new scars, and neither does anyone else. The tape also makes it easy to point out any wind to the student while sitting on the ground, and adds a festive air to triking. But don't use anything stronger than Surveyors' tape, which, if it gets sucked into anyone else's prop, will not cause fisticuffs! Enjoy the view! If your new student is over-controlling, and can't hold a heading, distract him briefly by insisting he look around, scan for other traffic, and enjoy the view. Suddenly, the trike will begin to fly straight and level. Now tell him what you did. Fly with no hands This is actually the first lesson I give a new student- and I tell him/her on the ground so they know to expect it. Flying with no hands is the best way to demonstrate that trikes want to fly trim just like other aircraft. Don't put your fuel cap through the prop When you remove your fuel cap to refuel, place it on your seat only. This way you will be unlikely to fly off without the cap in place, which will certainly send it through the spinning prop (see: fixing props with Super glue and baking soda), and then through your wing (send it to a qualified sail loft for repair). (Murphy's Law #117) Triangulated trikes are more stable in the front end Plate and cantilever trikes might be more portable, because the rear struts can often be folded in for a smaller package. But they are more easily tipped over while decelerating after a landing. I feel this is because there is more possibility for lean in the mast, and more possibility of twist and flex in the trike keel. The pilot must be relaxed and aim the nose wheel in the direction of travel. For this reason I feel triangulated trikes make better trainers. Land downwind of a green field If you are looking for a landing field choose a green field whenever possible and land at the downwind edge. The air downwind of a green field has passed over that field without picking up much heat energy, and will be the smoothest air around. Landing downwind of a dark or plowed field is the worst possible decision. I have neglected this file for months now. I will work on it again someday...
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