One thing I did that helps me for control and landings. I put a U channel aluminum center console between myself and passenger that allows the heel of my hand to rest while my fingers do the "walking" so to speak. It keeps me from over controlling and I can pull back on the stick very gradual for my landings. When I am by myself, I like to wheel land. I don't seem to bounce. When I have a passenger, I like to 3 point better. My center of gravity makes it at the slower speed so easy to bounce with a passenger. Once the tail hits, the mains hit and stay when 3 point landing. I always come in a little hot and just hold off until down. I like the control when just a little fast. Once in ground effect control seems even better. Randy Clark, Salina, Ks ----- Original Message ----- From: "larry flesner" <fles...@midwest.net> To: "KRnet" <kr...@mylist.net> Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 10:57 AM Subject: KR> Landing practice
> > > One more e-mail, slightly long, and then I need to get off the computer > and get something done, even if it's wrong. :-) > > I suggested to Mark Langford that he practice a few approaches > ,at altitude, to get a feel for the landing phase. > > I think it's critical, especially on the first flight, to do some glides > at the indicated approach speeds you intend to use for landing > to get the feel of how the airplane is going to handle. Establish > the glide speed and do some gentle turns and see how the > airplane feels and responds. If it feels "mushy" you're probably > a bit slow and / or the ASI may be off a bit. If it feels the same as > it did in low cruise, you're probably a bit fast. > > To get a feel for the landing flare, establish your approach speed > at altitude. As the "big hand" on the altimeter approachs a whole > number, come back on the stick and attempt to nail and hold > the needle on an exact number. This is basically the same feel > you will have during an actual landing. Keep the altimeter hand > "nailed" until just above a stall. With enough altitude you can lower > the nose, get back to glide speed, and repeat the process several > times. Personally, I wouldn't recommend doing any full stalls > until at least the second or third flight when you start to get more > comfortable with the airplane. While practicing, don't fixate on > the altimeter but see what the picture out the window looks like > with reference to the nose on the horizion, etc., and reference > the altimeter to see how you're doing on pitch. Did you "zoom" > up, lose altitude, or is the needle holding steady where you > wanted it? > > If you have a problem on the first flight with the ASI as Mark did, > don't fixate on the problem and let it overwhelm your brain. > The airplane will fly just fine without it. Your landing approach > should look similar to all the landings you've made in C150's, > 172's, and Cherokees. If it feels like the airplane is ready to > fall out of the air, pick the speed up a bit. If the world is flashing > by at "Mooney" speed, slow it down. With enough runway, you > have considerable margin for error, on the high side especially, > but no need to over-do it. It will only give you more time to > screw up during the flare. Getting too slow, on the other hand, > is a one-way street to the undertaker. Revert back to what the > hundreds of other landings you've made looked and felt like. > > The KR is not an airplane to fear but to be respected. Make > sure you're comfortable flying other airplanes before your > first flight. You don't need to be an airshow level pilot to fly > a taildragger. I had approx 900 hours total time but only 13 > hours total tailwheel time over thirty years when I started to > taxi test my KR. The KR must be flown 100 percent of the > time, unlike a Cessna , where you can just be along for the > ride 50 percent of the time and get away with it. The extra > 50 percent effort, however, translates into 50 percent more > fun, also !!! > > YEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!!!!!!!! > > Larry Flesner > > > > _______________________________________ > Search the KRnet Archives at http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp > to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@mylist.net > please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html >
