> "just keep forward pressure on the stick" High speed taxi tests often end in grief. Low speed, to check brakes and gear alignment and various other things - none of which require high speed - is necessary and useful with a brand new plane. If it's going fast enough that one needs to hold forward stick to keep it on the runway however, that's just asking for trouble. Weight, in fact, should be held off of the nose gear when taxiing, as we all know. Strong wind conditions require different behavior but I'm guessing nobody is going to be taking their brand new plane out of the hangar when winds are strong.
What often happens with these high speed taxi tests is the pilot finds himself in the air then tries to force it back down on the ground. KR's are really most happy in the air. With their small wheels and low wing loading high speed taxi tests are not just useless, they're prone to disaster. Just one example of this phenomenon was the fellow who bought my first KR and ruined it by running off the end of the 4500' runway at Rialto. I must have reminded him five times or more that doing a high speed taxi test was a bad idea, but he had his own ideas I later learned. He, like many, wasn't confident enough to fly it yet didn't have the skill to take the plane up to flying speed and bring it back to taxi speed without running off the runway. Just as frequently though, these incidents end up with the plane off the runway sides as well since the wings got light and the plane floated off to one side or the other. If one is going fast enough to have to hold it on the runway with forward stick, one should be either taking off or landing. Doing something halfway between like a high speed taxi test, is how people often end up having to rebuild their airplane. The best advice I can think of for a new or rusty pilot getting ready for a first flight is do a re-read of Langeschwisch's book Stick and Rudder. And perhaps even more important, use a damn long uncontrolled runway on those initial flights. The instinct will be (it always is) to come in too fast. Having no ATC to distract one is an added benefit. Having an exceptionally long runway is excellent insurance for first flights. It's main safety feature is that it relieves the pilot of having to try and force the plane on the ground since he's worried about running off the end of the runway. If a KR wants to fly and the pilot doesn't want it to, a fight ensues with the pilot usually losing. Many end up with bent or broken nose gear and a ruined prop and possibly an engine tear-down. Long, long runways are the best friend to have in these situations. The nose gear should be off the runway at whatever speed the rudder becomes effective. Holding forward pressure when on the runway is important if landing and taking off with strong crosswinds but that applies to taking off and landing, not high speed taxi tests with calm winds. HSTT's are a bird of different feather and take skill to perform - which is exactly what a new KR pilot hasn't yet developed. I don't mean to try and sound like some kind of seer. It's just that the mention of high speed taxi tests sets off my alarm. They've been the ruin of many an airplane. Mike KSEE ____________________________________________________________ Do This (Before Bed) to Burn Belly Flab All Night Long worldhealthlabs.com http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/5cb8d86e677c3586e3cd3st04vuc _______________________________________________ Search the KRnet Archives at https://www.mail-archive.com/krnet@list.krnet.org/. Please see LIST RULES and KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html. see http://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet_list.krnet.org to change options. To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@list.krnet.org
