My heavy J model 180, with Sportman and VGs, seemed to only like 3 points. I could force it to wheel-land, but it was requiring a bit more speed and she did not want to track worth a darn.
I finally figured out ( along with other odd things I inherited) that my main gear were sorely misaligned. A lot. It was not bad on beaches or loose gravel. But in pavement it was far from normal. After re-aligning everything it acts just like any other heavy tailwheel A/C.
Although I will say that my buddy's 1959 C-180 wheel lands like a dream. Mine it more like a wheelbarrow full of potatoes.
Both landing types have their application, or one of them would not exist. ….
All right. I'm curious as to everyones technique of landing a C180 at night. Does it change?
I haven't revisted night circuits in the C180 since I purchased my, new to me aircraft.
I was proficent in them once, 30 years ago. But my memories as a 19 year old, learning to fly at night and doing circuits with my impatient Dad yelling are vivid. Almost nighmare-ish. Back then, as a student pilot our family C180J was a beast.
I remember having about 4,000 hours in the right seat of the B737-300 and discovering the joys of rolling on the aeroplane in the flare. Get into the flare, and push forward. I thought I discovered a fool proof method of landing. It was working beautifully, until it wasn't. If you rolled it on too high a huge rate of descent developed and it thumped. (usual stuff, Captain laughing his head off, girls down the back telling me they didn't wear a sports bra to work)
I feel 3 pointers are the same. If your in bad light, bad vis and landing on a goat track and your 3 pointing your setting yourself up for trouble. If you flare too high a big rate of descent will develop and you'll become a passenger rather then the pilot.
Question. In a falling leaf stall are you guys in a 2 or 3 point attitude?
No taildragger stalls in a 3-point attitude. Well, unless they're loaded aft of CG limits, but that's a different topic.
No taildragger stalls in a 3-point attitude. Well, unless they're loaded aft of CG limits, but that's a different topic.
No taildragger stalls in a 3-point attitude. Well, unless they're loaded aft of CG limits, but that's a different topic.
Stall? Or just set up a high sink rate? Two different things.If you put it in a 3-point attitude a foot high, it will stall as the speed bleeds off.
Not true! Lots of them - including the 180, 170, J3, PA18, PA12, and 7ECA will do it just fine with the size tires they came with from the factory. I thought it was interesting that you were all preaching 3pt landings and wondering how you were pulling it off with bigger tires - that is hard to do, thus all you are really doing a tail very low wheel landing.
Better start the thread over, now that we have the facts! :lol:
sj