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National STOL live

I have long argued that the fastest way to get a TW airplane off the ground is to keep the tail low and just fly it off. Watching the Huskies and others raise their tails only to bang them on the ground before the takeoff roll starts is just for show in my opinion.

There are probably people and airplanes that benefit from tail high then lower the tail and lift off, but I have never been smart enough to get one off any faster using that technique.

sj
 
SJ said:
I have long argued that the fastest way to get a TW airplane off the ground is to keep the tail low and just fly it off. Watching the Huskies and others raise their tails only to bang them on the ground before the takeoff roll starts is just for show in my opinion.

There are probably people and airplanes that benefit from tail high then lower the tail and lift off, but I have never been smart enough to get one off any faster using that technique.

sj
Click to expand...

Timing is everything, and that comes from a lot of seat time to rotate and not let the tailwheel touch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I use a technique picked up from ski flying, that seems to work on tires also. I often will pick one wheel up just a hair, kinda rock the plane a bit, and that seems to pop it loose a bit sooner. Tail low for me, unless visibility is a concern, for shortest takeoff, when I see a tail come up, and then bang back down, it looks like a lot of wasted energy.
 
Takes a huge down elevator to pick the tail of my 180 up. Flaps at 10 to start the roll and flaps to 30 to lift off.
 
Maybe a handicap formula using windspeed coefficient, aircraft empty weight and the square root of the distance to the nearest doughnut shop.
 
OLDCROWE said:
Maybe a handicap formula using windspeed coefficient, aircraft empty weight and the square root of the distance to the nearest doughnut shop.
Click to expand...
That’s about right. Added money to events like this also add complication. No free lunch.

My thoughts have always been that if you want it even, put together several clapped out 65hp J-3s, draw cubs like you would a bronc at a rodeo and see who’s the shortest. Not much of a spectator sport however. It’d be kin to watching paint dry.
 
Back to Steve here. In that video you see the tailwheel squat right before takeoff, I'm assuming to achieve a greater deck angle at takeoff. What is going on with that tailwheel?? It was mechanical - there was hardly any power on then it happened. That is some real next level thinking right there.
 
He's on the brakes hard, and he has dual calipers with intensifiers, and gobs of thrust, and he's got the stick pulled back, AND he has a long stroke shock rear end. I don't think it's any scheme to somehow get him off the ground quicker, but it sure looks cool as hell! The only other aircraft I've seen do that was Draco.
 
OLDCROWE said:
Maybe a handicap formula using windspeed coefficient, aircraft empty weight and the square root of the distance to the nearest doughnut shop.
Click to expand...

Good one! Frankly, this stuff is all about developing and fine tuning one's skills, and having fun. And, another excuse to go flying.

MTV
 
SJ said:
I have long argued that the fastest way to get a TW airplane off the ground is to keep the tail low and just fly it off. Watching the Huskies and others raise their tails only to bang them on the ground before the takeoff roll starts is just for show in my opinion.

There are probably people and airplanes that benefit from tail high then lower the tail and lift off, but I have never been smart enough to get one off any faster using that technique.

sj
Click to expand...

My thought as well. With my 180, full flaps, tail just out of the dirt and absolute minimum weight gives me the shortest take-off roll. The whole tail high, partial flaps then more flaps and pull up all in the first few seconds of the roll is too much gymnastics for me with no reduction in distance.

The event was well run, staff was great to work with, even the FAA used common sense and pointed out safety issues instead of looking for violations. Excellent job by all and hope to do a repeat during Sun n Fun in the spring.
 
Jay in his blue cub and Warren in the 180 looked plenty short with their tail up technique. Not sure they could do much to be any shorter. Maybe wish for freezing temps and 15 on the nose. Both of those guys convincingly won their classes.....Warren beat the guy in the straight tail 182, who was the Gainesville winner, by a bunch.

Every plane is different. Fly it how it wants to be flown.

Congratulations to both of them. Good guys
 
Interesting I saw a recent video with Randy Schlitter where he said the S-21 will take off shortest with a tail low attitude
 
Wingwrench said:
....With my 180, full flaps, tail just out of the dirt and absolute minimum weight gives me the shortest take-off roll. The whole tail high, partial flaps then more flaps and pull up all in the first few seconds of the roll is too much gymnastics for me .....
Click to expand...

I'm no super STOL guy,
but in my 180 I like to set 20* flaps & roll the trim nose-down a turn or so from neutral,
that helps the tail come up on it's own.
When it does, I hold it just off the ground with elevator & the airplane flies off when it's ready-
which is generally right away.
Not impressive to spectators without a lot of pushing the tail up & jerking the flaps,
but it works for me.
 
Here’s a few screenshots I took of the finals.
Lou E7DC7D4D-C31C-4757-84B2-48890200CB6B.jpgE6ECB4E7-72BD-48DD-8ED9-09B643A99737.jpg53DF494A-3796-4FCA-BDDE-94353AC9236C.jpg4F9F9B8D-D708-4F00-903C-5C8CB57466A6.jpg7ECCDAA9-0253-4D31-BF25-D72740F7F356.jpg
 

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Every airplane is different even if they are all Super Cubs, like Kevin said fly what you got the best way you know how.
 
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