Moose: std vs Elite tailwheel
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:38 pm
Dick:
I had the standard Moose tailwheel for a little over 100 hours. With
the standard tailwheel, I was easily able to push on the tail, thereby
getting the tailwheel to "break" and maneuver the Moose
single-handed--and I didn't have the pull handles that would have made
this task even easier.
Also, with the standard Moose tailwheel, I found that on any even
relatively soft unimproved surface, I was typically plowing a furrow.
Ground taxiing in dirt and sand was also a bit of a challenge at times.
When I installed the larger Elite tailwheel, I quickly found that I
could not move the plane on the ground without first attaching a tow
bar--period. If I tried to push on the tail at all, it was clearly
obvious that I was putting a tremendous, adverse side load on the
stinger and related internal bulkheads.
Ground taxiing operations, on the other hand, are an absolute joy with
the Elite tailwheel. On pavement the plane taxis just fine; in fact it
seems noticeably smoother. The plane just doesn't seem to bounce and
"bang" as much as with the smaller, standard tailwheel. On dirt and
sand, the plane handles like a charm. I love how the Elite tailwheel
handles on unimproved surfaces.
I do believe that the extra weight of the Elite tailwheel, coupled with
taxiing and landing at full gross on many types of unimproved surfaces,
directly led to the severe cracks [
http://www.i1ci.com/flying/moose/tail/tail.html ]I found in FUS-358 and
the hole elongation I found in FUS-360 (Tail Spring Anchor bracket). If
you've done some custom improvements to beef up the internal bulkheads
(FUS-438 and FUS-358) as well as all the related components, then you
might consider installing that Elite tailwheel. If you still have the
original Moose bulkheads/components, I'd recommend you hold off on
installing the larger Elite tailwheel. I'm testing an improved set of
bulkheads/components which I hope to be able to report on in a few weeks
after I've put a sufficient (?) number of landings on the plane. I'll
have a webpage up soon (next few days) on these components to provide
folks with some preliminary information.
Ted Waltman
-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com] On Behalf Of
Dick Shotwell
Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2005 3:04 PM
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: Re: New tail stinger and attach
Hi Ted,
You are correct on both. What do you recommend regarding installing the
"Elite" tailwheel? We have it but have not installed it. Does it tend
to put more load on the structure? Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ted Waltman" <tedwaltman@i1ci.com>
To: <rebel-builders@dcsol.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2005 10:24 AM
Subject: RE: New tail stinger and attach
-----------------------------------------------------------------
List archives located at: https://www.dcsol.com/login
username "rebel" password "builder"
Subscription services located at:
https://www.dcsol.com/public/code/html-subscribe.htm
List administrator: mike.davis@dcsol.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
List archives located at: https://mail.dcsol.com/login
username "rebel" password "builder"
Unsubscribe: rebel-builders-unsubscribe@dcsol.com
List administrator: mike.davis@dcsol.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I had the standard Moose tailwheel for a little over 100 hours. With
the standard tailwheel, I was easily able to push on the tail, thereby
getting the tailwheel to "break" and maneuver the Moose
single-handed--and I didn't have the pull handles that would have made
this task even easier.
Also, with the standard Moose tailwheel, I found that on any even
relatively soft unimproved surface, I was typically plowing a furrow.
Ground taxiing in dirt and sand was also a bit of a challenge at times.
When I installed the larger Elite tailwheel, I quickly found that I
could not move the plane on the ground without first attaching a tow
bar--period. If I tried to push on the tail at all, it was clearly
obvious that I was putting a tremendous, adverse side load on the
stinger and related internal bulkheads.
Ground taxiing operations, on the other hand, are an absolute joy with
the Elite tailwheel. On pavement the plane taxis just fine; in fact it
seems noticeably smoother. The plane just doesn't seem to bounce and
"bang" as much as with the smaller, standard tailwheel. On dirt and
sand, the plane handles like a charm. I love how the Elite tailwheel
handles on unimproved surfaces.
I do believe that the extra weight of the Elite tailwheel, coupled with
taxiing and landing at full gross on many types of unimproved surfaces,
directly led to the severe cracks [
http://www.i1ci.com/flying/moose/tail/tail.html ]I found in FUS-358 and
the hole elongation I found in FUS-360 (Tail Spring Anchor bracket). If
you've done some custom improvements to beef up the internal bulkheads
(FUS-438 and FUS-358) as well as all the related components, then you
might consider installing that Elite tailwheel. If you still have the
original Moose bulkheads/components, I'd recommend you hold off on
installing the larger Elite tailwheel. I'm testing an improved set of
bulkheads/components which I hope to be able to report on in a few weeks
after I've put a sufficient (?) number of landings on the plane. I'll
have a webpage up soon (next few days) on these components to provide
folks with some preliminary information.
Ted Waltman
-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com] On Behalf Of
Dick Shotwell
Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2005 3:04 PM
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: Re: New tail stinger and attach
Hi Ted,
You are correct on both. What do you recommend regarding installing the
"Elite" tailwheel? We have it but have not installed it. Does it tend
to put more load on the structure? Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ted Waltman" <tedwaltman@i1ci.com>
To: <rebel-builders@dcsol.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2005 10:24 AM
Subject: RE: New tail stinger and attach
Dick,
I am assuming that you are flying with the original Moose
tailwheel--not the larger "Elite" one, correct?
I also assume you haven't flown a lot in rough field conditions at
full gross, correct?
Ted
-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com] On Behalf Of
Dick Shotwell
Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2005 10:41 PM
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: Re: New tail stinger and attach
Scott,
No, not yet. I inspected it recently. We have close to 100 hours
now. Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Scott Aldrich" <sa@mwutah.com>
To: <rebel-builders@dcsol.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2005 20:41 PM
Subject: RE: New tail stinger and attach
Dick, do you guys have any signs of cracking yet? How many hours
now?
Scott
Moose 174
-----------------------------------------------------------------
List archives located at: https://www.dcsol.com/login username
"rebel" password "builder" Subscription services located at:
https://www.dcsol.com/public/code/html-subscribe.htm
List administrator: mike.davis@dcsol.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
List archives located at: https://www.dcsol.com/login
username "rebel" password "builder"
Subscription services located at:
https://www.dcsol.com/public/code/html-subscribe.htm
List administrator: mike.davis@dcsol.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
List archives located at: https://mail.dcsol.com/login
username "rebel" password "builder"
Unsubscribe: rebel-builders-unsubscribe@dcsol.com
List administrator: mike.davis@dcsol.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------