Ed and Harry, I get what you are saying now...... You rode the sled in a
sitting position.
Us Nebraska kids laid on our bellies to ride the sled down a big hill. That
way we
reduced wind resistance and attained great downhill speeds. Also, we did not
tip over as easily.
If sitting upright on the sled, the steering would be exactly as you have
said.
Since I rode on my tummy and steered the sled much like a car and used my toes
as a rudder, this is why I thought you were wrong.
I have not ridden a sled for 30 some years and I guess I have forgotten.
I hope we don't have enough snow this winter that will entice me to go
sledding!
Scott
Ed Burkhead <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Scott asked:
> .... isn't guiding a sled just like steering a plane? When turning left
> in a plane, as on a sled, you are pushing the right side of the yoke
> up and pulling the left side down and vise versa for the right turn.
> When turning left on a sled, you drag your left foot toes on the snow
> to make a better turn and in a plane you use the left
> rudder to make the turn and vise versa for the right turn.
Scott,
Well, yeah, kinda, sorta. J
Your descriptions are correct but there are some differences. Those of us
(Coupe owners) with yokes, turn the wheel left or right just like we do in
our cars vehicles in which we have tens of thousands of hours of practice.
Thats good.
But, when sitting upright on a sled, you use your feet exactly the opposite
way as you use rudders in a plane.
Hence, we Northerners with lots of kid-sledding experience burned deep down
in our young minds have some unlearning to do when learning to steer on the
ground with our feet in a 3-control aircraft. I dont suppose the Southerners
have any kid experience to unlearn unless they spent too much time in cheap
soap-box derby carts.
Interestingly, powered parachutes and trikes use the sled method of steering
on the ground. Thats probably because the early models of each had nothing
more than a wheel and a steering bar attached to the top of it. But, because
the ground steering on the PPCs and trikes is the opposite of normal
aircraft, transitioning private pilots have difficulty in transitioning.
Ed
Ed Burkhead
http://edburkhead.com East Peoria, Illinois
ed -at- edburkhead???.com (change -at- to @ and remove "???")
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