Hi Glen,
Which earlier posts do you refer to that advocate keeping the nose
wheel in the air for any length of time while the mains are on the
ground? I went back through all the recent messages, and in this
regard, only the one from John Martin and Kevin Gassert stand
out...John says he does and Kevin says he doesn't.
When John describes landing "nose high" I believe he is speaking from
the pilot's cockpit perspective, and that, in fact, his fully extended
nose strut is on the ground and giving him normal steering authority
almost instantaneously just like everyone else.
This would seem to be confirmed when David Winters describes his
"nose-high landing technique", clarifying that WITHOUT the snubber he
lands "just about precisely on three points every time." It should
also be obvious that WITHOUT the snubber he has steering authority
sooner when landing than if one is fitted.
While I advocate landing holding the plane about a foot in the air over
the runway as long as possible while easing the yoke gradually back to
the stop to slow it to "minimum speed" in ground effect crab such that
it smoothly sinks to the slowest and gentlest touchdown. To an
observer, this would likely appear to be essentially three-point
contact, and I have always found steering on the ground to be both
immediate and effective.
Only with the "soft field takeoff" is the nose wheel "off" the ground
before the mains. No one in their right mind would advocate such
technique in significant crosswind because of the extended loss of
steering authority and concurrent tendency to "weathervane".
The Ercoupe Instruction Manual says "At the moment of contact the
aircraft should be given its head, and the grip on the control wheel
relaxed. This allows the nose wheel to caster and line up with the
motion of the airplane along the ground. Immediately thereafter ease
the control wheel forward slowly...Prompt application of the brakes
brings the nose down...".
As a student I had a tendency to overcontrol and oversimplify
instructions. It was amazing how much rough air disappeared when I
released my death grip on the yoke. If your emphasis in describing
landing procedure to students includes the word "firm" in general
reference to control inputs, your students may not "receive" the need
to relax their grip for the moment of transition from flight to taxi.
It's easy to overwhelm a student's ability to handle and prioritize
such distinct subject matters. I speak thus from the perspective of a
former student, and NOT as a CFI.
I also found out (and my instructor didn't know) that a "tail low" bird
is more difficult and less predictable in crosswind operations. If,
and ONLY if, the plane shows an unwillingness to go where I point it do
I apply conscious forward pressure on the yoke either landing or
taxiing, although for crosswind takeoffs I do so. This is just my
personal "take" on the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" point of view.
With 20-20 hindsight I would suggest that, approached with due respect,
the coupe in general responds like any thoroughbred. Those who treat
it like an obstinate mule often find it acts just like one ;<)
Regards,
William R. Bayne
.____|-(o)-|____.
(Copyright 2009)
--
On Mar 16, 2009, at 08:23, Glen Davis wrote:
Gang,
I have owned N3103H for five years. I am a CFII and have taught
several people how to fly in Ercoupes. In the past 6 months, I have
sold 4 Ercoupes and checked-out three of the new owners. In the past
five years I have flown coast-to-coast twice and up and down the
eastern seaboard three times. I have read all the Ercoupe owners
manuals and most other literature about the aircraft. With this
information, I will respectfully disagree with the earlier posts
suggesting that, on landing, it is OK to keep the nose wheel in the
air for any length of time while the mains are on the ground. In this
configuration, the pilot has ZERO directional control of the
aircraft. While this may not be any problem on a perfectly calm day
and the landing has been right down the center-line, it will
definitely be a problem if there is any crosswind. It will also be a
problem if there is a gust. It will also be a problem if you are
landing behind a heavier aircraft and his vortices are still on the
runway. I teach my students to gently, but firmly, push the yoke
forward as soon as the main gear touches the ground, as this is the
only way one will have directional control.
Glen
Glen Davis
