Recovering from a 'bounce'

[mhorowit]

My A&P suggested that since it's been close to a year since I last flew, that I pick up a hour or two of refresher training. That's probably a good idea.

I'm reading up on how to recover from a 'bounce'- which is the result of making almost a three point landing, but the mains hit first causing the AOA to suddenly increase as the tailwheel rotates around the CG, and the a/c rediscovers flightl

My reading mentions two approaches: if you are low to the ground,yoke full back and ride it out, or if you have no idea your relationship to the ground, full throttle and go around.

Are there other techniques? - Mike

[paulp]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

Mike,

Because the wing loading is so low on Taylorcrafts, adding power will generally get you out of a potentially bad situation. It will put the weight back on the wings if the bird is trying to buck AND give you more rudder authority. A go around is always a safe move. You might also consider getting an hours worth of time with a CFI to sharpen your skills. It can't hurt.

Remember, good judgement comes from experience-Experience comes from bad judgment.

[crispy critter]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

My wife was just reading this over my shoulder and she said if it gets to hopping to bad then the proper thing to do is...,"head down,eyes closed,OH SHIT,OH GOD,(maybe a few more that I shouldn't repeat)hang on,and pray."Kinda makes ya wonder how she ever soloed don't it.Women Drivers,No Survivers!......most of the time.I hope you don't get insulted Taylor Maid.I'm just picking on my wife who is standing over my shoulder right now.

[Jim Hartley]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

Spring gear comes to mind Paul is right!

[flyguy]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

Ever see a duck (or any other bird) land without flapping its wings right at the end?We would do well to emulate them, I think.

I just hold what I have on the elevator and squeeze in a little power. You're in a high drag configuration already, and for sure the airplane will not contiue to fly. With the power in a little it will come down just like you know what you are doing. I have NEVER had it not work for me and I bounce on a pretty regular schedule (probably due to having reflexes similar to a 3 toed ground sloth.) On that side of the lift curve (I know, everybody else calls it a power curve) the amount of power you use can vary quite a bit, but you're still coming down; you just use up more or less runway. It almost always produces a softer landing than the ones when you don't bounce. The only optional thing that is allowable to do with the elevator is to pull it all the way back. You will be coming down pretty slow at that point so the timing isn't too difficult. What ever you do, don't let off on the elevator. I can vouch that you can dribble down the runway like a--(a proper metaphor escapes me) if you do. Of course all of this is much more fun when done with cross wind.
Darryl

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

POWER !!! add power and live to fly another day... As another fellow out it, if you do not power up , a bit or a lot depending on the bounce. You are liable to heat the longest word in the Instructor vocabulary::
HOLYJESUSCHRISTWHATINTHEHELLDIDYOUDOTHATFORYOUDUMB SHIT!!

[Victor Gisclair]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

Bounce!!! Who Me.

[paulp]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

Forrest,

I thought I was the only one that knew that word!!!!

One other thing that I forgot to mention. If you are doing a wheel landing, STAY OFF THE BRAKES IF THE TAIL IS IN THE AIR!!!!! You can stand a Taylorcraft on it's nose if your brakes are working properly and the tail is up. TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!!!!!!!

[flyguy]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

Seems like a consensus Mike, always flap your wings. whatever else you do
Darryl

[mhorowit]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

I've got this JATO bottle.... wonder if I use hose clamps I can claim that it's only a temporary installation and doesn't need a 337? - Mike

[Don Eide]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

Power is good. What if you don't have any power because you just ran it out of fuel. Than after the bounce it gets away from you and you groundloop it, dragging a wing tip and tearing off both landing gear.
I think thats when you use the words Forest stated.
Anyway thats what I heard happened to the T-craft I bought as a project

Brakes? When did the old T-crafts have brakes that worked? We always did a rolling mag check because the brakes were so poor.

Don

[mhorowit]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

Brakes? When did the old T-crafts have brakes that worked? We always did a rolling mag check because the brakes were so poor.Don

So many years; so little lining

[crispy critter]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

I just want to know what all this bounce stuff is?????I always just land the silly thing on the first try .
Forrest,
I think Mike learned that word the last time he flew ......Sorry Mike,I just couldn't resist that one.

[paulp]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

Don,

I don't know why but a lot of folks seem to be down on the Shinn brakes. I think mine are great. I relined the rims and cleaned everything up when I restored and converted to the mod 19 & even with the 0200 STC on the 85tcm I can hold the bird @ 2200 static all day long. On landing rolls they stop just fine and they work well during taxi rolls. I do have to adjust them about every 10-15 hrs or so but it's not a big deal. Or, it could be that even a blind hog will find a good acorn every now and then.

[mhorowit]

Re: Recovering from a 'bounce'

Paul - I expect to be able to contribute based on actual experience in about two weeks. When I first tried the a/c, I had to literally stand on the brakes to hold her during run-up and the owner said 'that's just those Shinn brakes'. It just didn't seem reasonable. As part of the repairing, I've replaced the lining. I fully expect that I'll be able to join the voices that say 'if they don't work, something is wrong'. Now if I could find a way to widen them so I could hit the pedals, that would be good.

Another thing that puzzled me for a while. Many of the folks on the list fly from grass strips. Completely different from asphalt; you don't have the friction that grass gives you. So when they laugh at the need for brakes, it's based on their experince on grass, not a narrow strip of asphalt. - Mike