Budd Davisson quip about Taylorcrafts at Oshkosh

[Len Petterson]

Re: Budd Davisson quip about Taylorcrafts at Oshkosh

Yes it is good aircraft no douth but as many other machines built by man it is good but not perfect, just like the Money!
Len

[jim cooper]

Re: Budd Davisson quip about Taylorcrafts at Oshkosh

Gentlemen....please stop... 20 years ago there were many articles about Mooneys not wanting to land. Mooneys DO have a tendency to float if they reach the runway going too fast. So does the T-Craft. If one manages the final leg speed on the mooney...(70) it will land just right even with ground effect thrown in. Spoilers were even added on some Mooneys to "Correct" the problem, which was really pilots not being familar with the airplane. The T-Craft is very docile and should chug over the end of the runway at 55. If so and trim is correct, it should land using half the 2000 foot runway (or less) in a three point. T-craft responds very well to a SLIP and will slow right down on final if one crosses the controls stop to stop, then pop it straight 10 feet up and plop it on the runway. ( I'm great on grass, on asphalt I may do well or really look bad according to cross wind conditions.) The T-Craft WANTS to fly well if treated fairly. JC

[Len Petterson]

Re: Budd Davisson quip about Taylorcrafts at Oshkosh

I learned to fly in a Fleet 80 Canuck 18 years before I got the Taylorcraft.
The old fellows at the airport told " the Taylorcraft it's flotter".
Meaning it will never land if the speed is to high. How high is too high 75 mph and 4200 feet was not enuogh runway, 70mph I got down with hard braking, At 60 I even managed som odd 3 pointers.
I hade to get in on 1800 ft with trees and wires at the ends,
sidesliping practic and slowflight 58 on the clock nose high in slip No speed gain alowed, and you stop easy in 500 ft.
Fun stuff
Too High speed for me, is anything over 60 on the clock in the flair!(;f
My friend flyes a Thorp T 18, he gets scared then then clock goes below 80!
At 80 mph I am cruising right along nose slightly below horizen thinking I am doing good ground speed, but not landing!ops:
The old Canuck was a brezze to land compared to the Taylorcraft.
On the other hand the long wing can save your Butt one day as well.
The only thing 2 thing the Thorp and Taylorcraft has in common is The T in the name and being aircrafts! For the rest they are as far apart as black and white. And he wants me to speed up in a cross wind landing, but not much I say! Ok he say: The Taylorcraft is a brezze to land, but he has 1000 hr aginst my 200.
Cross wind I dont land in it! If I can get out of it.
or: Wing down into the wind,down on one main and tail let her slow down and stay on the rudder!ops:
Any taildragger pilot can do what Ahh
Len

[Taylor Maid]

Re: Budd Davisson quip about Taylorcrafts at Oshkosh

Since no one else will comment....THIS IS GREAT!!!!

Thanks for the post, Joel!

[Joel Severinghaus]

Last Friday at Oshkosh, Pitts instructor and magazine writer Budd Davisson (www.airbum.com) gave his annual standing-room-only forum about taildragger flying. Always informative and entertaining.

During the Q&A, new BC12-D owner Blake Carlson of Crookston, MN asked, "Any advice specific to Taylorcrafts?"

Davisson answered, "To land a Taylorcraft, keep telling yourself on final, 'I'm flying a maple seed. I'm flying a maple seed.' And remember that with a Taylorcraft, the throttle is mostly just a volume control."

Davisson then explained for the rest of the audience that Taylorcrafts have lower wing loading than some sailplanes, and take some skill to fly well.

He continued, "People see some guy wheel-land a P-51 at a fly-in and think he's a hot pilot. But the guy coming in behind him, three-pointing a Taylorcraft in a 15-knot, 30-degree crosswind, he's the hot pilot."