ski brace

[T-Rex]

Re: ski brace

Not sure if I'll make it either, a little on the cold side.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: ski brace

Saved pics at the Foundation. First picture I ever saw of a tail ski installed; I have two here , question.... What is a pair of real nice Federal 1500's worth, i am going to get more info today. I will use them on my F-19 ; I have SC-4's for the BC12D. Tribal knowledge is good.

[astjp2]

Re: ski brace

Saved pics at the Foundation. First picture I ever saw of a tail ski installed; I have two here , question.... What is a pair of real nice Federal 1500's worth, i am going to get more info today. I will use them on my F-19 ; I have SC-4's for the BC12D. Tribal knowledge is good.

Forrest, I paid 900.00 for mine that had Ptex bottoms and new bottom skins. 1500's don't do well in the deep snow unless the skins are wider. You also have the choice of bungies or springs, the bungies dont ossiclate like the spring do. Tim

[Forrest Barber]

Re: ski brace

aha I do remember the wider part.... I made a deal to ahve them brought here, I will rig them and use them we don't get the deep stuff.... still looking for comments.

[Dano"T"]

Re: ski brace

$800-$900 for a good pair of 1500's...tail ski is a waste of time on a T-craft...I fly in big snow country 250-300" per year and have never needed one....only time I found one useful was on an Aeronca Chief with it's heavy tail. Put on the 1500's and have a blast...Nice F19 by the way Forrest!

[T-Rex]

Re: ski brace

I have to disagree with Dano on the tail ski. I ran with a full swiveling tailwheel the last two years and I did not like how the tail would hop up and down in and out of the crust and snow. It seemed like it was kind of hard on the tail. Also when you would turn around in a tight area the tailwheel would kick out and go into swivel mode and you could not steer back the other direction very quickly (usually only an issue on the runway and taxiing around the airport). I have the tail ski rigged to a non-swiveling Scott 2000 tailwheel and it really is nice for ground handling I can turn left or right circles in a little more than a wingspan and I never loose steering control. The tail ski has a 4" U-channel skeg riveted to the bottom in the rear for steering. The Scott 2000 and tail ski combo is also about 2" or 3" shorter than my Maule tailwheel so it makes up for the lost AOA when I come off of 8.50's because the ski pedestals are shorter than the tires. Down here in the cities we really don't get DEEP snow, if we have more than 8" to a foot it is a powder day so I don't have it on for flotation but for control. But most of all I think it just looks right with skis in all three spots.

[Dano"T"]

Re: ski brace

.....I wasn't puttin ya down...just throwing out an opinion after 25 yrs of ski flying what I found works best (on my plane)....I do have a light plane and I too can turn on a dime...just a little forward pressure on the stick and she whips right around. I've never had adverse effects with the maule full swivel tailwheel....but I should qualify that there is no right or wrong....just what we prefer on our particular planes....there can be no argument that ski flying is the most fun you can have in the snow!...By the way...your tail ski does look cool!

[T-Rex]

Re: ski brace

No worries Dano I took no offense. I have herd that form many many guys about the tail ski. This is only my 3rd year on skis and first with a tailski so more of a need to try it kind of thing. I would like to get into some really DEEP bottomless snow and see what it is like then. The last time I was in deep snow with the tailwheel I needed a lot of power to taxi, not quite enough to hold the tail up the whole time but with the tail in the snow I was afraid I would stop and get stuck, so I got the bouncing thing I mentioned. I also think my tail and plane are heavy for a T-Craft.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: ski brace

I have run the BC12D on Federal SC-1's ( Gross wt 1400) with no tail ski and have a ball. I have flown the E-2, J-3 and others even the Pietenpohl on skis.
The Piet is pain in the butt for trying to raise the tail. The E-2 will have the tail up in less than the fuselage length. I learned to get my brain way out in front of the ship for making turns . Lots of power & rudder. I will be trying the 1500's soon on the F-19 and will play with tail ski I have both wheel sticking through and complete bolt on. Our snow is strange but this year I could have used skis ... Oh well!

[skipilot]

Re: ski brace

Brad Got my braces on thanks again.

[T-Rex]

Re: ski brace

Looking good! Are you putting the 65 back on or going for more power? Ime working on a set of 1320's with T-Craft rigging if you are thinking floats.

[skipilot]

Re: ski brace

Keeping the 65, once it is worn out might go for more power but as of now im going to stick with the 65 performes well for what i use it for. Not thinking floats yet but that might change after this summer when i get my float rating in a super cub.

[T-Rex]

Re: ski brace

Thats the method I am using with my 85. Whenever it gets worn out time to put in the O200 crank and get a few more ponies.

[astjp2]

Re: ski brace

When you get the larger engine, you will wish you had sooner. Tim

[n6346m]

Re: ski brace

...tail ski is a waste of time on a T-craft...

Not all T-crafts... It sure comes in handy to have one when someone is sitting in the back seat of an L2.
Two of my neighbors one with a Maule and another with a PA 14 both tried to go without a tail ski with poor results. It was not a problem for most of the winter. However, here in Southcentral coastal Alaska we get deep snows and occasional warming trends which leaves a nice "crust" on top. After hopping down the runway with the tailwheel coninuously breaking through the crust (too much speed if the tail was kept light enough to keep from breaking through) they discovered that the fabric at the tail end of the fuselage became the "crust-cutter".
I guess that my bottom line is that the reasonable cost and ease of installation of a tail ski is cheap insurance if you ever need it, and not a big deal if you don't.