BC- 12D tailwheel spring

[edmundcammack]

Morning Hank,
thanks for the pic and reply. those are the springs i have. Not familiar with the term "mouse" but i can see the safety wire.
I have had a couple of exciting landings due to a spring popping off. With the brakes it has always been controllable. my teenage daughter is learning to fly and we fly from a grass strip. We went to 2W6 for some blacktop experience, caught a sudden downdraft and bounced. Finally had all three wheels on the runway and Tcraft headed for the lights and the ditch. I took over, pushed full rudder and nothing. There are only brakes on the left and i was in the right seat. By now we were pointed too far off centerline to go around and about to take out a runway light. I said left brake, left brake, left brake. By the time she got on the left brake we were in the weeds and past the runway light, which we somehow didn't hit. Then, with all the left brake, we swung around the other way and did about a 150 degree turn. We were slow enough at that point that there was no damage, just a bit of a bruisied ego on my part and a what the heck on my daughter's part. I knew right away what had happened, got out and put the spring back on. Decided it's time to fix the problem. I have over 2000 hours of tail wheel time and have never come that close to ground looping.

[Hank Jarrett]

Look at the bright side, she will be SUPER careful about proper line up and flying perfect cross wind landings for the rest of her life. No injuries, no damage and the best lesson EVER on what CAN happen! Make sure she remember this as NOT her fault and the best lesson EVER!

Now go mouse those springs. Mine have never come off again since putting those little pieces of safety wire on! Removing the seat cushion after I stopped took a while. ;-)

[Robert Lees]

I would recommend installing the better springs and mouse safety wire them.

Rob, maybe you can post the link to your "Top Ten", I couldn't see the link to your presentation on your web-page. I can post a copy with your permission.

Mark, it's under "Miscellaneous" in the left hand column, but feel free to post a copy.

Here's a link: https://www.taylorcraft.org.uk/Topten.pps

Rob

[edmundcammack]

She is hoping to solo this summer, I'll post when she does.
Thanks.

[Mark Bowden]

Here is a pdf version of Rob's Top Ten. Rob, I took the liberty of increasing photo size on some of the pages.

You can look at compression springs at A.S., here: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/categ...cessories.html

As Hank indicated you can mouse the more traditional springs if they have enough "end" on them.

Topten 2.pdf

[edmundcammack]

Hi Mark,
thanks for posting the top ten and the link. I am mousing the springs i have per Hank's photo and seeing how that works.
Thanks again.

[astjp2]

I up sized the bolt for the tailwheel to 1/2" from the original 7/16" , no operational problems since. I also use bolts with cotter-pins so I can torque without having to calculate the friction for the nyloc and I never have to worry about them coming loose because if they do, the bolt is stretched and needs immediate replacement.

[edmundcammack]

She is hoping to solo this summer, I'll post when she does.
Thanks.

I think I forgot to post this. MD45, my parent's farm. I soloed there in 1981 in a BC-65. Apple didn't fall far from the tree.