Larry Mednick
Forum Replies Created
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Besides the obvious, which is using more runway to get stopped, tail winds will tend to drop the aircraft towards the ground with every gust. When you are in a head wind those same gusts will cause you to balloon. Ballooning is fine if you add throttle, getting dropped onto the runway can break your trike. If you are flying something like a REVO with a Comp 11m wing that touches down at around 50 MPH, a nice tailwind can put you at speeds you really don’t want to be at. Likewise some smaller trikes with tiny tires and less than ideal nose gear geometry can struggle as well touching in the 30s instead of the 20s. Slower ground speeds are better, but gusting tailwinds can be dangerous.
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Was that your first experience in that much turbulence? Did you fly in similar or worse conditions with your instructor before solo?
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Give me a call and I’ll get on my computer and try to walk you through it. 813-810-9262
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After years of using Clear View and other visor polishes, I have a superior product that seems to not only polish and protect better, but doesn’t leave a residue to attract dust weeks later. I STRONGLY recommend this product!
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I solder in new mics often enough for customers. I get the mics from Flycom, but I would love to get a link to the mics you are using.
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Some of the info I have is directly form Airborne, some is from their dealers.
Airborne was operating in one of the most viciously locked down areas on the planet during Covid, equally or worse were the lockdowns still happening today in China. You may be asking why that is a factor. Well Airborne’s largest market had become China over the last few years, and I can tell you first hand NO ONE in China is buying any trikes or even thinking about flying for the most part. Everything is on hold there, so they lost their largest sales market at the very same time. And to top it off the Husband and Wife that have made every wing sail for Airborne retired earlier this year. And that folks is the tri-factor…
Regarding moving over seas, well that has turned out to be pending at the moment and nothing has moved to the best of my knowledge. I sure hope something can come of the company, but if you have been following how that went with P&M, I feel the momentum has been lost at least in their established markets, and it will take a lot to get that momentum back in the industry… Also certain countries are trusted more than others regarding materials and quality assurance, so depending on where it goes can make or break the brand. Don’t count them out yet, but don’t hold your breath either at this point is my best assessment.
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Hi Roger B, the first thing I will say regardless of brand trike is that wheel pants are your worst nightmare when it comes to unimproved landing areas. And the REVO like most 80+ MPH podded trikes cannot fly without them because of the spat attached to them. The REVO requires literally double the takeoff and landing distance of a REVOLT. The REVO is not STOL at all… but again if you want to land on 1500’ grass strips then great!
The limitation of the top speed on the REVOLT is the drag cubing with speed on a draggy carriage. The drag is double from 60 to 80 MPH and the REVO has only 1/2 the drag. However that drag is what allows high energy approaches in heavy turbulence not to run you off the end of the runway.
We used to bring a 12m RIVAL S to Oshkosh which is 1100’ sloped with trees at 1 end and a tree line next to the runway. One of our REVO guys would struggle both on takeoff up hill with obstacles when there was a strong crosswind and landing downhill from over the obstacle when the Xwind was strong. Then he switched to a RIVAL X and no longer is it close, but he uses 80% of the runway on high Xwind days due to higher approach speeds and Xwinds drastically increase ground roll in a trike for take off. By comparison the REVOLT with RIVAL X wing only needs about 1/2 the runway and the REV X only 1/4 the runway. Although it’s only 2 up that the REVO with RIVAL S had an issue on the challenging strip 1 up cuts things down nearly in half. But that’s true on real STOL planes as well
As mentioned before you can have the top end without the slow end or the slow end without much top end. Trikes have a limited speed range in general which means they seldom can do both well.
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Dancing with Revolts Desert Trike Flying by Larson Adventures.
https://youtu.be/gNmaytxXFOIDancing with Revolts Desert Trike Flying by Larson Adventures.
https://youtu.be/gNmaytxXFOI -
ROAD TRIP
https://youtu.be/PEq4DGu7zM0ROAD TRIP
https://youtu.be/PEq4DGu7zM0 -
Regarding things like shown in the above example, yes, sure no problem. A quick search for Larson’s Adventures or TTabs on YouTube will show examples of trikes doing what I think you are asking about.
Truthfully most pilots flying actual STOL planes (not a Kit Fox) are not using the full capabilities of their plane anyway. BUT when you get the right STOL plane in the hands of the right pilot, the results are insane. Meaning they are able to use 100-250 foot landing areas. This is where a trike cannot compete. But if you are wanting to land on 900 foot strips and explore the mountains, then you don’t really need a true STOL plane anyway.
Typical STOL performance looks like 17 MPH stall with 100+ MPH top speed. Typical trike is either 28 MPH a stall with 60 MPH top speed or 35+ mph stall with a 80+ mph top speed. There are exceptions, but the fixed wing speed range is unchallenged by trikes against slatted winged STOL Bush Planes
The real question is after flying a trike, is the airplane fun enough to not want to be in a trike covering the same land scape.
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Yes, so a midfield cross over may not be ideal either if you are approaching from the traffic pattern side either. I like to stay at 1500 AGL (mind you jets fly the pattern at 1500’) and use a teardrop entry. The same recommended entry the FAA describes for if you are crossing midfield. But in this case I come in from 180 off or roughly any direction I like above the pattern to that point. Not only do I avoid crossing multiple fast down wind legs, but I can circle (example: “trike is circling at 1,500 just north of the field”) and while circling I can decide WHEN the tear drop is most desirable. Once I enter my tight downwind at pattern altitude, no one should be able to catch me unless that are not where they should be regardless of their speed. We are all doing 5-6 minute patterns.
The only thing that becomes tricky is turning both crosswind and base while aiming at another aircraft initially. The key when I turn base , for example is to say “turning base behind the Cirrus” even though he is on a mile final and I am turning a 1/4 mile base. You simple need 500’ spacing at all times and good 2 way communication. Plus I am 500 feet above his 1/4 Mile short final if we both arrive by accident to the 1/4 mile final at the same time. Then he is landed and off the runway or touch N go before my wheels are down. I can chase the fastest planes around the pattern with ease…
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Indeed you had a death grip. Tensing up on the controls is one of just a couple things a trike pilot can do which can lead to loss of control. Contorting your body (you did not) is the other… Sitting square in your seat, relaxed on the controls is usually your best bet.
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Yes we have used Plexus for years and I think Koenig blows it away.
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The Streak III as well as all Airborne wings is an in house product so there is no way to get them at the moment. We have a direct bolt on for all of the Airborne’s and have many “REBORNE’S” flying around the world.
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The props are all very efficient. You might shave 10% off of your takeoff distance with more blades, but it’s not going to change what you can and can’t do with the trike.
The larger tires on a grease strip are difficult to tell any advantage. If you were on sand it would add some real world benefit.
Both options are nice and popular, but not game changing like the wing selection for example.