Rowdyflyer1903!
Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2019
- Messages
- 211
- Location
- Bryan, Texas
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140, Stinson 108-1, Culver V, Parsons Trainer
- Total Flight Time
- 1000 hours
I recently emailed a photograph to a fellow pilot depicting a solution to my nose gear, a problem created by raising the forward portion of my Parsons based fuselage to more align the CG to thrust line. After much thought, or so I had convinced myself, I chose a caster style design, similar to a Grumman Yankee.
I had several goals in mind. First I wanted something more sturdy than some of the single strut nose gear found on several of the Center Line Thrust Configured builds. I felt that th machine would be confined to paved runways. Notably during take off roll prior to the nose lifting, operations on a grass strip, felt would be risky, if sand, soft spot, golpher or fireant mound might be encountered. A non braced support of the nose wheel will not resist folding and thus becoming a yard dart with a major wallet hurt soon to follow.
I also have chosen hydraulic toe brakes as my method of steering. I am experienced with caster nose gear plus in a formal life also an experienced taildragger pilot ( If 500 hours is enough tailwheel time ) I also intend to install a shock but, at this point of the build, what weight which will be born by the nose is uncertain. Because of this a fabricated piece of stream lined 4130 chromoly extrusion was installed.
My pilot friend replied and ask if my nose gear was suspended. I replied no not at the moment but most Parsons and other similar un modified designs we not suspended either. Understand, I first saw this person fly in 1982, give or take a year. I hold this person in high regard.
His silence was deafening.
Sometimes that is all it takes for a would be designer/ modifier to meditate a bit more. Of course the more you think about things, more questions than answers arise.
Back to the subject of my post, Gyroplane landing gear is very much different in its roll or transitioning from something which rolls to something which flys and hopefully back again.
One poster, I read stated that the design differs in the fact the main gear supports much more of the total amount weight than fixed wing. Consensus here had the percentage between 10 and as high as 18. Users results may vary.
We also discussed how much rocker is needed to rotate ( kind of) to allow the fuselage to get out of the way of the rotor as it seeks that sweet spot where she wants to fly. ( This was stated this way because if the configuration is wrong our own version of mast bumping aft can occur at the rotor head )
The hang test helps us with this problem as adjustments can be made to center the stick to assure the rotor, in her little world, can live her life semi independently of the fuselage, which should follow her through the air without complaint.
We dangle beneath the rotor with a wiggly u-joint of sorts. Everyone knows this. In the air, the offset gamble and tower mounted under slung semi ridged teetering rotor system is nothing short of genius. In the air the rotor does what it needs to do and the fuselage partners with her in harmony. All is good eh?
Not on the ground it isn’t.
If you have ever seen or better yet experienced a rough field take off, the stick can be very violent in your hand. All you can do is grip the stick firm enough but understand to allow the movement. What you are witnessing is difficulties in this early marriage of rolling vs trying to fly because the more immature of the partnership is now playing on a seesaw under the rotor because of uneven ground.
The stick moves back and forth and every bump the nose gear strikes rockets back to the mains and the wild ride begins. We are fortunate this last only until the airspeed increases and the nose wheel rotates free and clear where the bumps now are up and down. You still have to be aware of the bumps one of the main wheels may experience adding to the fun. Maybe the rudder is alive at that point because if not and you don’t have toe brakes to differential steer and you are now at some crazy angle, its time to pull power and get the nose wheel back down for control.
Whewwww, cheated death one more time.
A smooth runway sure makes being a gyro-naught a lot easier. No argument. Especially when the only suspension available is the cushion from air in the tires to smooth your departure and landing experience.
Can we all appreciate Steve McGowen a bit more? Let’s give that shirtless veteran of the military and the air a big hand of applause of appreciation of his skill and dedication to all of us.
GAWD ROWDY WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH ALL THIS!
Make your point!
Ok, whether or not your main gear is suspended, if you can spring mount or shock mount or coil over your nose gear to tame the seesawing motion in the beginning of your take off roll before the nose comes up and you lightly place it back down to balance on the mains as all worthy gyroplane pilots have done who has come this way before us.
Oh and when you do get airborne don’t get stupid. All that gyration will soon dampen. Don’t chase it. Lower the nose, build your airspeed, climb out, keep your eye peeled for the emergency landing spot and go enjoy your time in the sky.
The end.
I had several goals in mind. First I wanted something more sturdy than some of the single strut nose gear found on several of the Center Line Thrust Configured builds. I felt that th machine would be confined to paved runways. Notably during take off roll prior to the nose lifting, operations on a grass strip, felt would be risky, if sand, soft spot, golpher or fireant mound might be encountered. A non braced support of the nose wheel will not resist folding and thus becoming a yard dart with a major wallet hurt soon to follow.
I also have chosen hydraulic toe brakes as my method of steering. I am experienced with caster nose gear plus in a formal life also an experienced taildragger pilot ( If 500 hours is enough tailwheel time ) I also intend to install a shock but, at this point of the build, what weight which will be born by the nose is uncertain. Because of this a fabricated piece of stream lined 4130 chromoly extrusion was installed.
My pilot friend replied and ask if my nose gear was suspended. I replied no not at the moment but most Parsons and other similar un modified designs we not suspended either. Understand, I first saw this person fly in 1982, give or take a year. I hold this person in high regard.
His silence was deafening.
Sometimes that is all it takes for a would be designer/ modifier to meditate a bit more. Of course the more you think about things, more questions than answers arise.
Back to the subject of my post, Gyroplane landing gear is very much different in its roll or transitioning from something which rolls to something which flys and hopefully back again.
One poster, I read stated that the design differs in the fact the main gear supports much more of the total amount weight than fixed wing. Consensus here had the percentage between 10 and as high as 18. Users results may vary.
We also discussed how much rocker is needed to rotate ( kind of) to allow the fuselage to get out of the way of the rotor as it seeks that sweet spot where she wants to fly. ( This was stated this way because if the configuration is wrong our own version of mast bumping aft can occur at the rotor head )
The hang test helps us with this problem as adjustments can be made to center the stick to assure the rotor, in her little world, can live her life semi independently of the fuselage, which should follow her through the air without complaint.
We dangle beneath the rotor with a wiggly u-joint of sorts. Everyone knows this. In the air, the offset gamble and tower mounted under slung semi ridged teetering rotor system is nothing short of genius. In the air the rotor does what it needs to do and the fuselage partners with her in harmony. All is good eh?
Not on the ground it isn’t.
If you have ever seen or better yet experienced a rough field take off, the stick can be very violent in your hand. All you can do is grip the stick firm enough but understand to allow the movement. What you are witnessing is difficulties in this early marriage of rolling vs trying to fly because the more immature of the partnership is now playing on a seesaw under the rotor because of uneven ground.
The stick moves back and forth and every bump the nose gear strikes rockets back to the mains and the wild ride begins. We are fortunate this last only until the airspeed increases and the nose wheel rotates free and clear where the bumps now are up and down. You still have to be aware of the bumps one of the main wheels may experience adding to the fun. Maybe the rudder is alive at that point because if not and you don’t have toe brakes to differential steer and you are now at some crazy angle, its time to pull power and get the nose wheel back down for control.
Whewwww, cheated death one more time.
A smooth runway sure makes being a gyro-naught a lot easier. No argument. Especially when the only suspension available is the cushion from air in the tires to smooth your departure and landing experience.
Can we all appreciate Steve McGowen a bit more? Let’s give that shirtless veteran of the military and the air a big hand of applause of appreciation of his skill and dedication to all of us.
GAWD ROWDY WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH ALL THIS!
Make your point!
Ok, whether or not your main gear is suspended, if you can spring mount or shock mount or coil over your nose gear to tame the seesawing motion in the beginning of your take off roll before the nose comes up and you lightly place it back down to balance on the mains as all worthy gyroplane pilots have done who has come this way before us.
Oh and when you do get airborne don’t get stupid. All that gyration will soon dampen. Don’t chase it. Lower the nose, build your airspeed, climb out, keep your eye peeled for the emergency landing spot and go enjoy your time in the sky.
The end.
