look that tail wheel....

[Jfquebec]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85WBGIv5YwA


that's crazy...

[Pilot4Life]

Maybe the springs and chains for control fell off? But to go for another landing with that?...Nope! I'd want control of that quick! Wonder what happened? There have been photos of tail wheel set-ups. Some with chains and springs, while others included a locking mechanism. Having many hours in 60s (not 1960s, I'm not THAT old) I would want control rather than just relying on differential breaking when my rudder authority is gone! The nose wheel folks don't have much choice though! Great landings though! Yeah, "great" because the plane can be flown again! If they were just good, then all we see re-useable would be the pilot! Any flying video is still cool though! Thanks for posting this...

[HighWing]

I watched the videw a bunch of times and It looked to me that the second landing was a repeat of the first video segment. Watching in full frame and stop action, the control springs are there. I suspect the abrupt movement of the rudder just as he lines up for takeoff is the point where the tailwheel locks to the steering springs.

The tailweel is definitely a Maule. I found it interesting because of the shimmy I felt fairly regularly with mine. Lots of discussion on tailwheel - might say argument - alighment and whether the springs should be tight or loose. I burried the Maule and went to the Home Builders Special with loose springs on my first Model IV and my current model IV and have had no hint of shimmy. My guess is that this video was taken to find out what was happening back there. I have no idea why the tailweel appears cocked on final. I would think that it would trail in the slip stream - maybe in need of lube.

[n85ae]

Weak springs will do that, or improperly tensioned springs. Common problem,
easy fix.

Regards,
Jeff

[metalman]

If he had the stick full aft there would more weight on the tailwheel, I have a couple of mates who take the springs off all together and have the wheel fully castoring( I don't see the point in making the little buggers harder to control ) but with the weight on the wheel there's no shimmy . I used to fly a citabria that would get a shimmy on touchdown, a quick check forward then full back stick would settle it down .
Mat

[Av8r3400]

Actually the opposite is more often true. Stick back increases the weight on the wheel, deflecting the spring enough to get excessive positive caster angle on the king pin of the wheel, inducing shimmy.

The wheel in the video has serious caster angle and chain problems.

[Dave F]

looks like the locking pin is not locking. The key way will wear but it takes alot. Most guy are not hitting a few thousand hour on theirs like some of us.

My bet is that someone took the locking detent mechanism out to make for easier hangar handling. The break way tail wheel works great And you just gotta be aggresive on the ground when moving by hand to allow it to break loose.


Cheers