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Re: Looks like I get to fly a IV- any tips??
I would call mine a semi-locking type. It will only release when the rudder has full deflection. Both the Vagabond and Clipper dad owned were like this as well. This is a bit of a pain when the wings are folded back on my Kitfox as the rudder will not go full travel. So the tailwheel will not release unless you crawl under and manually trigger the locking catch. So made a dolly for not only the tail, but the mains as well. I can now spin or move the aircraft sideways in the barn. Very handy!
Now dad's Baby Great Lakes had a manual locking tail wheel. And it needed one! Google a photo and you will see the ultimate in short coupled tail dragger! Anyway, it had a cable release in the cockpit. It sat so nose high that you couldn't see straight ahead on the ground. You had to "S" taxi like a WWII fighter!
Jay
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Senior Member
Re: Looks like I get to fly a IV- any tips??
The Maule tailwheel we talked about is not a locking tailwheel (as in one that you can lock so it stays straight). What we meant is that it moves left and right with rudder movement, but has the ability to "unlock" by locking a brake, allowing it to swivel up to 360 degrees for turning the aircraft in its own radius on the ground, or is used to push the aircraft backwards into a hangar. The problem with the Maule tailwheel is that ON SOME AIRCRAFT the full swivel feature will engage in flight from full rudder deflection (it shouldnt go full swivel in the air, only on the ground), and the tailwheel can then move left or right (typically 90 degrees) so as soon as the tailwheel touches the ground you are in a super hard right or left 90 degree turn, which ultimarely results in a abrupt and severe groundloop.
With all that said, if the Kitfox has a Matco tailwheel on it (vs a Maule), it is highly unlikely you will have any ground handling issues associated with the tailwheel.
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