T3 shock style tailwheel assembly

[maxpayne]

How do you post photos? When I go to insert image it wants a ul number , the only thing that shows up is a x

[jrevens]

How do you post photos? When I go to insert image it wants a ul number , the only thing that shows up is a x

Hi Jared,

When you want to insert a picture, scroll down to where it says “Attach Files” and click on “Manage Attachments”. Then you can click on “Choose File” to browse your computer and find the picture file you want, and then upload it.

[maxpayne]

This what I am trying.

[little rocket]

Interesting!!
Have you considered that you are decreasing your wing angle of attack and that will Increase your take off distance ?

[PaulSS]

That might be relevant if you take-off with the tailwheel on the ground but 99.9% of the time in a tailwheel aircraft you're going to push the stick forward during the take-off run so that you're in a 'level' attitude. In this attitude your angle of incidence will be the same no matter what you tailwheel looks like (assuming the aircraft still sits tail low and it's not a mahoosive leg).

[little rocket]

Height of main gear and/or height of tailwheel determine/limit the angle of attack on the wing during rotation.So in your example with the tail up when you rotate your tailwheel height limits the rotation thus limiting the angle of attack of the wing.
If you leave the tail up on takeoff and don't rotate you will fly off eventually but it will be at a higher airspeed ,thus it will take a longer takeoff run to get it to that airspeed and into the air.
Alot of pilots that are using the T3 setup or some equivalent setup are looking to do some type of off airport flying, which often requires short landings and takeoffs.

[PapuaPilot]

Is it just me or does anybody else think that the tail wheel in the picture isn’t strong enough to handle a hard landing? I am guessing it will bend right behind the shock absorber. There is a reason tailwheel springs are short and beefy.

[PaulSS]

Ahh, I get what you're saying now, LR. Yes, if you've got a 'tall' tailwheel then you'll smack it back down to earth when you rotate and that would, indeed, limit your angle of incidence.

PP, I agree with you. That leg looks exceptionally bendable, especially for someone like me

[efwd]

Seems to me it will not be strong enough as well. I wonder what the motivation for this is? Seems if you add a nose wheel you would achieve the same.

[jrevens]

I'd say it depends on if those are spring steel rods, or just 4130 tubing. If tubing, probably easily bent for sure. That's the first thing that came to my mind also, Phil.