Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Supporting Owners, Builders and Pilots of the Thorp T-18 and its variants.
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:53 am

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 
Author Message
ljkrume
 Post subject: Grass strips
PostPosted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 11:01 pm 
Sr. Member
Sr. Member

Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:33 pm
Posts: 232
Images: 213
Location: USA
Whadya fellas have to say to another who’s never done grass strips? How does the Thorp handle? Any different techniques for takeoffs or wheel landings?

Thanks in advance,
Les Krumel, #1187


Top
 Profile Personal album  
 
TonyNZ
 Post subject: Re: Grass strips
PostPosted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 11:08 pm 
Full Member
Full Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:25 pm
Posts: 105
Images: 8
Location: New Zealand
Les
Much easier to handle on grass, tracks straighter and not much use of brakes required. For take off you will need to consider the extra drag from grass and or the length of the grass. Don't know about wheelers as I always three point. 90% of my flying is off grass, you will love it!
Tony Schischka
T18C
ZK-VMS


Top
 Profile Personal album  
 
James Grahn
 Post subject: Re: Grass strips
PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 12:29 am 
Hero Member
Hero Member

Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2009 7:16 pm
Posts: 1434
Images: 0
Location: USA
Hard to stick a wheel landing on grass. There really are no perfectly smooth grass strips. Be ready for some bounces and associated yaw. Three point is much better on grass.
Cubes


Top
 Profile Personal album  
 
Doug S
 Post subject: Re: Grass strips
PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 7:43 am 
Full Member
Full Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 8:35 am
Posts: 129
Location: Daytona Bch, FL
Try Triple Tree Fly In (SC00) in September (2-8) - 7000' of golf course grass.


Top
 Profile  
 
SHIPCHIEF
 Post subject: Re: Grass strips
PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:24 am 
Sr. Member
Sr. Member

Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2011 9:05 pm
Posts: 471
Location: USA
For me the problem is landing on a paved strip after keeping it at a grass strip. :-\
The length of the grass and how low your wheel pants are mounted is a consideration.
I agree with above comments.

_________________
Scott Emery
EAA Chapter 326
T-18 N18TE


Top
 Profile  
 
Fraser MacPhee
 Post subject: Re: Grass strips
PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:28 am 
Sr. Member
Sr. Member

Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:57 am
Posts: 722
Images: 19
Location: USA
Flown off the turf a few times - a little extra power for taxiing, and as stated above, be prep'd for a longer takeoff run. Also, if you land in the early morning dew, make a little extra effort to keep the nose "straight" down the runway, as braking action can be a bit sketchy on the soggy grass until you get slowed down.

_________________
Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)


Top
 Profile Personal album  
 
Jeff J
 Post subject: Re: Grass strips
PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 2:26 pm 
Sr. Member
Sr. Member

Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2016 8:18 am
Posts: 583
Images: 0
Location: eastern OK
Virtually no difference other than grass is more forgiving. The wheels slip a little rather than grab. Wet grass can be as slick as ice. The technique is exactly the same. I mostly wheel land but do intentionally 3-point from time to time (proof is on youtube).

_________________
Thorp T18
O-320-B3B (160 HP)
68x74 Sterba Propeller

"The joke in aviation is, 'If you want to make a million, you'd better start with £10m.' " -Bruce Dickinson


Top
 Profile Personal album  
 
ljkrume
 Post subject: Re: Grass strips
PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:37 pm 
Sr. Member
Sr. Member

Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:33 pm
Posts: 232
Images: 213
Location: USA
Got it.
Good info. Thanx guys!


Top
 Profile Personal album  
 
Rich Brazell
 Post subject: Re: Grass strips
PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 3:58 pm 
Hero Member
Hero Member

Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 12:33 pm
Posts: 3095
Images: 64
Location: Jamul, CA (San Diego area)
Watch out for them there gophers ! ::)

RB O0


Top
 Profile Personal album  
 
fulcrumflyer
 Post subject: Re: Grass strips
PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 4:16 pm 
Jr. Member
Jr. Member

Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 9:44 am
Posts: 84
Images: 0
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Rich Brazell wrote:
Watch out for them there gophers ! ::)

RB O0


The gophers thank you RB.

Spanky


Attachments:
Dancing_Gopher_Caddyshack1.gif
Dancing_Gopher_Caddyshack1.gif [ 710.17 KiB | Viewed 6295 times ]
Top
 Profile Personal album  
 
Unclerap
 Post subject: Re: Grass strips
PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 4:33 pm 
Jr. Member
Jr. Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2018 4:23 pm
Posts: 62
Change the induction air filter every 6 months.

_________________
Base: KALX
N8786
SN 929


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron

[ Time : 0.144s | 14 Queries | GZIP : On ]