Quote:
Originally Posted by snj5
Chip - brilliant work. It is more exciting and inspirational with each update.
John - thanks for the post. I have not priced them yet, but they surely can't be worse than the period instrument prices I am finding, or what having a wicker seat made costs.
Chip and I were also having a chat about using a rudder bar or not, and I brought it up on the Baslee builders group. Modern airport environments do heavily favor having some sort of brakes (to go with the tailwheel). Philosphcal discussion aside, it seems that with a bar the choices would be heelbrakes (a bit awkward) or the British hand brake with the rudder controlled differential valve, a system I have never flown with only having read about it in magazine articles.
Do you or any other folks that have flown the stick hand brake with rudder differential (e.g. Chippie or Moth) have any comment or advice for those of us over here in the colonies raised on pedals?
Many thanks!
Russ
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I have flown the Fairey Battle, Spitfire, Vampire, Meteor, Canberra and Bristol Freighter with differential rudder bar and hand brake on the control column. The Chipmunk had the same type rudder bar but the hand lever was mounted on the left side of the cockpit, The tiger Moth had no brakes unlees retrospectively fitted. I have also flown P40, P51. C47 Dakota, Wirraway, Winjeel (military) and many other light General Aviation aircraft fitted with pedal brakes.
I cannot say that I preferred one system over the other. There was no problems in transitting from one to the other, even on succesive flights.
I have fitted a tail wheel to the Moth which incorporated a brake operated by a hand lever on the stick. The braking was not particularly effective but better than the tailskid. However, the steerable tailwheel was a major advantage on a paved runway. It was also very easy to replace the wheel with the tailskid if operating off a grass airfield. About ten minutes.
This system may well be worth considering for light replicas.
Mustang