Tail Dragger or Tricycle?

[WingingIt74]

Just curious what your opinions are. I love the looks of a tail dragger, but I know they are harder to handle. I assume it depends on the strip you would be flying from as well.

[DanB]

Hi Travis,
This one has been somewhat drug through the dirt (no punn intended)
If you do a search on the site you should find quite a few... opinions

[Peteohms]

I think in Texas "nose draggers" are outlawed. Now that I started a fight, I overcame my lack of eye foot coordination and have about 250 hours in my taildragger Kitfox. I just thought the taildragger was esthetically pleasing to me.

Pete

[DesertFox4]

Pete, sorry to hear they outlawed nose draggers in Texas. Rocky and Paul Z might want to check into that before the fines start piling up.;)



I do love the tri-gear Kitfox's.:D
1497

But those taildraggers do look sexy. The joy and dilemma of choices.
1498

CLSSY56- you should build it as a taildragger. Just get some training and you will be fine. You can go anywhere you desire, and anywhere your skill level allows, in a taildragger Kitfox. Besides, they're convertible.

[Dorsal]

So many possible replies, so little time. Built mine with the little wheel in the front, happy I did so.

[Paul Z]

What is wrong with Nose Draggers? With the amount of money tied up in these toys why would anyone want to risk it to a Ground Loop. I had a C120 for about 5 years, and although it was quite a bit cheaper than my Kitfox, I still always worried about a GHround Loop. Also, in some of the wind we have been contending with I would have never take my old C120 1606V in the cross winds we have been having. Also, I really like 703KA, she flys great and is easy to land what more can you ask!

Paul Z
They have not outlawed Nose Draggers in GARLAND, TEXAS

[Paul Z]

1498

CLSSY56- you should build it as a taildragger. Just get some training and you will be fine. You can go anywhere you desire, and anywhere your skill level allows, in a taildragger Kitfox. Besides, they're convertible.[/QUOTE]

I must admit this is one AWSOME aircraft!

[WingingIt74]

I kinda like them both.

[DanB]

The Little Wheel

A dad and a son to a fly-in they spun
Adventure was there and great fun in the air.
The excitement was churning as the son he was learning
At the ripe age of 4 there were questions and more
If these planes can fly, then daddy, why cant I?
Do planes flap their wings like the birds in the sky?
The dad he was grinning as the son kept on spinning.
But one question that came made the dad start to wane…
The little wheel dad, look at that one and there
That’s in the front and this ones back here!
Dad stroked his chin as he started to think
You see son, he said, not all planes are alike
That’s called a taildragger and this one’s a trike.
He went on to tell of the new planes and old
In the differences landing in the differences told
The up’s and the downs, the in’s and the outs
Everything he could think of not to leave any doubts.
And when he was done his sons eyes in the sky
He was watching the air show with no worries of why.
Dad then understood he was missing it some
His analyzations interfered with the fun.
Both planes they do fly and they land just as well
And the pilots both have awesome stories to tell.
Like planes we’re all different, we’re not all alike
So please just get over it and go fly a trike. :D
By: Dan Billingsley

[Dorsal]

Nice poem:)

[WingingIt74]

Is the nose gear configuration heavier then the tail dragger?

[WingingIt74]

Too bad these don't count as experience.
http://www.horizonrcflyers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4113&d=1283781931

This Mustang will do around 90 mph and it's electric.
http://www.horizonrcflyers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3127&d=1279214137

[HighWing]

In the early 70s I was offered a third interest in a C-170 and flying lessons for about $3000 so here I am much later with a thousand hours in tailwheel - no ground loops. I always love these discussions and it reminds me of a flight to the Nut Tree for dinner with friends and the guy made a statement that has always stuck with me. People make choices then come up with all sorts of reasons to justify their choice.

I would like to make just one comment regarding safety and in particular ground loops. About three weeks ago there was a report of a copuple of guys in a KR2 bouncing in a landing who drifted off the runway, dug in the nose wheel and flipped onto its back. Serious injuries to one and minor to the other on board - a friend. Then almost three years ago on the same day and at the same time plus six hours at the same deperture airport, after we had pancaked our Model IV conventional gear Kitfox in an emergency landing, two were killed and two seriously injured in a Bonanza that dug in the nose gear and flipped onto its back. (I was evicted from my emergency room room to make space for one of the eventual fatalities.)

In our landing (read controlled crash), I can only begin to imagine what could have happened to the two of us had we had flipped onto our back.

All three of the mentioned airplanes were destroyed, only one ramained upright. Give me the risk of a bent wing tip and possibly a collapsed main gear anytime any place.

Lowell

[t j]

It must be time to bring this poem out again.

Taildragger, I hate your guts,
I have the license, ratings and such
But to make you go straight is driving me nuts.
With hours of teaching and the controls in my clutch
It takes a little rudder, easy, that's too much.

You see, I learned to fly in a tricycle gear
with one up front and two in the rear.
She was sleek and clean and easy to steer
But this miserable thing with tires and struts
Takes a little rudder, easy, that's too much.

It demands your attention on the take-off roll
Or it'll head towards Jones's as you pour on the coal.
Gotta hang loose, don't over control.

This wicked little plane is just too much
With a lot of zigzagging and words obscene
I think I've mastered this slippery machine.

It's not that bad if you have the touch
Just a little rudder, easy, that's too much.

I relax for a second and from the corner of my eye,
I suddenly realize with a gasp and a cry
That's my own tail that's going by.

You ground looping wreck; I hate your guts,
Give a little rudder, Great Scott, THAT'S TOO MUCH!

Author unknown

[DanB]

Good one TJ...Had never seen that one. Thanks for sharing.

[Monocock]

Surely the whole Kitfox "thing" is based around a rugged taildragger. Isn't the nosewheel thing a "watering down" of what the Kitfox is about?

I love all aircraft, especially the Kitfox family. However, I can't help feel that putting the small wheel at the front of a Kitfox is like giving a thriathlete an inflatable ring in the swimming event, stabilisers on his bike in the cycling event and roller skates for the run !! He will finish the event with more ease than those without the "assistance", but he will look a bit strange while he is doing it...;)

[WingingIt74]

One good thing about the S7, I can do either one.

[Rodney]

UH-OH :eek:

GOOD ONE MONOCOCK

THAT'LL GET IT GOING:D

RW

[t j]

Monocock, you're playing with fire.

[WingingIt74]

Is a nose wheel assembly heavier then a tail wheel assembly? Probably doesn't matter much, I'm just use to working on a smaller scale.

[DesertFox4]

Surely the whole Kitfox "thing" is based around a rugged taildragger. Isn't the nosewheel thing a "watering down" of what the Kitfox is about?Probably market pressures dictated this option more than fear of offending "real" pilots or those wanting to protect purity of original design. If asked I'm betting Dan Denney ( not a bad marketing pro) would tell you about hundreds of requests for a tri-gear version of the design. Opening up a market for all those newly trained pilots who wanted to experience the fun of building and the joy of flight in a high performance low cost aircraft like the Kitfox but wanted nothing to do with the tail wheel version made economic sense. No different than Dick V. of Vans Aircraft. Just exposing his company to a larger customer base therefore insuring a better chance at success and longevity. In other words, if Dan wasn't hung up on it maybe we could move on too.

NOTICE TO ALL:
We don't practice wheel envy or prejudice at TeamKitfox.com. All gear configurations are welcome. If you want 5 or 6 wheels on your Kitfox you're welcome to play in this sandbox. If you don't want any wheels you're still welcome although I'm not sure how you'll push it out of the hangar.;)

First Factory Tri-Gear. Vixen Model 4. Beautiful Kitfox.
1509

[Av8r3400]

Surely the whole Kitfox "thing" is based around a rugged taildragger. Isn't the nosewheel thing a "watering down" of what the Kitfox is about?



If you all actually remember, the original Avid Flyer (the plane that was copied to make the Kitfoxes we all know and love) designed by Dean Wilson back in '82 was a Tricycle geared plane.

So-- The training wheel on the nose actually came first...

[DesertFox4]

Av8r3400 :eek:. Thanks for the great photo.
Hmmm. It all started as a rugged nose gear aircraft. How about that.
I'm all of a sudden feeling quite good about myself. Head held higher, self esteem growing in leaps and bounds.

Oops. I found the following quote in a previous reply. Not sure who posted it.

NOTICE TO ALL:
We don't practice wheel envy or prejudice at TeamKitfox.com. All gear configurations are welcome.:o:o Self esteem evaporating quickly, head held low in reverence again.

[Monocock]

Gentlemen, I was only kidding really! It's a case of each to their own but some polite banter is always a good thing!