ETLB Squawk Forums — Archive

I am back in my farm and flying the Himax again. Wind blowing from the north. Since the strip is protected as it is behind a hill it was difficult to predict whats the condition. At 8.30 am nil wind on ground fastly turned into turbulent gusting after takeoff at 300 ft. I climbed up to 1500 ft where it was silk smoth, I continued flying for about 45 minutes and I recognized that wind was catching up to 20 mph or higher. So I turned back. I watch my windsack on the ground and that was zero wind so I kept continue on the normal approach for my runway 04. On the glideslope just in the last moments of landing (usable 600 ft runway, rough additional 300 ft) I got some push from back and it took a bit longer and nasty to land. So I ended up just overrunning the usable smooth part of the strip and I got a very ugly sidewind push after my barn , almost stopped. On the rough terrain I made a 90 degree right ground loop and the real rough hard soil brake my tailwheel off.
Thanks God its not so serious, nothing else damaged only the spring fixing wood broke out. I made the repair yesterday just outside, with 3-4 ply of glassfibre and composite. Hopefully the repair will be stronger than the original construction.
Obvlously I should have been more careful to look at weather. Maybe I should install some weatherstation on the hilltop. I know that blaming the weakness of the tailwheel is not smart, but maybe even Himax with a spring gear and larger tires are not suitable for such a farmfield I have. Yes, some of you could say that strengthen  the tailwheel fixing point will make more stress to the tail itself, and you maybe right. Thats the concern I have now. For sure its better to end with damage like this than brake the tail.  
Feel free to comment.

The bolts should have Sheared OFF, saving your wood from needing repair...
Check your bolts to see if they're aircraft grade.

Mine sheared on a hard drop from my tail on a bouncy surface. Tailwheel clipped the elevator (2 inch tear), but didn't break any wood....

You should also do a current weight and balance at this point due to the LOOOONG ARM at the tail...

Hi Peter;
I am sorry to hear of the broken tail wheel. Wind gusts can be a problem sometimes.
I like your repair, but you are going to remove the rock, aren't you, LOL.
Good work Peter, your repair will be probably stronger than the original.
Bob

Bob, Someone told me you better built it rock solid. He did not mean that this way ?

Hey , no worries, rock is  not part of the new  structure   

I will do a WB but I have a feeling that 50 gramm composite plus about 50 gram glassfibre will  not do a lotsa difference. Anyway I had to trim almost always to tail. At least the trimm lever now will move to middle.
Its already the 3rd  nasty day 15 knots wind gusting 25 knots the rock is playing role to keep her tied down.
Anyway I am not sure if the bolts sheared off the fuselage will survive it without repair. Tomorrow morning, I respray it and all things will get back normal.

Try this:

Done. Ready to fly. Tailwheel was always a problem, but I am confident with this now. I know its not the most beautiful repair but now I start to see the advantage of Max wood/fabric construction - with wich I was very sceptical being a fundamental aluminum believer. Its been done in one day at the front of my barn.

Hey pkoszegi:....Looks like a nice repair & Fast too!!!...Are you the one that has that solid aluminum tube for your elevator control?...I know I have seen the photos and threads about it but I just don't remember if it was you...Thought it was & the photo here looks like it. Seems to me you could not give the people that were asking about it to much information as it was already there when you bought the aircraft?........................................................................Tom

Gonna be hard to fly with that rock tied on there... weight and balance....LOL!
Great looking repair!

Tom, the elevator is an alu tube indeed, but I dont really understand your remark or question....."Seems to me you could not give the people that were asking about it to much information as it was already there when you bought the aircraft?"...
Yes it was there already, as it is, I had one spring broken already, so I replaced it with piece of spring leaf from a Suzuki Samurai the wheel is from Tente, the rest is home made.
It works well already for a couple of landing.  However I must admit this setting is "too sensitive" now and I am trying to figure out what sort of configuration makes it less reactive to rudder movements. I guess it is about the angle of the vertical turning point of the wheel and the horizontal wheel axle. So the turning point should be more forward than the wheel axle.
Its very good to make sharp turns during taxi but at the same time I need to be very careful on rudder. Actually the ideal landing is two wheel landing and let the speed bleed out and than drop the tail, but my runway is only 600 ft so I am a kinda rush to get her stopped.