Landing a Ragwing

[akflyer]

Hi! I am the new owner of a ragwing, and I have a few begginer questions that I am hoping to get answered from the group:

- Is it okay to slip a ragwing with the flaps extended?

- How many notches of flaps do you typically land with?

- What speeds, power settings and flaps to you typically use on downwind, base, and final?

- Do you usually three point or wheel?

- How much power (if any) do you usually carry for a wheel landing?

I haven't had any particular problems landing yet, but I would like to know what you have found works best for you.

Thanks very much in advance for your help! Kevin

[zero.one.victor]

- Is it okay to slip a ragwing with the flaps extended?
** Yeah, there are no warnings against flipping with full flaps,& never heard of anyone ever blanking out their ragwing tail by doing so.
- How many notches of flaps do you typically land with?
** Usually everything I have-- 4 notches,which results in about 35 degrees of flap deflection. I think mine have been modified.
- What speeds, power settings and flaps to you typically use on downwind, base, and final?
** Usually use 70-ish in the pattern & 60-65 on final (all mph), & usually pull on all the flaps all at once when I'm midfield or abeam the numbers on downwind.
- Do you usually three point or wheel?
** Usually wheel-land it on pavement or in a crosswind, and 3 point it on grass or dirt.

- How much power (if any) do you usually carry for a wheel landing?
** Just a little bit above idle, to reduce the sink rate. I typically use about 65-70 on short final for a wheeler, versus 60-65 for a 3-pointer.

Hope my answers were helpful. There's a pretty good article about wheel-landing on the skywagon.org website,written by Bill White.

Eric

[akflyer]

Thanks for the info Eric! Is 35 degrees of flap more than is standard?

[mrpibb]

Kevin, if it's like mine you only have 3 notches. I got my tailwheel endorsement in my Ragwing. You will find the Ragwing slips real nice, accually I do it almost all the time, I fly 80 mph in the pattern with one notch on downwind, that seems to be about the best glide in case of engine out. On base I fly 75 mph with full flaps and on final I'll hold 70-75 mph full flaps, unless I'm landing short then I'll slow to 65mph on final then carry a little power and on short final indicating about 60, but you got to be Johnny on the spot with your throttle, I found she can drop on ya (ask the corn stalks at the threshold of Trinca). I like three pointing when possible, my ragwing makes me look good when I do it. One thing to add about wheel landings, I have the early gear and if you dont control your descent and when you touchdown and dont push the yoke far enough foward , well lets just say the gear is very springy. I got my check out at a school that teaches only tailwheel and bush flying, so I got a good workout.
Thats what I do.

[akflyer]

Thanks for the info Vic! I have been doing wheel landings most of the time, and I know what you mean about springy. That seems to be worse on takeoff for me than landing. What takeoff technique do you use?

[mrpibb]

Depends on the conditions, on smooth grass and pavement I usually take off with a tail low attitude, meaning at the start of the TO run I hold the yoke full back for a full five count ( this helps to keep the elevator from bouncing up and down) then I relax to about nuetral and let the tail come up on its own and hold it slightly tail low and let the airplane fly on its own. Some grass fields I fly into have what I call whooptee doos where if I take off tail low I'll bounce 4 or 5 times before I have enough airspeed. I dont mind it but some passengers that I have taken think that the airplane will not get into the air, so what I do is when the tail comes up I pretty much do a exagerated wheel takeoff and load the gear so I ride over the little moguls and rotate when I have airspeed. For fields less than 2000 feet I use 2 notches of flaps sometimes 3, if you use 3 notches take one out as soon as possible, the Ragwind is not a stellar climber, I had my prop repitched to a 50" because my home field is 1950 feet and the 53" was not giving me the performance I needed.
So the answer your question, everytime I go flying I mix it up to keep limber, I try a little of this with a little of that. You will find the Ragwing is a pretty neet airplane to fly, just keep in mind of those small ailerons they run out fast in a nasty crosswind.

[akflyer]

Very helpful Vic, Thanks! I'll try the "tail low" method next time I go up.