I have been down at Chavenage with Martin Stoner trying to convert to the
Europa (if only the weather will let us get on. Just 1 hours flying in 3 days)
We have come against a small problem with the new tailwheel. We were pushing
the aircraft backwards on the rough ground, with one person in charge of the
rudder direction, when we hit a small bump, which spun the wheel straight
round, snapping the roll-pin limit stop that is built in. Luckily there is
quite a bit of pin inside the assembly, allowing it to be punched back out a
small amount to start working again.
While I had the wheel in the free condition, I spun it right round to the
reversed position and was glad to see that the rudder could still be
controlled with this situation, although slightly reduced in one direction.
So if this unfortunately happens on taxiing, it should not be the end of the
world.
Dave Watts 229.
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