I believe last April one of our community posted the first flight tests of
an in-air
convertible mono/trigear Europa. It gave you the option of landing
configuration
depending upon circumstances. It would normally operate as a trigear, but
when
landing near some monowheel pilots would automatically switch to avoid
derision.
Shaun
A207
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Thursby" <athursby@tampabay.rr.com>
Subject: Re: Mono wheel vs. Tri-Gear debate
> Hi Paul,
>
> Anybody that claims the build time for a trike to be the same as a mono
> hasn't actually built a trike. The installation of the bracing for the
rear
> gear legs is substantial and labor intensive to install. As for off-field
or
> rough field landings the trike will do it if asked. Obviously the mono
> excels in this area. Realistically, how often do you plan to make
unplanned
> off-field landings? The trike is better in the fact that you can pull the
> nose up to a ridiculous angle in the flare and really slow it down for
> landing. The tail wheel in the mono prohibits high angles of attack. Maybe
> the conventional conversion warrants a closer look?
>
> Jim Thursby
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: forum-owner@europaclub.org.uk
> Behalf Of Paul Boulet
> Subject: Mono wheel vs. Tri-Gear debate
>
>
> Hi Guys;
>
> I started out building a mono wheel XS but am now considering buying the
Tri
> gear kit and was hoping for comments from the group. As I see it here are
> the pros and cons. In the U.S. the cost of the Tri Gear kit is about
$2,700
> and the speed kit an additional $400 over and above the mono wheel.
> However, you save $800 a year on the hull insurance because tri gears are
> more forgiving in the landing and you can't land "gear up." Cruise,
climb,
> and top speeds seem to be the same. From aesthetics I think the mono
wheel
> is uniquely beautiful while the tri gear is just another common plane
(like
> Pulsar, Glastar, etc.). Also my lovely wife likes the looks of the mono
> wheel better (even though she says she has no intent of riding in it!).
The
> Lakeland, Florida office says build time is the same on Tri Gear as the
Mono
> wheel so no advantages there. There aren't enough sales of used Europas
to
> be able to tell if re-sale value on one is higher than the other because
> that would he!
> lp!
> with my decision too.
>
> One of my dreams is to fly to fairly high altitude Idaho grass forest
strips
> to do some camping and fishing. I believe the Tri Gear is a better choice
> because it can get off the ground easier because you don't have the drag
of
> the flaps being down like you do on the Mono wheel. I remember a
discussion
> last year when someone couldn't get their monowheel off a high altitude
> Bishop, California airport without partially raising the gear and flaps
> since density altitude that day was fairly high...and all of this was with
> the turbo 914 engine.
>
> The only other item I can think of is that on-going maintenance should be
> less with the Tri Gear since no retractable parts. Please let me know if
> any of you think I've missed something... I'm really having a hard time
> choosing and could still be swayed either way. Thanks,
>
> Paul Boulet, A212, Malibu, California
>
>
> ---------------------------------
>
>
|