How Many of You Fly Your Cruisair or Cruisemaster IFR?

Lynn,
Thanks for the information. I am not a high time tailwheeler, but am getting a lot of landing practice. Most of the taildragger people here are wheel landing advocates. One guy here is a Luscombe driver who does amazing things and has taught me some techniques that seem to work. In any case it took some practice to prevent the bunny hop but I am able to wheel land on both grass and pavement in flap and no flap configuration without bouncing.

The plane seems to land itself in 3 point if stabilized in the approach from 70 to 75, at least in no wind or straight down the runway. I did a couple of approaches at 60 to 65 and the sink rate is awsome. My wheel landings with flaps are made at about 70 to 75. Without flaps I am using 80-90 and I am trying to work up to 100. I still have not begun work in the wind.

This airplane is unbelievable. It is everything I thought it would be. I am still on the steep learning curve but I am sure this is the ultimate airplane. I am glad to be, finally, a member of the select group.

David 7691B
 
Vic,
I read the last message first before I realized your was above. Thanks for all the information. I would like to get some additional comments about " crosswind" manners. I am still in the no wind, light aligned wind stage of my learning. I have read all kinds of stories about poor cross wind performance of the Bellanca and loss of rudder effectiveness. The idea of more speed was suggested by a Luscombe friend.

I appreciate the verbos response and would like to hear more about your cross wind experience and what you believe is the preferred technique.., besides going to another airport.

Thanks again
David
PS the Crusiemaster really is a great airplane and it sure does have a lot of ramp appeal ... even when it is next to a Waco cabin.



trombair said:
hey david!
congrats on finding one of the finest handling/performing classics there ever was!

although my cruisemaster is only a 190hp, the airframe and speeds are roughly the same, though you will have better climb performance with the 230hp.

i wouldn't worry too much about "keeping your speed up" on approach. all low wing bellancas, when properly rigged, have impeccable low speed manners. careful about the mph/kts, tho. the speeds given in the operating manual are MPH; flying by KTS could be confusing and you might exceed the gear/flap speeds. my airspeed indicator is mph (outside scale) and kts (inside scale). i find this to be a very workable setup

i also wouldn't practice wheelies at such a high speed. depending on your load, 75 to 80 MPH on final will be more than enough speed for a wheelie. 90 to 100 KTS (104.5 to 115 MPH!!) will eat up runway, tires / brakes and laundry budget! and anyway, with the cruisemaster's good crosswind manners i wonder why you would want that extra speed on a wet/slippery runway?

also, the bellanca flaps are EXTREMELY effective, especially given the low extension speed (86mph). with full flaps (46 degrees!) and low approach speeds, sink rates can go as high as 1500-2000 fpm! if you're concerned about transitioning to missed approach configuration, try an approach configuration of 1/2 flap ("one-potato"), 75 mph and carry just a little power (your setting will be different than mine: 230hp vs 190hp). with this setup the trim change will be minimal and the aircraft will climb acceptably on the miss. i don't think it will climb well with full flaps, even with 230hp.

slips are very stable but will produce real attention-getting sink rates, much like the full flaps configuration. the only difference is that (i don't think) there's a speed limitation for slips, whereas you must observe the 86mph limit for flap extension. but for a textbook stabilized ifr approach, i don't think slips should be neccessary. i would use that technique very judiciously.

sorry to be so verbose. hope this is of some use to you. please let us know what techniques you find most comfortable.

blue skies!
vic & N522A
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Vic,
I read the last message first before I realized your was above. Thanks for all the information. I would like to get some additional comments about " crosswind" manners. I am still in the no wind, light aligned wind stage of my learning. I have read all kinds of stories about poor cross wind performance of the Bellanca and loss of rudder effectiveness. The idea of more speed was suggested by a Luscombe friend.

I appreciate the verbos response and would like to hear more about your cross wind experience and what you believe is the preferred technique.., besides going to another airport.

Thanks again
David
 
Jonathan,
Thanks for the words. I read Lynn's message first and then realized there were more messages above. I am a novice and really want keep my plane in one piece and as straight as possible. I believe I read an article about your Bellanca check out trials in BC contact some months ago.

I have little to no wind experience in the Bellanca and would like to get more information about the effect of wind on the outriggers. Does the effect show up when slowing up or is the effect seen throughout the approach to landing in a cross wind?

Thanks again to everyone

I am really happy to be a member of this exclusive club.
David
 
david,

my take on the cruisemaster's x-wind manners may be a bit different from other's. prior to finding my 14-19 i owned/flew a 1948 stinson 108-3 (BIG tail) for 15 years (N6252M). logged over 1200 hrs in the left seat including training for my instrument ticket.

here in southern california we often have strong gusty north/northeast winds called "santa ana winds". i have wrestled 52M to the tarmac thru many gusty, bouncy approaches and only got skunked a couple of times. the stinson's fin in quite large and there is a huge tendancy to weather vane, but the effectivness of the rudder is equally enormous. it is also quite light.

in contrast, the 14-19 seems lacking in yaw athuority but equally unaffected by x-winds, at least compared to the stinson. the projected profile of the cruisemaster is small compared to the stinson but the "elephant ears" offer alot of yaw stability which accounts for the cruisemaster's "groovy-ness" (GrooveMaster?)

anyway, it's been my experience so far (4 years) that full stall landings in the cruisemaster in all but the most fearsome winds are non-events. it just doesn't seem to take notice and grooves down final to a satisfying "squat". i have not experimented much with wheelies except in the most benign conditions because it just hasn't been necessary.

i am a firm believer in the old british admonition: "when in doubt, try to hit the biggest, softest, cheapest thing around as slowly as possible". :lol: when concerned about x-winds and gusts, a controlled full-stall landing (slowest possible) is my technique of choice.

hope this helps!
blue skies,
vic & N522A
 
Once again, Vic nailed it with his to-the-point wisdom. Fly conventional gear aircraft long enough and you'll acquire it too.

My only caveat regarding wheel landings involve nasty gusty winds at an angle not far from the nose. These are regularly the featured winds at Redding and Red Bluff in northern California. Ahhhh....breakfast at Red Bluff...oops...sorry...drifted off there for a sec.

Following Vic's groove notion, you can stay in the groove until the tail comes gently to rest. Unlike some other tailwheel aircraft, you needn't detect that uncomfortable moment when the rudder surrenders to plant the tailwheel on the runway. In the 'Master it will happen on its own at just the right time.

For crosswind, plant it slow and three point, as Vic says, and be prepared to use the brakes while your effort to keep the yoke close to your heart remains unrelenting. Pilots tend to be alarmed when they run out of rudder in crosswind landings. With the 'Master running out of rudder is simply S.O.P. Do not imagine your flight instructor scolding you. Double puck brakes were made for a reason.

Do not expect the ailerons to respond the crosswind correction while you taxi. They are long span, but short cord. Again, powerful brakes were installed on your 'Master for a reason.

If this makes you feel a bit behind the curve during windy conditions, dispatch all such feelings immediately. You are flying the finest GA aircraft there is. Remind onlookers from time to time by cranking the nose trim two turns nose high as you pour the coal on her, and depart the earth in a graceful three point stance that no tricycle, and damned few conventional gear aircraft can match.

Jonathan
 
I have only had my 14-13-2 flying for about 2 1/2 yrs and about 450 hrs on it. There has NEVER been a time when I felt landing on the mains would solve a x-wind problem. The tail has to come down sometime, you might as well do it early. Most people do not understand how the Bellanca handles compared to other planes. It will do just about anything you ask including loops and rolls. If the wind is blowing so hard you can't get it to stay straight you will have a enough wind you can probably land into the wind and get stopped before you hit something. That is why you should learn to land as slow as you can. Speed on landing will help you get to the other end of the runway real quick. Wind has never been a reason not to fly. I have done go arounds with full flaps and the only problem is it takes a LOT of pressure on the yoke. Happy days :lol: :lol:
 
:lol:
Vic, Jonathan and Cruisaire Thanks a lot. I spent most of the weekend ( when not raining ) practicing advice. I have begun approach practice at the slower rate and did some minor wind ( 6 knot at 45 degrees) landings and do indeed see the stability and have not made any off surface excursions.

I am planning an IFR trial flight to St. Augustine soon to test fuel consumption and endurance to prepare me for my long IFR effort to visit son in Austin Tx.

Thanks again for the words of wisdom.
David
 
You thinking of landing at Georgetown (GTU) or the main airport (AUS) when you get to Austin? There are three of us with 14-19s based at 77T in Leander (also near Austin). It's three turf strips, no instrument approaches, and no nearby rental cars however :)

Jonathan
 
Jonathan, My son lives in Cedar Park so I had planed to fly in to Georgetown. There is also a air park near his house, but I don't know its name or how to get permission to land there. There is always the problem of IFR potential; however, my limit is 1000 foot and 3 miles.

Is Leander near Cedar Park?? I could get my son to pick me up if Leander is a viable option. Thanks. Would like to meet you and see 91B's brothers.

Regards
David


Jonathan Baron said:
You thinking of landing at Georgetown (GTU) or the main airport (AUS) when you get to Austin? There are three of us with 14-19s based at 77T in Leander (also near Austin). It's three turf strips, no instrument approaches, and no nearby rental cars however :)

Jonathan
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Georgetown would be a good choice. I doubt Breakaway - the private airfield you noted - would take offense if you landed there, but Georgetown has two runways just in case the wings get nasty.

Kittie Hill is not far from Cedar Park, but one 'Master has been stripped down for recovering, mine is undergoing a major engine overhaul, and I don't know the fellow who has the third, alas.
 
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