jeff trikeAerotrike Cobra 912, with a Rival-X wing.
1800 hrs as of January 2019
Tail Dragger Trike
Last updated by jeff trike Comments (17)
Could a tail dragger Trike be designed?
It would be the ultimate backcountry flying machine.
Could a tail dragger Trike be designed?
It would be the ultimate backcountry flying machine.
Comments
Here you go...still needs some work ;-)
Check out the home made prop...
He almost did a loop!
they appear to have almost got the fundamentals reasonably close. A shift of the COG forward to counter the thrust (or additional forward weight) would likely reduce the 'flip' problem. Sounds simple enough but requires substantial re-engineering to achieve though... Have to give 'those magnificent men' credit. Determination to overcome adversity and a reflection of their passion to fly... think many of us know that feeling :-)
Talk about re-inventing the wheel. I remember before trikes in the early/mid 70's many guys had similar arrangements, derived from foot launched SoarMasters and Gemini Systems.
Many years later came the "Minimum".
There's a new one sort of like this...was at Oshkosh recently...
The Wasp
I can't remember the trick for posting troublesome YouTube clips, like the two above.
Got it...take out the "s"
Why is that?
Note the Wasp was like the old Gemini System (could mount it to almost any wing), which was the same with foot launch.
Can't seem to find the video link but a few years a go I saw a video of a reverse trike from a HG pilot in Japan and I think it worked quite well. I think front wheels were mounted from brackets on each end of control bar and then there was a trailing wheel off a stinger that helped to keep adequate prop to ground clearance. I think front wheels were on casters so they could easily turn. If I find link I'll post it but no luck so far searching youtube.
I think I recall the one. It had a seat on the mast which went down to the tail-wheel, and the down-tubes were extended with wheels on them. The mast/seat/tail wheel assembly were cabled to the base tube, so that on the ground you could sit and the cable would be tight in the aft position. I looked at a similar approach for years. Also a "Bike" with out-riggers.
cburg i remember the soar master toe choppers they were. so if iam correct you were involved kinda at the beginning of trikes. wasnt there some articles in ushga magazine late 70s early 80s where a bunch of guys were r/d developing hang glider trikes.i remember reading about them but it wasnt that common back then. could you maybe give a little history how the triking comunity came to be what it is right now from its beggining? ultralights were kinda a different group back then.at electra flyer we produced the c3 with deflexor tubes and the last spirit 200 was mine. then we went on to produce the eagle eagle xl and the falcon. i look back now and there just flying lawn chairs.when did triking start to really become a market place? just curious
Yes, I flew SoarMasters and started with a prototype SoarMaster trike in 1979 on my Phoenix 6-D. The 6-D was absolutely the WORST triking wing ever. I also triked my 209 Raven...very nice. So nice that I still trike my 229 Raven...one of my favorite.
I trained prospective trike pilots by water towing. If you could water tow the old fashion (base tube towing) method you could easily fly trikes...Actually quite similar.
Had a FoxBat, and mounted the Fledge on a Jetwing which I distributed and owned many of with Demons and Javelins.
The 1982 Bennetty Streak 160 was a fantastic triking wing. Everybody who flew mine had to have a Streak (fully detached lower surface).
We triked all kinds of HGs, and some were good and some were not.
I still have a Harrier copy that is 310 sq/ft appox 29 meter. This is a real treat to fly.
The 10 Meter (as I recall) Bandit was interesting. The 12.9 Chronos was OK.
The Solar Wings Zen I still have, it flies nice.
I recently sold my 200 sq/ft Duck and 103 trike. On my last flight to demo it I almost changed my mind...what a sweet flying wing. It makes a 103 trike an awesome combo.
As far as the old trikes, they were not that bad. Some were more comfortable that most I've flow since. Better seats (not Jetwings...they sucked and I changed them out for Bennett's seats...really nice...maybe the best ever.
The redrives were junk, the motor mounts were scary, no brakes, masts were weak, no safety cable at first, but once in the air they flew just fine. On the ground some had better directional stability than modern trikes.
The best engine of the day was my 250 Fuji/Robin...it was sweet.
Yes, they were pretty bad...glad I live through it.
very nice c burg those were good ol days ww ravan was a great wing the streak i remember the first time i saw one it was that rainbow pattern and a great looking wing i still wish i had one.
Yes, the rainbow on top with all white lower surface was the best looking wing ever when viewed from the ground. The diffused rainbow seen through the lowered surface was really cool looking.
I still occasionally trike the 229 Raven. It’s had a lot of mods. I discussed commissioning a new span-wise sail for it with several sail makers. None of them would do it without a pattern, even if they are allowed to use mine as a pattern. The complaint is that it’s stretched. I know that. I then decided maybe someday I’ll get my own sewing machine and make my own sail. As far as sails go it’s really simple.
Ah! I bet Gibbo could sew a Mako with the rainbow pattern in the upper surface that would look awesome!!... Wait, wait,, I have no issue with the LBGT community but I think they adopted that symbol to mean something different.... Hmm, no getting around the attention that would get! lol
I think they stopped making the rainbow cloth...I wonder why?
Many of the old HGs used it extensively...but mostly on the lower surface or overrunning both spanwise like the old Demon wings...almost all used rainbow with either baby blue or black sails. I had several of each...they were JW demo units.
ive always wanted a totally white sail so that i could do my artwork on it which of course would be feathers to make it look like white eagle wings. ive heard that you can use majic marker on dacron but as i have not really been sure of the saftey in doing this i havnt really attempted it. does anyone know what the risk is in using the varied mediums including forms of stickers for spicing up a wing? dosnt really matter to me how someone interprets the color design . the streak was just plain an awesome looking wing and it was beautiful to look at scraping the ridge lift seeing the sun illuminate the wing, our eagle xl had a rainbow choice and it was very popular next to the budwiser eagles we put out.bud was never my beer ecspecially in a hot lz after flying. back to tail draggers. they have always been my favorite airplaines from a cub to a husky or artic turn or the c 195. but if i had a dehaviland beaver i would never come back home . i just be lost up in some remote wilderness some where. a carbon fiber soaring trike with a tail dragger configuration maybe the base tube with extended mains and a long carbon graphite tube extending off the trike chassy behind the prop for a tail wheel that would be cool.