HansK

If you can only do one lesson a month, my advice is: buy yourself a nice big RC model and forget about flying real planes. On the other hand, a friend of mine that also flew RC models, could land my Foxbat within an two hours! He just could not keep it on the runway as the RC flying does not help with the rudder.

Sorry

Hey HansK, this is sky High, Im looking for a pilot to fly my taildragger Highlander around the sunshine coast for a week or so if you know anyone I'd really appreciate if you could let me know.Cheers

Sky High

I don't think that you should make a "thing" of "easy to fly" aircraft. Not one of the recreational aircraft is particularly more difficult to fly than another. The tail draggers are pertinently more difficult to take-off and land than the others, AND THAT'S WHY I recommend that you start your training on a tail-wheel. If you can fly a tail-dragger, you won't have a problem flying anything else, ever. Even recreational flying requires a lot of skill and you will be "more skilled" than the pilot that has been trained on a Bantam that doesn,t even require a IAS indicator on approach. I had experienced co-pilots in the right hand seat and they only use their feet for taxing and breaking. A friend of mine is on crutches for more than a year now because his feet was inactive during a stall. Pilots that haven't flown tail-wheels, (or choppers) has got no nerve connection between their brains and feet while flying, over and out.

None of our UK Foxbats have tundra tyres ( as far as I am aware, but then again, . . .we have not got much tundra here in England. . . ) and Boxfat,.. . . are you seriously trying to advise a retired airline pilot how to keep an aeroplane straight on a runway . . .?( No I didn't think so, . . .must've been a mistake. . .)

 

Sorry about my friends Hans,. . . . . No offence meant ( ! )

 

( And YES. . .I DO know about the differential friction effects when using wide aspect tyres

Hi and welcome Greg.

Yeh, UR a youngster mate. I am 66 and, thanks God, very healthy.

I intend to fly at least another 1000 hrs recreational flying before I loose my licence. Well, maybe I should aim for 2000 as I have done 350 in the last two years.

Blessing with the hip replacement.

Hi BC.

Welcome to the forum. Went for my first flight in a PPC the other day and it was great fun. This friend wanted to send me solo after 20 mins flying, but I did not have the confidence.

Enjoy.

Wellcome Grasshopper. I am also new.

Enjoy.

PS. Why "Grasshopper"? Is your plane underpowered? Fit a stronger engine and call yourself "Swallow" (ha ha)

Hi Eiclan. Welcome to the forum. I get a bit home-sic when I hear the name: Perth. I did lot's of flights there when I was still flying for South African Airways

There used to be a "Foxbat" specific forum but it seems to have dissappeared - I will try to get it resurrected as there are several things I would like to touch base about with you and other Foxbat owners/pilots.My FB, with tundra tires, gives me 85 - 87 kts IAS at 5000 rpm. From memory FBs without fat tires gave about 90 kts at the same revs. Good rudder work is essential when sporting the Tundras because the big nosewheel acts a bit like an "anti-rudder" so you have to be careful to centralise it in cruise. It's also important when landing on a bitumen strip because the fat tires grip a lot and you can shoot off into the weeds if not aligned. These things don't bother me as I think it teaches good rudder discipline which is applicable in any plane. I really like the soft ride they give on the ground and the extra margin against damage if I have put down in a tussocky paddock or rutted road. What cruise IAS do you get at 5000 rpm ?

Should I put on Tundra tyres, it will only be on the main wheels, as a new nose-wheel fork will be too expensive.

Think I am OK with the more sensitive rudder as I often fly tail-wheels and I have got lots of chopper experience.

Flew a TW today as I forgot the Foxbat's ignition on, so flat battery this morning when a few of us were on a breakfast run. The one friend then picked me up in his Cessna 180 and let me fly.

Regards.

Tks Hans - I am in the process of replacing my Xcom with a Funkwerk which I think is the same radio as the Filser.Have you got the tundra tires on your FB ?

So

Sounds fantastic; welcome Hans!

Welcome Hans, sounds like avery happy retirement situation to me.As Cosmick has already mentioned, we'd love to see a few pics of where you live, but not of you in pyjamas :yikes:Sorry!

Ahh good another Foxbat owner to compare notes with - just wish I could park mine outside my door as you can - that's fantastic.I might drive the 80 mins to where mine is this week in my pyjamas too just to make it feel closer.Welcome Hans. May I ask which radio is fitted in your FB ?

Hi all,

I am retired airline pilot. Flew 11 years for the Airforce, Harvards, choppers and then fighters, before joining the airline. I bought a Bantam after retirement, but fly an A22 LS Foxbat now. I live on a game farm, about 80km north-east of Pretoria, with my hangar and airfield next to the house. This has got the advantage that I can just hop in and go. Me and my wife often get in the Fox on a early morning for a "game-drive" dressed in our pajamas!! This of course, has the advantage that you are perfectly dressed for hospital should you have an engine failure!!!

One thing I realized since retirement is that I can never get enough of flying.

Regards and ENJOY.