Glastar question

FredFenster

FredFenster

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Greg L
Looking at ads of Glastars for sale, some claim to be convertible from nosewheel to tailwheel. Is this something that can be done in a few hours, or is it a lot more involved than that?
 
Well, for one thing you're going to need some kind of a cradle or jack stands to hold the thing in. I imagine it could be done in a few hours after you've done it a couple of times. Don't really know why you'd want to do this unless you're running it on tundra tires a lot.
 
Art VanDelay said:
Well, for one thing you're going to need some kind of a cradle or jack stands to hold the thing in. I imagine it could be done in a few hours after you've done it a couple of times. Don't really know why you'd want to do this unless you're running it on tundra tires a lot.
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I'd prefer a taildragger but most of the ones listed for sale are nosewheel. If its something that takes a few hours and is relatively simple bolting things together and moving brake lines, I'm interested. If you're cutting holes in the fuselage and rebuilding/reinforcing areas, I'll keep looking.
 
Pretty sure there is a video on the Glastar Sportsman 2+2 website of this...
 
The tubing structure for the Glastar fuselage was originally built with the fittings for putting the main gear forward for conventional gear, or further aft for tricycle. ISTR it had the nosegear structure, too. Don't know if they maintained the design.

I'm anticipating the OP wants to convert a purchased airplane, so it'd be just a one-type deal. A lot more do-able than a "dial a gear" concept.

Ron Wanttaja
 
I have one, and have done it. If you want to convert back and forth (why?) once you have done it once and set up for the conversion it would take just 2-4 hours . The first time you have to drill new holes in the gear for the new position and deal with the brakes in the new location. When I converted from tail wheel to trike it took a day but I had to drill the gear and rework the brake lines. I did the brake lines with the intent of being able to move back with ease but within a few weeks I realized I never would go back. Unless you sometimes want to fly into very rough short fields there is not a good reason to convert to tail wheel. It is a more capable airplane as a trike, but I will give you that it looks better as a tail wheel.
 

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I would prefer the trike,but the option of going to tail wheel is a great option. Just finished a trip to Alaska and the tail wheel would be great,for ordinary flying ,would prefer the trike. Check out the video on changing the gear.
 
Todd Copeland said:
I have one, and have done it. If you want to convert back and forth (why?) once you have done it once and set up for the conversion it would take just 2-4 hours . The first time you have to drill new holes in the gear for the new position and deal with the brakes in the new location. When I converted from tail wheel to trike it took a day but I had to drill the gear and rework the brake lines. I did the brake lines with the intent of being able to move back with ease but within a few weeks I realized I never would go back. Unless you sometimes want to fly into very rough short fields there is not a good reason to convert to tail wheel. It is a more capable airplane as a trike, but I will give you that it looks better as a tail wheel.
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What makes it more capable? If anything, I would think a bit less drag along with a bit more useful load as a tw?
 
alfadog said:
What makes it more capable? If anything, I would think a bit less drag along with a bit more useful load as a tw?
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Crosswind capability it much greater in the trike. For 99% of my flying that's more important than short or rough field capability.
 
wanttaja said:
I'm anticipating the OP wants to convert a purchased airplane, so it'd be just a one-type deal. A lot more do-able than a "dial a gear" concept.
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Exactly. If I have to do it, do it once and be done with it.

Tailwheel over a nosewheel for me is just personal preference for something different.
 
I think it was Kitplanes that a few months ago, had a really good article on doing exactly this.
 
FredFenster said:
Exactly. If I have to do it, do it once and be done with it.

Tailwheel over a nosewheel for me is just personal preference for something different.
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Totally doable then, as a non builder I would plan to spend a couple of days at it. If it's a trike now you would also have to run cables for the tail wheel. Should also do a new W&B too.
 
Todd Copeland said:
Crosswind capability it much greater in the trike. For 99% of my flying that's more important than short or rough field capability.
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Pure BS. Actually the tailwheel is a bit more stable than the full swiveling nose wheel on the trike. Don
 
yakdriver said:
Pure BS. Actually the tailwheel is a bit more stable than the full swiveling nose wheel on the trike. Don
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Well Don, that's a matter of opinion. I tend to believe the former test pilot for Glasair who had hundreds of hours in Glastars and was a former bush pilot. He said that in the tail wheel configuration he found that about 27 mph crosswind was the max the glastar could handle. In the trike configuration he had yet to find the max cross wind capability.
 
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