Mystery Aircraft Quiz #21

[Pilawt]

What was Champion thinking when they came up with this in 1961? [Honest, I don't know the rationale behind it.] What was it called?

 

[fgcason]

What was Champion thinking when they came up with this in 1961?

Pitts landing trainer?

 

[Richard]

Shorter arm, less prone to swap ends.

 

[Pilawt]

Shorter arm, less prone to swap ends.

But the overall weight distribution is the same ... I'd think if the tail were wont to race the nose, it wouldn't matter much where the swiveling wheel is. Am I wrong?

 

[Greg Bockelman]

But the overall weight distribution is the same ... I'd think if the tail were wont to race the nose, it wouldn't matter much where the swiveling wheel is. Am I wrong?

Nope. Distance from the wheels to the rudder not the wheel.

 

[Henning]

But the overall weight distribution is the same ... I'd think if the tail were wont to race the nose, it wouldn't matter much where the swiveling wheel is. Am I wrong?

That's the whole point to this exercise was to eliminate the "swiveling tailwheel". This was a positive steer tail wheel which is why they had to move it so far forward to decrease the arc radius at the achievable wheel angle.

 

[John J]

It was called the "Champ Tri Con" I do believe; It was a 90hp Champ. Most were converted back to Conventional Gear.

John

 

[Pilawt]

That's the whole point to this exercise was to eliminate the "swiveling tailwheel". This was a positive steer tail wheel which is why they had to move it so far forward to decrease the arc radius at the achievable wheel angle.

That makes sense. Must not have been a resounding success, given the number of other aircraft that have followed suit. I would think this arrangement would be more prone to upset than a normal tailwheel airplane when taxiing in gusty winds.

It was called the "Champ Tri Con" I do believe; It was a 90hp Champ. Most were converted back to Conventional Gear.

That's the name, all right. 7JC was the model number.

 

[Henning]

That makes sense. Must not have been a resounding success, given the number of other aircraft that have followed suit. I would think this arrangement would be more prone to upset than a normal tailwheel airplane when taxiing in gusty winds.That's the name, all right. 7JC was the model number.

I actually got to fly one when I was first starting just before we did the regular tailwheel conversion on it. The only trait it had that was a gotcha was the increase in leverage the rudder would get if you tagged tailwheel first, especially with a crosswind, was that it would give a pronounced yank when the tailwheel touched. The real problem though was it was ugly.