Tips and Tricks for Trinidad
- Thread starter spiderweb
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TMetzinger
Final Approach
Know the emergency gear procedures cold (and they are simple). Be gentle with the power. The rudder trim knob in 169GT is misaligned - do NOT set it to the "take-off" position - try around 11 o'clock instead for takeoff, and then when you're level, take your feet off the rudders, hold the airplane level, and then trim the rudder for a centered ball and reduction of aileron pressure. At the risk of sounding like a naval aviator, on landings use pitch as primary for airspeed and power as primary for rate of descent, and keep a little power in until rotation and pull it off as you flare. Since the nosewheel is directly linked to the rudder pedals, you may be surprised by it's sensitivity if you've been flying loosely coupled aircraft like Cessna's.
Good luck!
Good luck!
tonycondon
Gastons CRO (Chief Dinner Reservation Officer)
TMetzinger said:
you mean there is another way?
555Juliet
Pre-takeoff checklist
To this I would add only to take great care that you position your feet so that you do not inadvertently touch the brakes on landing. They've had to replace the landing gear tires on the Trinidad quite a few times (and no, I wasn't responsible! 
TMetzinger
Final Approach
Good advice, however, once you are DOWN and all the weight is on the mains, you can be quite heavy on the brakes to come to a complete stop without locking the wheels.
The problem with flat-spotting tires usually comes from one of two things:
Airplane has more braking power than really needed, usually because it may share a design with other (heavier) models. The C182 RG has the same brakes as the 210 in some years, and you can lock the wheels on that airplane in a heartbeat. But generally a properly matched braking system will be hard to lock as you approach max gross on a paved surface.
The other cause is people putting on the brakes heavily while the airplane wing is still generating lift. This happens a LOT on low-wing airplanes as they fly in ground effect earlier and longer than high wings. If the wheels aren't carrying all the weight, it's easy to lock the brakes with flat-spotting the result.
So, from a technique standpoint, you want to apply the brakes gently, then gradually increase the force as you slow down. It's alot like max braking a motorcycle, now that I think of it - the goal is to apply enough brake so that lockup is just ABOUT to happen but doesn't actually happen.
The problem with flat-spotting tires usually comes from one of two things:
Airplane has more braking power than really needed, usually because it may share a design with other (heavier) models. The C182 RG has the same brakes as the 210 in some years, and you can lock the wheels on that airplane in a heartbeat. But generally a properly matched braking system will be hard to lock as you approach max gross on a paved surface.
The other cause is people putting on the brakes heavily while the airplane wing is still generating lift. This happens a LOT on low-wing airplanes as they fly in ground effect earlier and longer than high wings. If the wheels aren't carrying all the weight, it's easy to lock the brakes with flat-spotting the result.
So, from a technique standpoint, you want to apply the brakes gently, then gradually increase the force as you slow down. It's alot like max braking a motorcycle, now that I think of it - the goal is to apply enough brake so that lockup is just ABOUT to happen but doesn't actually happen.
spiderweb
Final Approach
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Ah, so you do fly their Trinidad. Are the pedals that diminutive?555Juliet said:To this I would add only to take great care that you position your feet so that you do not inadvertently touch the brakes on landing. They've had to replace the landing gear tires on the Trinidad quite a few times (and no, I wasn't responsible!
555Juliet
Pre-takeoff checklist
Not for me. But then again I wear size 7-1/2. : )
TMetzinger
Final Approach
I think a lot of cessna-trained pilots are used to using the brakes for assisting with turning, and thus they may have their feet up higher on the pedals then needed for airplanes like the Trinidad.
skyflyer8
Line Up and Wait
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skyflyr
The Trinidad... how I miss that airplane!!! Gotta love its sports car-like interior and being shoved back into your seat by 250 HP. I must have somewhere between 50 and 100 hours in the TB-20 (I would need to check; it's been awhile).
Three things come to mind right away:
1.) Its small wings are awesome for riding turbulence, but it drops like a brick without power, such as when practicing 180-degree power-off accuracy landings. The maneuver is "iffy" if you are starting from an 800-foot pattern. Do it from 1000 feet, and with much caution and attention to speed. If you get it too slow it sinks even worse. This plane doesn't float like a Cessna, so if you get a little slow, you will probably need to add power and re-try the maneuver. Same advice goes for regular landings: keep your speed up, and fly it to the runway. Done right, and the thing will sort of just plunk down nicely on that trailing link gear.
2.) My two cents on the braking/tire issue. Preflight your tires carefully. (You do check for bald spots, right?) The Trinidad's brakes are poorly designed IMO. It's like they are either full on or full off. I was practicing short field landings with my instructor when I learned that the hard way. There must have been a small, unnoticed flat spot on the left main tire. During a short field landing, I locked the wheel and blew the tire in the intersection of two runways. (At about 75 kts...) I didn't even think I was using much brakes. After that, the school's new training procedure was to "simulate" heavy braking. Be careful about how much pressure you put on the pedals.
3.) If you do the takeoff procedure correctly as described in the book, you will probably get the stall warning at rotation. No need to be alarmed or increase your takeoff speed. (Is it 68?) It only chirps for a second, and that's just how it is. Another second later and you're climbing like a rocket.
HAVE FUN - I'm jealous!
Three things come to mind right away:
1.) Its small wings are awesome for riding turbulence, but it drops like a brick without power, such as when practicing 180-degree power-off accuracy landings. The maneuver is "iffy" if you are starting from an 800-foot pattern. Do it from 1000 feet, and with much caution and attention to speed. If you get it too slow it sinks even worse. This plane doesn't float like a Cessna, so if you get a little slow, you will probably need to add power and re-try the maneuver. Same advice goes for regular landings: keep your speed up, and fly it to the runway. Done right, and the thing will sort of just plunk down nicely on that trailing link gear.
2.) My two cents on the braking/tire issue. Preflight your tires carefully. (You do check for bald spots, right?) The Trinidad's brakes are poorly designed IMO. It's like they are either full on or full off. I was practicing short field landings with my instructor when I learned that the hard way. There must have been a small, unnoticed flat spot on the left main tire. During a short field landing, I locked the wheel and blew the tire in the intersection of two runways. (At about 75 kts...) I didn't even think I was using much brakes. After that, the school's new training procedure was to "simulate" heavy braking. Be careful about how much pressure you put on the pedals.
3.) If you do the takeoff procedure correctly as described in the book, you will probably get the stall warning at rotation. No need to be alarmed or increase your takeoff speed. (Is it 68?) It only chirps for a second, and that's just how it is. Another second later and you're climbing like a rocket.
HAVE FUN - I'm jealous!
Kaye
Line Up and Wait
Did my flight review Saturday in the TB20. I love doing the power off 180 turn. It is definitely a brick. Have completed the 180 at 600' when wrapping up a circle-to-land approach, but you have to turn immediately for the rwy to make it.
Tried the engine-out-turn-back-to-rwy (at altitude) for the first time. Lost a thousand feet. Could probably tweek a couple hundred feet out of it with practice, but I'm sure that 200' would be lost to my brain saying "oh s...!" in the real scenario.
Others have captured the do's and don'ts with this plane....common themes are keep the toes of the brakes at landing and it's a brick without power.
Kaye
Tried the engine-out-turn-back-to-rwy (at altitude) for the first time. Lost a thousand feet. Could probably tweek a couple hundred feet out of it with practice, but I'm sure that 200' would be lost to my brain saying "oh s...!" in the real scenario.
Others have captured the do's and don'ts with this plane....common themes are keep the toes of the brakes at landing and it's a brick without power.
Kaye