SIG 4 Star 60

I have some thoughts: I like the gear in the wing as opposed to bolting it to the fuse because it's wide and handles better and lands better. I think it would not look too good stuck on the fuse. I have some gear blocks and wire for wing mounted LG. I'd double the ribs it would be mounted on all the way into the L.E. and T.E..Trike gear is heavier. I wonder if the nose gear would figure to be on the firewall? I have a BTE Venture 60 kit in a box, it's essentially the same plane. I may go get the plans out. I had a Bridi Killer Chaos (R.I.P.) as a tail dragger and tamed it a bit by a tall tail wheel and lots of expo on rudder. The tall tail wheel made the AOA at rest close to 0, less ballooning on landing, easier take offs. mk I can send you the gear blocks and wire, I know right where it SHOULD be. :)

I thought my SIG Four Star 60 with a taildragger setup displayed excellent ground handling characteristics, with no nasty tendencies.

I fly off some pretty rough areas, and have never been a fan of tri-gear for the reason that they tend to put a lot of extra abuse on the firewall.

IF you are lucky enough to have a smooth runway, that objection disappears pretty quickly.

My other objection to running Tri gear on a low-wing without retracts is that those wheels sticking out of the bottom of the wing always seemed to me to make the wing pretty awkward to try to handle and transport.

YMMV bob

I think you might have a better handling tail dragger if you make sure you have a little toe-in on your gear. It makes a big difference.

I didn't want to hijack the four star thread so,,,

I agree that some planes seem to do better with some toe-in, the ugly part is that I have never been able to get that to work "across the board" I have one plane which has humbled many a good pilot with it's BAD ground handling. I have tried neutral steering, toe-in, toe out, Just about every fix that has been posted here over the years, and have come to the conclusion that some planes are just born evil and will not be tamed. And others are born well behaved and have no problems even if you set them up contrary to all logical standards.

I have a Limbo Dancer which by all "normal standards should be unmanageable on the ground, the main gear is nearly at the firewall, (way too far forward) it is too high and too narrow. but it has very docile ground handling.

This is the sort of thing that makes me keep trying to tame the tough ones. I have this forlorn hope that one day, in a blinding flash of insight, I will suddenly have the answer to this problem.

I better hurry though, I'm not getting any younger ;-)

Did you ever that ST 61 running? mk

Right rudder . . . .