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Tail Skid for A 'Tail Dragger'?

I'm taking the Commander 2 to a local national park tomorrow, and would like to use the paved access road as an airstrip, to practice taking off and landing from the ground. I *don't* like the idea of asphalt wearing away the bottom of the tail boom, though, so I was thinking of taping either the curved part of a plastic clothing hangar (small size, for socks!) or a paper clip to the bottom of the tail, to act as a skid. Anyone else have any experience doing that, or have any advice?

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mjc1
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On Tue, 18 Sep 2007 03:23:13 GMT, "mjc13" wrote in :

I've rigged stuff like that for field repairs.

A paper clip sounds just about right as long as you can rig it so that it stays in the proper plane (pun intended; you may laugh now).

It's not going to do you any good if lateral forces swing it to the side.

Marty

Reply to
Martin X. Moleski, SJ

wrote in :

I figure a paper clip would have less drag, but I can better secure a plastic 'sock hook' to the plane. The paper clip would probably last longer, but would also be more likely to 'de-plane'. Ah, decisions...

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mjc1

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The Raven

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mjc1

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MJKolodziej

On Tue, 18 Sep 2007 04:05:53 GMT, "mjc13" wrote in :

Watch out for your CG.

The bigger and heftier you make your tail skid, the more you change the CG.

They say nose-heavy planes tend to fly poorly but tail-heavy planes often fly just once.

Let us know how it all turns out.

Marty

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Martin X. Moleski, SJ

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mjc1

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mjc1

On Tue, 18 Sep 2007 22:44:10 GMT, "mjc13" wrote in :

Sounds good.

You might try shaving the width and therefore the weight of your tail skid.

Marty

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Martin X. Moleski, SJ

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