X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2008 08:21:47 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from fg-out-1718.google.com ([72.14.220.158] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.2.8) with ESMTP id 3188702 for lml@lancaironline.net; Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:00:26 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=72.14.220.158; envelope-from=jeffreyb.peterson@gmail.com Received: by fg-out-1718.google.com with SMTP id 22so863649fge.1 for ; Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:59:45 -0700 (PDT) DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=message-id:date:from:reply-to:to:subject:in-reply-to:mime-version :content-type:content-transfer-encoding:content-disposition :references; b=xVQ14kRkRhfqUfuZEumM2BWDpwWCHGp3yueLLBUJQggwAP44bGE+oqN4GeVVCtCvCN +Y2d8XifQZFmqPjO1ojl5qYWHqVGb8m9fsy5p7RlVGgd6MZMRoiDEPf4qALaAb6YulvA ++2PdOwL/dnRka1xk3+EhUw1kdlkAh0SiPSQk= Received: by 10.86.74.4 with SMTP id w4mr1746671fga.58.1222469985664; Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:59:45 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.86.49.16 with HTTP; Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:59:45 -0700 (PDT) X-Original-Message-ID: <7b85bf8e0809261559x57baa9aejfda6cae823572dcd@mail.gmail.com> X-Original-Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:59:45 -0400 From: "Jeff Peterson" Reply-To: jbp@cmu.edu X-Original-To: "Lancair mail list" Subject: RE: Small tail vs. large tail In-Reply-To: <7b85bf8e0809252004s4857eca4je0dda0029e412c34@mail.gmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline References: <7b85bf8e0809252004s4857eca4je0dda0029e412c34@mail.gmail.com> Harper, About six years ago I faced the decision you now face, asked the same questions, and ended up cutting out the small tail and installing the larger one. I made a web page of the process, and that is somewhere on LML, maybe Marv can point you to it. With all due respect to my fine small-feathered friends, I find that the strongest proponents of the small tail either once flew fighters, or now fly for a major airline, or both. They are much more current, experienced pilots than I will ever be. They have been through the very best flight training available. My job forces me to take 3-6 month breaks from flying. When I do fly I can do it often, but then I get involved in something demanding at work, and I have a long layoff. After a layoff I find myself controlling poorly the first few times back in the left seat. I repeatedly retrain myself. I wanted to be sure my Lancair had plenty of elevator authority. I wanted to be able to trim right onto the runway. Also, the fact that Australia really truly did reject the small tail version, then Lancair actually did change the design...that was a factor for me. I would say the large tail mod added 250 hours to my build time. I am right now dealing with the long mount cowl. I have an angle valve 200 HP engine, and have had to completely rework the cowl. I am nearly done but have at least 250 hours in the cowl as well. I chose to make gradual changes, but if I were starting again I would throw away the Lancair-provided junk and make my own from scratch. One comment: even though the cowl was c**p, the large tail was very nicely built. These are my thoughts and I hope you find them useful. Jeff Peterson N273CK -- Jeff Peterson Dept of Physics, CMU -- Jeff Peterson Dept of Physics, CMU