DH Rapide braking and nosing over

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Paul K
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DH Rapide braking and nosing over

Post by Paul K »

This thread reminded me of a problem I have:

viewtopic.php?t=33507

I've reinstalled the Rapide, and wonder if there's a simple config parameter I can alter to stop it nosing over. At the moment, even the slightest touch on the brakes is enough to bring the tail up. It's proving very difficult to taxi, and near impossible to brake when landing.

Dave G, is there anything I can do to remedy the problem ? :)

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johnhinson
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Re: DH Rapide braking and nosing over

Post by johnhinson »

In real life it must be pretty easy to do that, the Rapide is one of several aircraft that always have to be loaded starting at the back seats and working forward to prevent such mishaps during loading.

Moving the contact points of the wheels forwards would be a simple way to reduce the effect.

I haven't flown this model for a long while, but I don't remember it being a major issue - just needing to pull the stick back on landing. Maybe it varies according to which sim you are using.

John

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Re: DH Rapide braking and nosing over

Post by Vc Ten »

I usually just move the c of g back a bit after loading the fuel on the weights screen. or yes she will tip over very easy
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Re: DH Rapide braking and nosing over

Post by Dev One »

I have found a lot of taildraggers will nose over & wonder if the dimensions of the main wheel contact points should be amended by the angle of tail down, seeing as M$ aircraft .cfg info only designed for trikes. i.e. when making the model one has the fuselage datum horizontal, if you rotate the aircraft by that angle that will place the wheels further forward relative to the fictitious C of G at 25% chord. Am I talking drivel? I also trim the brakes % in the ,cfg if all else fails!
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Re: DH Rapide braking and nosing over

Post by TSR2 »

I think at the time it was done the sim didn’t care much for tail dragged, and it was a challenge. I pulse the brakes tbh and I can keep it on the ground… with 3 wheels :worried:
Ben.:tunes:

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Paul K
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Re: DH Rapide braking and nosing over

Post by Paul K »

I pulse the brakes too, and keep the stick back when landing. I've also moved the C of G back a notch, which does seem to help without affecting the flying characteristics. I'll just have to be more careful, but it's a bugger when you nose over during the taxi and have to restart the flight. The Rapide is a beautiful flyer though (MSFS stutters permitting) and I've found Jan Kees' KNILM repaint for tootling round the Dutch East Indies.

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Re: DH Rapide braking and nosing over

Post by dfarrow »

Seems to be the case on the real one . We had a Rapide doing joy rides a few years ago at Compton A . On about day 3 she taxiied in after landing , and the duty boss [ a non flyer , but all her life at CA ] remarked ... Should the prop tips be like that .... Go faster style , bent back ?
Both props renewed before flying back to Coventry .

rgds dave f.

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Paul K
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Re: DH Rapide braking and nosing over

Post by Paul K »

I've flown her a bit more in recent days, and helped by shifting the CoG slightly aft, I'm getting better with the judicial use of brakes. I just need to make sure I touch down with plenty of runway ahead. A lovely thing to fly, as it always has been. So atmospheric.

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Re: DH Rapide braking and nosing over

Post by Dev One »

Interesting to read a flight report in Pilot magazine -(just google that) No 3 pointers! Dragonfly similar but it runs out of rudder authority if one attempts a 3 pointer Mossie also & very well shown with the French 3/4 scale mossie crash!
Keith

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