OK, so what happened??

[Nkwazi]

Now that I'm out of hospital and my mind is a lot clearer, I have to ask what happened to cause me to fly into the ground?? I landed just after 7am in very calm conditions. 30 mins later on take off, about 1 - 2 metres above the ground, the trike veered violently to the left. There was a light (5 - 6 knots) north easterly wind blowing with no signs of gusting. I managed to recover it before the left wing hit the ground. By this time the back wheels had touched the ground and the left back wheel was torn off by a rock. the trike came to rest on its side.
It felt like taking off into severe propwash - was it a whirly - if so why didnt I see it??
Any thoughts??

[Big-D]

If one rotates too soon,the upwind wing starts flying before the downwind wing.

This raises the age old question - What is better?: Taking off bar forward from the word go or rotating when reaching flying speed?

Personally I rotate at 50mph but only because the Blade wing does not like the other tecqnique somehow

Nkwasi, you took off using the bar forward teqnique right? This is the way I was taught too by instructor with 6000hours

If this was a cross wind gust - Would Nkwasi's chances have been better at recovering had he kept bar neutral and rotated at a higher speed, thus start flying later on at higher speed?

D

[Nkwazi]

I took off as usual pushing bar forward at about 50 mph. I've learnt
the dangers of bar fwd takeoffs

[Big-D]

I took off as usual pushing bar forward at about 50 mph. I've learnt
the dangers of bar fwd takeoffs

Sorry mate, my mistake - Interesting discussion on take-off tecqnique anyhow

So wing dipped as you rotated or a little later into take-off?

D

[Blue Max]

Hi Nkwasi, Sorry to hear about your accident.
Only very recently completed my training and presantly at the stage where I have to learn through my own mistakes and those of others..I have experience ocasions where my aerie after rotating fly in a differant direction than intended. To my opinion the position of the wing, either because of wind or because of the pilot not holding onto it firmly enough causes this to happen...( as mentioned by Demon.) The other reason I quess could be the play in the movement of the wing, not up or down but sideways.!!! ?????????
I noticed that if I pull the bar back to fast after rotating the arie losses height and the wheels sometimes toutches the runway again. I corrected that by easing the bar back gently after rotating..
Please comment I would like to understand fully..
Thanks.

[topflight]

I push the bar forward (as taught) and immediately when the plane jump into the air I bring the bar in to build up speed before I start my climb. I also experience the veer to the sides but sometimes it is me not keeping the wings level when it is not me I recover immediately when I bring the bar back...probably because I start to build up speed and the part of the wing that is not flying start to fly.

Safe Flying....glad you are ok

[Splinter]

Glad the op went well Brett. I think Demon has n good suggestion. This could be aggravated by the wing itself. Maybe a wingtip rotated more than the other to trim the plane out could have caused a wing tip stall when a gust of wind stopped or started. As the gust/rolling crosswind hits the wing one wingtip will generate more lift and the other one could create less lift if the conditions are right. Flying into propwash you can sometimes feel the wing dipping to one side slightly and then BHAMM it hits you. If you say it felt like taking off in propwash Demon`s suggestion could well be plausible as the conditions sound perfect for a wingtip stall.

ZU-RED

[Ou Man]

I fly a Aero Trike with a 503 at teh coast. At one time I took off in a 582 and had the same experience but this was due to the torque of the stronger motor

[Grumpy]

I was taught, at take off, bar slightly 'IN' from neutral to pick up speed as quickly as possible and then ease forward slowly. In cross wind, hold in slightly longer to increase speed and flyability over wings before easing forward. Works fine especially if you have enough runway.

[Petrodactyl]

Glad to hear you are OK, Nkwazi. Thanks for sharing your experience. There always seem to be a new species of dragon waiting to bite you.

Although it may not have helped in this case, I am with Grumpy. I don't trust flying by numbers, because numbers might not be right in all situations. Altitude, and especially density altitude can change everything - and so can wind, runway surface etc.etc. ... I like to feel that the wing is generating enough lift before I rotate. I don't like to force a trike off the ground.

Maybe I am spoiled, because my old aeros wing on my aerotrike takes itself off and then levels out before climbing, without any pilot input. But I instruct on Aquillas and Windlass and the principle is the same. Let her fly when she's good and ready - don't trust the numbers. The first trike that I was part owner of was destroyed because the pilot tried to force her off before she reached flying speed.

..climbing down from my soap-box now...

[Tumbleweed]

Saturday's weather was k@k. Just 80km east during a sailing comp, 7 yaghts flipped during the day because of swirling gusts.

[Bugwar]

This raises the age old question - What is better?: Taking off bar forward from the word go or rotating when reaching flying speed?

Personally I rotate at 50mph but only because the Blade wing does not like the other tecqnique somehow

Nkwasi, you took off using the bar forward teqnique right? This is the way I was taught too by instructor with 6000hours

If this was a cross wind gust - Would Nkwasi's chances have been better at recovering had he kept bar neutral and rotated at a higher speed, thus start flying later on at higher speed?

D

The Aquilla will allow you to take off bar forward. Other wings are not so forgiving and the bar should rather be kept in the neutral position. She will fly when she is ready, just make sure you have enough runway.

[nicow]

I am also glad to hear you are ok.

[Africa]

If there is a cross wind it does not hurt to dip the wing slightly into the wind and as the trike rotates you can slowly turn into the wind. You have got to hold the bar tight and be agressive by expecting that gust or wash. If it was a dust Devil then there is very little you can do other than look around the area to see if you can see one before TO. Sometimes with a trike in a strong cross wind i will also set my take off run from corner of run way to corner trying to get it more into wind if you know what i mean. I agree with a previous comment that its not good at all to look at numbers for rotation.. A trike is mostly flown on feel. speedy recovery Nkwazi

[John Boucher]

Eish Brett... pleased to hear you are ok!