Today I got to fly Mavis. 
I did not think I would get into the air when I opened the curtains (yuck weather) but it seems Old Hay has its own micro climate. A leaking fuel drain also had a go no go moment but it has its uses being on a permit and having the head honcho along to see I don’t break the plane; he whipped it off and did whatever and hey presto it was back on and all systems go. I could not do circuits as the field was too wet and slippery and made for an interesting take-off in my clumsy hands but in an experts hands it would have been fine but I am a novice and this was the first time I have been let loose on Mavis. ? Also, we did not want to tear up the strip.
Most of my taildragger time is in the Cub so it is very interesting to compare the two machines. Same engines, so I think fair to compare. The Luscombe wins hands down for me. It is soooooooo much lighter on the controls. The Cub by comparison feels like I am flying a tractor without power steering. So once I started to get used to the light controls things settled down. The flight was not without its silly mistakes which made me as mad as a hornet with myself but then I laughed and stopped trying so hard, things improved. Story of my life. Reading as much material I could find on the Luscombe, I got the impression that it could be a bit of a handful. I did not find this to be the case. I could see how it might get a bit twitchy if flown with out respect but is that not the case for all dragger flying or indeed aviation in general. I look forward to getting to grips with Mavis – Oooh er.
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There are a few things I am gonna need to change with regards to what I take flying with me. Need to get a smaller knee board. Current one is just a bit big and could obstruct the stick. I will also look to replacing the Nexus 7 with a Nexus 4 or 5 which will work well. Anyone go a reasonably priced one going, I am in the market for one. ?
The other good thing is that the Strip is 12 miles from my front door so I can start doing bimble flights again. I will use the rental aircraft at Shoreham to keep my instrument flying current but Mavis will now carry the load of my flying until I finally hang up the headphones. May that now be many, many years away.
Anyhow, the fun begins so be prepared for lots of trip reports in Mavis. Hehehehe.
I hope I have now found the right balance for my flying to keep it fresh, fun and for me mentally challenging. Mavis for strip flying and touring and the rental aircraft for my instrument flying and the rare cost shared flights. Time will tell.
Thanks for allowing me to natter. I may treat myself to an actual beer at the local later on if I can me asked to go back out into the cold. Brrrr.
Fly safe.
Over 20 years since I flew a Luscombe – it was off asphalt and it seemed more benign than its twitchy reputation suggested, perhaps conditions were nice and calm. Tail wheel steed is now a 90HP Super Cub – perhaps less crisp than the Luscombe, but not so ponderous or heavy to be tractor like!, and more forgiving when operating slow and in the more undulating farm strips.
The 10~20 mph speed advantage is a nice advantage for the Luscombe.
At some point need to fly into Old Hay and hopefully if you are around get a photo of the three tail wheel vintage a/c together.
I’ve found it to be a good balance…
I think the main thing with a Luscombe is not to start thrashing around on the controls if things get a little out of shape, which at some point they will. If you do start rowing the controls around, the little beasty will do exactly what you’ve asked for, not what you want, and then laugh at the results.
Don Luscombe was a apparently a rapscallion, not a stable businessman like Mr Piper, and his aircraft reflects it.
Sparky send his regards to Mavis…
Perhaps my Cub to tractor comparison was a bit harsh. The last few times I have flown the Cub I have had “lardy” loads in the back which required a tad more effort to get the tail up. With the side by side seating of the Luscombe, getting her tail up does not require as much effort. In fact her tail came up faster than I thought it would.
A picture of the Old Girls together sounds good. Look forward to meeting you both someday somewhere………..
Silvaire, your comments re the Luscombe backs up what information I have gleaned about this aircraft. As I understand it, she goes where you point it rather than having the “time delay” other draggers have. Not explaining myself very well. Still, with time, I have no doubt whatsoever she is going to show me all her moods. Eeeek.
I shall convey Sparky’s regards to Mavis.
As I understand it, she goes where you point it rather than having the “time delay” other draggers have
Try a Jodel before saying other taildraggers have a delay.
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I have indeed tried and flown a few hours in the the Jodel. Flew the one that the Tiger Club used to have from time to time but at my age the memory fades.
Yesterday I did some flying in the back seat of a Citabria, training for piloting aircraft with blind forward view. That is an aircraft with stodgy controls… The owner calls it his ‘Super Champ’ because that’s basically what it is – an Aeronca with a big engine, in the same way a Super Cub is related to a J3. He’s installed spades to lighten up the ailerons and it helps.
After the flight we got talking (on topic) about Luscombe controls in comparison to the Citabria. All three axes are fairly powerful and direct on the Luscombe but the forces are ‘vintage’ in that the rudder and elevator are very light but the ailerons are relatively heavy. I’ve thought about developing aileron spades for the Luscombe – I’m surprised nobody’s done It before, and STC’d a kit.
I’ve never flown a Jodel but would doubtless enjoy it
Silvaire – spot on re your discription on the Luscombes controls. Well that is my tiny experience so far and I think one of the reasons the take off proved a tad exciting. As mentioned before, my last few flights have been in a “heavy” Cub so muscle power to get the tail up but once up she found the right attitude. On Saturday in Mavis, the lightness of the elevator caught me by surprise, a little, and then with the boggy field we would run then hit a more boggy bit which caused a slow down and then speed up etc and with me still in Cub mode I tended to over control. I did however manage to track her down the runway in a reasonably straight line so not all bad and I did get her off before we joined the road traffic. The Uber one next to me had some comments to say about how interesting the trees looked. ;-) Hahahahaha.
I now know what to expect so hopefully I will do a better job on the take off when I next serenade my Mavis. Landing…………… I flared a little high so we “arrived” a tad harder than I would have liked (a tiny blush) but not going to beat myself up over that. I thought it was acceptable for an aircraft I had never flown. She kind of just quits flying. Still, that is what I love about flying – learning and pitting myself against the challenges thrown at me. Hehehehehe.
I liked the Jodel, now that I have had my mind jogged.
Still, all tailgraggers put me on edge. I am always holding my breath and hope that the tail is not gonna try come round and bite the front end. I think in part this is due to my very first Cub that I flew. She had a week tail spring and all you had to do was look at the rudders and the wheel would break free into free castor.
Thanks for sharing your views and experiences. I have stored them into my memory banks so hopefully it allows me to anticipate things early knowing what Mavis might get up to in an unguarded moment. Yeeeeeee haaaaa. :-)
Still, all tailgraggers put me on edge. I am always holding my breath and hope that the tail is not gonna try come round and bite the front end. I think in part this is due to my very first Cub that I flew. She had a week tail spring and all you had to do was look at the rudders and the wheel would break free into free castor.
Me too, and I had a similar (and embarrassing) experience when I was learning to fly 10 years ago, with a similarly operating tail wheel. I subsequently became a fan of the Scott 2000, which operates very predictably in and out of free castor. There is an old guy local to me who knows everything there is to know about Cubs, and thereby knows something about old US classics in general. He tells a story about meeting Mr Maule’s daughter: he told her “your daddy makes a helluvan airplane but his tail wheels are just about the worst thing ever”. She apparently said nothing and just turned red. Since he’s actually a very polite fellow it it made him feel bad, and the story ends with “she was a sweet thing, and I shouldna said that”
Be careful with those brakes on Mavis the Luscombe – judging from the photo I think maybe they are Goodyears? This type requires frequent adjustment and in between adjustments the lever position where the pedal actuates the brakes moves. Shouldn’t be so much an issue on grass.
One reason for flaring too high in a Luscombe is that the nose is so low in front of the windscreen. Use maybe 70 mph on final, up to 75 with a passenger. Don’t get too slow – its not a Cub. Aim short of the intended touchdown spot and then wait patiently, suppressing the urge to fidget with the elevator too much. Having no flaps means it takes a while to bleed off the extra energy. As the speed bleeds off in the flare, drag starts to build up more quickly – that serves as your “flaps”. Pitch control is thereby very sensitive early in the flare, and reduces. Its about timing, with the aim to be pulling back more briskly (all the way back) just before a three point touchdown. Its a kind of an accelerating movement backwards at the end of the flare, against light forces – which I think make it a little harder to judge.
Thanks Silvaire. Lots of useful morsels for me to cogitate on.
