Learning to fly, or thinking of learning? Post your questions, comments and experiences here

Moderator: AndyR

By rdfb
#1846179
Flying_john wrote:
Dodo wrote:Perceived wisdom is not to push down on the tail/rear fuselage to lift the nosewheel to turn it.

Something about the structure, but I'm not entirely sure why. I do it occasionally.


Why is this - since in flight the downwards aerodynamic force on the tail has to balance the mass of the engine and everything else forward of the CofG and the main gear is normally quite close to the CofG I would have thought the structure is strong enough to balance that additional load, otherwise we would all have to be very careful in a steep climb?


It's not the load on the structure that's the problem; it's the pressure on the individual hand or fist -sized bit you're pushing on. Aerodynamic force is spread over a wide area but your hand isn't.

Another way of looking at it: aerodynamic forces hold the wings up in flight, but if you try to hold the plane up by using the pointy end of a pointy screwdriver on the wings, you'll punch holes in them instead. The difference is in the pressure being applied. In the same way, you can only apply significant force on a part of the structure that will be able to cope with it. I can't speak for your aircraft, but usually I find that means doing as much as possible to spread out the force when pushing anywhere, and even then being quite careful not to dent or bend things.
mick w liked this
User avatar
By David Wood
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1846256
Furthermore, if the aircraft has a fixed stabiliser-with-elevator arrangement that you'd generally be OK pushing/leaning/sitting on it to lift up the nose. But if, like a PA28, it has an all-moving surface then you would be leaning on the front of the tailplane and putting a lot more pressure on the full-up stop than it is designed to take.
By Crash one
#1847114
mick w wrote:
Flying_john wrote:
Dodo wrote:Perceived wisdom is not to push down on the tail/rear fuselage to lift the nosewheel to turn it.

Something about the structure, but I'm not entirely sure why. I do it occasionally.


Why is this - since in flight the downwards aerodynamic force on the tail has to balance the mass of the engine and everything else forward of the CofG and the main gear is normally quite close to the CofG I would have thought the structure is strong enough to balance that additional load, otherwise we would all have to be very careful in a steep climb?


Would you pick up your Aircraft with it's Wingtips :?


Not all of it but I lift a main wheel off the ground by the wingtip so the engineer can check the bearings.