Converting from 3-axis to trike

[RAPCON]

While on the topic of starting out……how difficult is it to adjust from 3-axis flying to the weight shift method. Pushing forward on the yoke = going down, on the trike it = going up?

[Fairy Flycatcher]

Flying both types is like driving a car vs riding a motorbike. Your car's gears are changed by hand, your bike's with your foot. Your car's accellerator is at your right foot, and your bike's at your right hand. You lean into a turn with your bike, and you don't with a car (unless driving with Demon ) Most people I know can ride a bike and drive a car without gettting too confused.

There are some great annecdotes which people will share with you about their conversions, but early hassles are almost never disasterous, mainly just funny.

When I did my conversion from Trike to Conventional Control, steering was a problem, as I would go weaving all over the runway trying to get it right. Now I don't even think about it.

Also, when told to "put power" by my instructor, I used to kick right rudder :D :D At least the instructor had a sense of humour, but the times this put us in a spin... (when supposed to put power to recover from stall, and I kick rudder ) Now its second nature.

I don't know anyone who battles with the base-bar vs stick/yoke though. It feels competely different. You hold it differently and it looks differently. This is not really one to worry about.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

4.8 hrs and I was ready for solo, but then WX and real life got in way so never went sowlow.... Don't rush it and fly often...

[Freddy]

the hardest thing for me converting from a trike to 3 axis, was getting my feet to work in different directions than they were used to, especially on landing and take-off..........
:D :D

[RAPCON]

Thank you for sharing. I am undecided between flying the Jabi, or going for the trike. Seeing the videos and photo’s you guys produce, really does make me want to fly trikes. Like many on this forum have mentioned, it is the closest man will get to flying with the birds! I have decided though to book myself an intro flight on both these aircraft, just to assist me in making an informed decision.

[Morph]

Why not do both

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Mission/Budget..... Both work, but will depend on what you want to do...

Fun flying (cheap) I would go trike. Commute A - B I would go Jabi..

[GR8-DAD]

4.8 hrs and I was ready for solo, but then WX and real life got in way so never went sowlow.... Don't rush it and fly often...

RV, do you need to do full Flight test for convex?

[RAPCON]

Commute, no, not really. Would like to do the odd cross country, lets say a day’s worth of flying. 99% will be purely for fun.

Morph, I have given that option some thought. Maybe fly the Jabi, and then do conversion onto Trike. Or the other way around? What would a conversion onto Trikes entail?

Fly in the Jabi on “windy” (read less than 10kts) days, and Trike on beautiful, cloudless, very early mornings!

[Morph]

An MPL licence covers both types of aircraft. So moving from 3-axis to trike or vice-versa is a simple matter of conversion. However I say this flippantly, because it is not as simple as going from a Jabi to a Bush Baby. How long it will take depends on your abilities and your instructor's feeling. Demon did it is 4 hours, others have taken a lot longer. Fortunately you don't have to redo the license, groundschool, hours to solo, cross countries etc.

[RAPCON]

Thanks again Morph, will post again on this topic as soon as I have flown both a/c.

[RAPCON]

Jabiru it is! Spent some 30 minutes in the air today, what an amazing aircraft! The wind was not playing it’s part, but the Jabi was still a pleasure. Would still like to do a conversion to trike, but that will have to wait until I am signed out on the Jabiru.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

4.8 hrs and I was ready for solo, but then WX and real life got in way so never went sowlow.... Don't rush it and fly often...

RV, do you need to do full Flight test for convex?

Yip I assume you would have to do a test. Similar to renwal. Couple circuits, forced lob, turns etc...