Going faster(er) in my trike is quite exhausting

[neandertaler]

Hi!

I own a Cosmos trike with a Top 12 wing. The speed range goes up to more than 120 Km/h, hands off trim speed is a little above 80 Km/h.

I find it quite exhausting to go, let's say, 100 Km/h for a longer period. To achieve this speed I have to pull the bar quite gently, however even this constant small force gets tiring after a while.
So - is there any trick? How do you guys hold your harms when you want to go faster for a while?

Sadly there seems to be no possibility to vary the hang point of the wing or to change other trim speed related things.

I am looking forward to your answers.


Cheers,

Oliver

[Wargames]

You have 2 options:

1. Put training bars on, and let the pax do all the pulling.

2. Attach bungee to nose plate of the wing, and then with pulley type system, pull bungee taught to achieve higher speed, and fasten bungee to boom tube, with easy release mechanism. Just make sure to attach bungee on centre line to nose plate, otherwise it will make your wing unbalanced.

Never done #2 myself, but heard that it does work.

[Conrad]

Check the weight distribution of your trike.
Where is the most weight , front or back, panier bags, instrument panel. If something could be moved legally , then do it.
...........Drill another hole and move the hang-point.

[Wargames]

Drill another hole and move the hang-point.

Becarefull. The manufacturer already went that avenue, and decided against it.

Check the weight distribution of your trike.
Where is the most weight , front or back, panier bags, instrument panel. If something could be moved legally , then do it.

The only way to adjust speed(level and hands off), is at the hang point. Moving stuff around on undercarriage won't do much.

[skybound®]

A trike is a sightseeing machine - why do you want to go faster?

[Splinter]

You have 2 options:

1. Put training bars on, and let the pax do all the pulling.

2. Attach bungee to nose plate of the wing, and then with pulley type system, pull bungee taught to achieve higher speed, and fasten bungee to boom tube, with easy release mechanism. Just make sure to attach bungee on centre line to nose plate, otherwise it will make your wing unbalanced.

Never done #2 myself, but heard that it does work.

Number 2 with the bungees can be changed! Be advised that some people dont like using bungees as they are afraid the wing will "tuck" and throw you head over heels. Some have even blamed bungees for accidents.

Personally when I fly far and need more speed for the whole trip I simply attach two adjustible bungees (available at Builders W) on the seat frame next to me at the same hight as the controll bar. Then simply pull the bar to where you want it, adjust bungees both the same (otherwise wing might pull) and "hook" (steel reinforced hooks covered with plastic) over the controll bar and off you go! No pulleys or drilling. Hook on / hook off system.

Never try to take off, land or fly low with any of these methods!!!!! Bungees will allow the wing to move in all directions but does have some restrictions when you have to make big movements, like being tossed around on final. The bungees I use are capable of holding 80KG on both the hooks and bungee itself. Please dont try to use the normal red, blue and green bungees you buy from mica with the 2mm thick steel hook, they break!!!

[neandertaler]

Hi!

Thanks a bunch for all your replies!
I already felt a little bit dump - after reading the specs of various wing manufacturers which show a huge cruise speed range without a trim device, I though there must be some kind of trick to keep the bar pulled that far over a longer period. Or that these wings are only made for real men with really big arms...

I liked the hint with the bungees between the control bar and the seat frames the most, as this is no permanent change to my wing and I could oversteer the bungee at any time if necessary.

A trike is a sightseeing machine - why do you want to go faster?

Well - the main reason is that I will ferry our trike to another airport which is around 500 Km away. The chances are also pretty good that I will experience some headwind on this ferry flight. As it will be a quite long flight in any case, I would like to add some speed.

Also, when I want to go some where, like to the Northern Sea for example which is around 200 Km away, I want to get there as fast as possible and reduce the speed after reaching my target.


Cheers,

Oliver

[neandertaler]

[...] if all else fails get a gt450 or a quik-r

Yeah man, rub it in...
The QuikR is the trike of my dreams, sadly I neither have the money for it nor is it available in Germany as the distributor quit his flight school I think 2 or 3 years ago and doesn't force the sale of these trikes anymore. The latest news on his website a from 2006, the QuikR is not even listed there, nor did he get a German homologation for it as far as I know.
No homologataion - no flying. Even if a trike has the homologation, like the GT450, I would still need him to confirm that it is exactly the same trike as homologized by him... Because of this regulation I can't simply go to the UK and get a used one there.



Cheers,

Oliver

[kloot piloot]

Bar pressure (let's call it pitch resistance) originates below or above the neutral position.

If you are satisfied with your neutral position speed of 80kmh then don't fiddle with hangpoint positions. All you can do then to relieve bar pressure at higher speeds is to check whether the reflex of the root battens is more than what the batten profile chart shows.

Bar pressure (or pitch resistance) above neutral is only caused by the reflex angle of your battens. If they are within spec, accept it, because that is what the designer of your wing wanted.

Changing reflex will impact on stall recovery.

[neandertaler]

@kloot piloot

I think that my wing is OK and as designed.
As I don't want to drill any holes in it or fiddle around, and as the idea with the bungee sounds absolutely great, I will go that way and try it first.

Cheers,

Oliver

[Biggles]

an electric trim can be fitted...

On the bungy method somone one mentioned that you can hook a bungy through a belt and hook that to teh bar when you want to fly with pressure on the bar. The advantage with this is that the bungee will be in your lap when not engaged.

[nickjaxe]

Splinter I dont suppose you could post a picture of your bungee idea.

Nick in the UK.

[Splinter]

Going to the airfield this afternoon. Will take a pic and post 2morrow.

RED

[klaas]

Install a actuator and you can shift the hangpoint in flight electronicaly and change the bar position aswell .
Shift the wing to the rear , lower stall speed and flight speed , visw virsa to the front.
Contact Clive and Ivan Loubser in Stellenbosch , they imported sume of these actuators a wile back.
No effort is needed to pull in bar , it changes when hangpoint is changed.

Klaas

[Wargames]

Shift the wing to the rear , lower stall speed and flight speed , visw virsa to the front.

Not lower stall speed, just a lower cruising speed.