Airdale Tail Ski Test

[SuberAvid 617]

Well I got to actually put the new Airdale tailski to the test yesterday. Jack ordered one from Brett and it arrived this weekend so he brought it out to the hangar and had to twist my arm to get me to try it out. I was impressed by the design and quality of it. I got the UHMW plastic bottom cut out, shaped and riveted to the tubing frame that night and installed on Sunday afternoon and headed out to Willow to meet up with a buddy and his SuperCub. Interesting flight as I think it was the first time I have had to use full aleron to the stop and hold it there for 3 or 4 seconds to get wings level after one of the gusts. Also the first time I have seen a 900 fpm updraft for 500'.

Takeoff on Wolf lake was mostly on ice but it steered well with the wheel penetration. I did a touch and go on a lake on the way over to see if there were any handling issues and it felt good. My friend's runway was groomed and packed with about 4" of fresh snow on top so no real test there but ground handling and steering was superior to the TW with no ski. It turns sharper with the ski on than with just the TW. We headed out about 120 miles west to check out some cabins my buddy was looking at and lit on a few untouched swamps as well as semi-packed areas. My real interest was how it would perform in the untracked areas. The snow was windblown so it had a fairly solid top (but not icy) and it would not support your full weight. It was about up to the crotch when you punched through. We landed and turned a loop to get back in our tracks and stopped. My buddy's Cub without a tail ski but with an AK bushwheel tailwheel had the tail burried to the horiz stab. The tail ski on the Avid was about 6 to 8" deep.

Now for the test; It made a noticeable difference in my takeoff run. It came up to speed almost like it was on solid snow. Without the tailski I would have been sitting down to the horiz. stab like the Cub. It has always taken a pretty long run to get the tail up and out of the snow enough to start building airspeed. Needless to say I was impressed. It didn't feel like it was struggling to get to the magic 20 mph where tail was out of the snow and the airspeed could build like normal. Instead there was no struggle, great control and a much shorter takoff run, plus great stearing control. I give it a .

I had one mishap with it that I think was my fault. I forgot to tighten the limit cable links and I set the ski angle pretty flat (cool adjustable ski design) so it would not drag the bottom when I had the plane up on my tow trailer to get it from the hangar to the lake. When I landed back at my buddy's strip I went to turn around in the unpacked snow off of the groomed runway. All of a sudden I could hardly steer and was at full power to keep the plane moving. When I got it to a packed area I investigated and one of the connecting links on the limit cable was missing and the ski had flipped over. The spring was streched but the limit cable was still fine. I put a new link on it, tightened both links this time, trimmed and replaced the spring and reset the angle of the ski for increase the entrance angle; then off to battle the winds toward home.

I did not think I would ever put a ski on the Avid because I thought it was light enough it would not make any real difference. Now I'm convinced; I have to get one of these. A very good job on the design and construction!

Randy

[Av8r3400 1178]

Randy--

That's awesome the ski is working up there in the "real" snow!

Brett & I did the testing on the prototype of this ski on my Kitfox. We saw the same benefits, but our limited snow quantity was hampering what we could test.

I'm very glad it is working well. Keep us informed on what else you get into (and out of!) with it.

[akflyer 1427]

Nice to hear it works great! Brett sent me pics and I was going to order one but I am still on floats. I will get one ordered up for next year for certain. Are you going to make the flying this weekend?

[SuberAvid 617]

Hi Leni,

I won't be able to do the overnight but I am trying to clear up some commitments so I can get out there on Sat. When do you think you will arrive out there?

Randy

[akflyer 1427]

Hi Leni,

I won't be able to do the overnight but I am trying to clear up some commitments so I can get out there on Sat. When do you think you will arrive out there?

Randy

Planning on leaving here about 9:30 or 10 in the morning so I should be there around 11:30 or 12:00.

[lv2plyguitar 172]

Well I got to actually put the new Airdale tailski to the test yesterday. Jack ordered one from Brett and it arrived this weekend so he brought it out to the hangar and had to twist my arm to get me to try it out. I was impressed by the design and quality of it. I got the UHMW plastic bottom cut out, shaped and riveted to the tubing frame that night and installed on Sunday afternoon and headed out to Willow to meet up with a buddy and his SuperCub. Interesting flight as I think it was the first time I have had to use full aleron to the stop and hold it there for 3 or 4 seconds to get wings level after one of the gusts. Also the first time I have seen a 900 fpm updraft for 500'.

Takeoff on Wolf lake was mostly on ice but it steered well with the wheel penetration. I did a touch and go on a lake on the way over to see if there were any handling issues and it felt good. My friend's runway was groomed and packed with about 4" of fresh snow on top so no real test there but ground handling and steering was superior to the TW with no ski. It turns sharper with the ski on than with just the TW. We headed out about 120 miles west to check out some cabins my buddy was looking at and lit on a few untouched swamps as well as semi-packed areas. My real interest was how it would perform in the untracked areas. The snow was windblown so it had a fairly solid top (but not icy) and it would not support your full weight. It was about up to the crotch when you punched through. We landed and turned a loop to get back in our tracks and stopped. My buddy's Cub without a tail ski but with an AK bushwheel tailwheel had the tail burried to the horiz stab. The tail ski on the Avid was about 6 to 8" deep.

Now for the test; It made a noticeable difference in my takeoff run. It came up to speed almost like it was on solid snow. Without the tailski I would have been sitting down to the horiz. stab like the Cub. It has always taken a pretty long run to get the tail up and out of the snow enough to start building airspeed. Needless to say I was impressed. It didn't feel like it was struggling to get to the magic 20 mph where tail was out of the snow and the airspeed could build like normal. Instead there was no struggle, great control and a much shorter takoff run, plus great stearing control. I give it a .

I had one mishap with it that I think was my fault. I forgot to tighten the limit cable links and I set the ski angle pretty flat (cool adjustable ski design) so it would not drag the bottom when I had the plane up on my tow trailer to get it from the hangar to the lake. When I landed back at my buddy's strip I went to turn around in the unpacked snow off of the groomed runway. All of a sudden I could hardly steer and was at full power to keep the plane moving. When I got it to a packed area I investigated and one of the connecting links on the limit cable was missing and the ski had flipped over. The spring was streched but the limit cable was still fine. I put a new link on it, tightened both links this time, trimmed and replaced the spring and reset the angle of the ski for increase the entrance angle; then off to battle the winds toward home.

I did not think I would ever put a ski on the Avid because I thought it was light enough it would not make any real difference. Now I'm convinced; I have to get one of these. A very good job on the design and construction!

Randy

Randy,

Do you have a picture of this tail ski. I am thinking to purchase one.

Thanks

[Bandit 286]

My installation.

[SuberAvid 617]

Here are some more pics.