Left turn during takeoff roll?

[670x]

Hi all, I have been lurking here reading a bunch.
I looking at a 22-20 conversion but have not had the chance to fly it as its out of annual. I have never flown a pacer but have been told by 2 different pilots this particular bird need a slight application of right brake during the takeoff roll.
Now I'm well aware of left turning tendency, spiraling slipstream and P-factor.

My question is ...is this normal? It seems to me the rudder should be able to overcome this tendency if rigged correctly. It's a 150 with the regular size tires on it. Something about using brakes to takeoff just does not seem right.
thanks.

[Steve Pierce]

Sounds like a misaligned gear to me. Have you read this thread?
http://www.shortwingpipers.org/forum...ight=alignment

I'd check alignment and see if the ownerwill correct it.I have never had to use brakes to keep a short wing straight on take-off. On rare occasion in sever winds on landing.

[670x]

Hmmm thanks Steve, that is what I was leaning towards also. I guess I need to get the annual done and fly it to see for myself what it does. I will go out and measure it as well. I will have the mechanics check it also and compare notes.
What is the correct toe in angle? I seem to remember 0 but I will look around.
Thanks

[Brian]

That sure isn't normal behavior. The rudder authority is very powerfull with full throttle applied on take off roll. Only gets better as the speed increases. When the tail comes up there is the dart to the left as a result of the gyroscopic effect of the propellor moving on its axis but again easily corrected with rudder only. Like Steve said any sort of missalignment behavior should be more dramatic and difficult to control on landing roll instead of take off roll.
My 2 cents.
Brian

[redbarron55]

Maybe the guy who told you this is not that secure with the plane? You would need some rudder, but no brake in my experience. The rudder is very effective under power.
The alignment could be off, but still I would think that the rudder would be effective enough to take care of any but the most extreme misalignment, which would cause problems throughout ground all ground operations.

JDB.

[Throttle Pusher]

Check the rigging and make sure you have full travel both ways on the rudder.

Ken

[Jinkers]

Checking the alignmnet and rigging before buying is very good advice. Wish I had done that.

[Pacer42Z]

I own my Pacer for 10 Years and have over 1,000 hours in it in all kind of wind conditions. Unless you have a hell of a cross wind you do not need brake during take off. The rudder is very effective.

Juergen
Pacer 3342Z

[670x]

Thanks, getting a pre-purchase/annual that I'm paying for done, probably won't get a chance to fly it till August.
Hopefully then I can see what's going on provided the IA does not find anything big.