Vagabond X/W

[DaleLindstrom]

I was just out practicing X/W T.O. & Landings (on pavement) in my PA-15/17 with 8.00x6 tires (Cleveland wheels & brakes). The wind was somewhere between 15 to 20 MPH out of 90 degrees. I was using runway 01. It was a little more sporting than my old Cub, but very do-able.
Not much difference between 3 point and wheel landings. Except I was using more runway with wheelies. T.O.s were easy.

[Steve Pierce]

Curious why it was more sporty than your Cub? I have always thought the opposite when comparing crosswinds in a short wing vs a Cub.

[DaleLindstrom]

I just mean that with the shorter fuselage it reacts much more quickly (longitudinally) to the wind AND rudder inputs. It also seems to react stronger/quicker to adverse yaw when keeping the upwind wing down. In the Cub, the wind gust picking up the upwind wing also had a longer arm to push on the vertical fin/rudder. So the gust and additional adverse yaw when adding more aileron to keep the wing down pretty much cancelled each other out. In the Vagabond the additional right aileron (X-wind from the right) swings the nose to the left pretty quickly.
I'll get used to it. That's why I was practicing!
I've only been flying for 50 years and 10,000 hours. I've still got a LOT to learn. I've been telling my students for the last 47 years, you never stop learning.

[Steve Pierce]

I learned to fly in a Clipper and thought the Cub was more of a handful in the crosswind because that wind wanted to get under that long wing. They all are fun cause they teach us different tricks for sure.

[DaleLindstrom]

I really believe that the Vagabond can handle more wind than the Cub. If the wind is much stronger than 20, I would probably look at a taxiway more into the wind, if no runway was available. It wouldn't need much room! (Not that I've ever done that. )

[Steve Pierce]

Yep, and the nice thing about the short wings is when they are three pointed they are usually done trying to fly.

[dgapilot]

Use the runway on a diagonal. Reduces cross wind effect, and if the wind is that strong, you won’t have much ground roll.


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[DaleLindstrom]

Use the runway on a diagonal. Reduces cross wind effect, and if the wind is that strong, you won’t have much ground roll.
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I agree 100%.
I was doing that on the T.O.s
But with a 60' wide runway, it didn't help much.