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Learning the Xcub by doing the bush trip


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I wanted to try a different experience using a new airplane (for me). I picked the Xcub to try flying a taildragger and try a bush trip. I flew a few short flights and thought it flew well. I like it a lot better when the tail comes up and the angle gets back to 'normal'. So I went to the Alaska bush trip that is included now in MSFS.

I flew the first flight leg. I had to search for the airport with the limited info built into the navlog. I came in a bit high and fast as I tend to do sometimes, got it on the runway, then hit the brakes to stop it. It got down to maybe 20, then tipped over on the nose. Crash! Okay got to be more careful. I flew the flight leg again. Still came in a bit high and touched down maybe halfway down the runway. Tried to be careful on the brakes. So I ran off the end of the runway and crashed again!

I have learned to be careful on the landings and have succeeded to do more than half the legs on the bush trip in Alaska. The main way to succeed is to come in at a lower glide angle and touch down at under 60 kts.

But my question is how realistic is this? How hard to use the brakes without tipping it over? I have my controls on a Xbox controller, so the brakes are on a button (Y button) which makes it tricky to modulate. I usually land with the view on the external view, behind the airplane. I can watch to see when the tail wheel starts to lift off the ground and let off the brake. This seems to be rather touchy and makes me wish for a nose wheel. Other than that, the xcub is a lot of fun to fly. The short takeoffs and landings are great. Just not sure how realistic some of the behavior is.

 

Pat

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I would presume you know that all taildraggers need full back stick to apply brakes on landings (I have put a real one on its nose!!) and also within MSFS there are some adjustments to brake efficiency you can make. Otherwise get that speed down early and full flaps. Keep trying.

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I didn’t know that going full back on the stick was the way to stop the Cub. I’ve tipped the Savage over more than once on the Mariposa Bush trip. (I’ve done three or four legs on that one so far.) Lately, I’ve tried to land short and let the Cub roll for a while before very gently touching my rudder/brake pedals.

 

 

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I would presume you know that all taildraggers need full back stick to apply brakes on landings (I have put a real one on its nose!!)

No, don't assume I know that much! Thanks on the advice. I assume you mean to use full back stick while applying the brakes. To somehow reset the flaps at the same time seems like a good idea too.

 

Pat

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best is to land with the stallhorn going....very quick stop then.

just a bit of practice is needed, note flaps and rpm settings and speed.

I have usually been nervous coming in that close to stall speed. I might be getting to where I have more confidence. I have not yet been going to the really short airstrips where that is necessary. I did do a couple of flights and landings at Talkeetna village airstrip (don't remember the code), which is on the short side. And made a good landing. The other challenge there is only a little room next to runway to park it. I did learn that with a decent blip of the throttle the tail can swing around quickly.

 

Pat

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