Torque/P-Factor

[Jeffrey Banks]

Hi all,

I have had best self-launch take offs with with the wing down.  

Seems that if the right wing is down the torque and P-factor tend to lift the wing.

I have steerable tailwheel so it really does not matter as I just make an initilal turn to the lower wing and it usually picks up.

Anyone else have experience with this??

I have had very poor experience with wing runners when I power up and they have to deal with the torque and P-factor.

(Almost always a left wing drops when they let go).

Jeff Banks

[Jeffrey Banks]

Just for fun.........anyone have a couple of fish spring scales?    Test running in the tiedown area with a fish scale on each wing might be something interesting.

Or a math inclined person might be able to calculate torque and P-factor from the 30 hp engine.

Jeff

[Scott Manley]

Jeff et al,

I had exactly the same experience.

I had always used a wing runner when launching pure glider, so it made perfect sense to have a wing runner when launching the Electro. 

On the first launch attempt, the left wing dropped dramatically.  I blamed myself for not recognizing a right x-wind (even though there was no wind that day).

2nd launch, the left wing dropped.  I blamed not being familiar with the aircraft.

This went on for a while until the possibility of motor torque effect finally dawned to me.

Solution: start every takeoff with the right wing (wheel) on the ground (no wing runner required), regardless of wind condition.  Smoothly but steadily apply full power.  Watch as the motor torque rolled the wings toward level.  About the time the wings went level, I had enough airspeed for aileron authority.  It was poetry in motion.

===

I just listed my Electro on Wings & Wheels.

https://wingsandwheels.com/classifieds

'Loved the glider, loved the U.S. representative, but simply not flying it enough to make it worth the required time, and expense.

Cheers, SRM

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[Steve Bair]

Scott,
Thanks for your post. While it makes sense theoretically, it really helps to have first-hand, real world experience to confirm the theory.

Steve