Tandem or Side by Side. What is best??

[asra]

If you want a real flick about machine, make em lite and short.....tandems are great cruisers, and very forgiving.just my view......Russ....A1014 NT....gods country

[asra]

For instruction: you need a sideXside (RAF like...), because you need to punch the nose of the student to save a critical situation!!![]; otherwise you'll need to put commands on springs like the "BillParson" of Bill Parson...For recreational or to muster cattle: statistiques say that 90% of the time you fly alone! so the best handling, visibility, troublefree is the close tandem...(Magni M14, Barnett J4B2...)Just my opinion!...and every one deserves my opinion![][)]salutations []André Martin.Québec; CANADA.

[birdy]

"statistiques say that 90% of the time you fly alone! so the best handling, visibility, troublefree is the close tandem...("Why would you need a tandem if you alone???And anything 'closed' is dangerous if your mustering.[but wot would I know??]Ignorance is bliss............but only till you realise you were.You can always get the answer you want, if you ask enough experts.

[asra]

You know what i meant, Birdy...A close tandem like a trike! the passenger is on your back!!!10% of the time!!![]salutations []André Martin.Québec; CANADA.

[asra]

Nearly all of my training has been in tandem 2 place machines but I built and fly an partially enclosed Side by Side 2 place.My take on it is this:Yes, Side by Sides do act a little squirlly with only one passinger, especally if you are flying in a very light configuration such as with low fuel. However, an experienced pilot should have no need to use a counter weight, the change is not that big of a deal. I flew with a counter weight only to practice for carring passingers and to test performance under heavy loads without risking a live passinger.Tandems do perform much more like a single place and do seem to in most situations seem a little more sporty.If you want to carry passingers and that is the purpose of having a 2 place then I recommend a Side by Side. When I fly with a passinger in a tandem machine it is very disconnected. It is almost like they are in a differn't craft. When I fly with a passinger in my Side by Side it is much more of a shared experience. Also, if I am carring something in the passinger seat like a backback I can access this whilst flying.I don't know that I would recommend a SxS with a center stick and some bizzar pedal config. but I guess there is nothing wrong with that..If you really want a counter weight and you plan to use the counter weight often you can just use a small 20 or 30 lb weight that you attach far out front and side, say to the front of the passinger rudder pedal assy. This small amount of weight that far out simulates a large weight in the passinger seat.

[Tim]

quote:Side by Sides do act a little squirlly with only one passingerIn Australia we are only allowed to carry one passenger! - Only having a dig Tim. Seriously though, there is no reason why a side by side should be any more "squirlly" than any correctly designed Gyro.Tim McClure

[birdy]

Righto, I'll put it more bluntly.Anyone who is serious bout muster'n wouldn't consider a two seater of any discription.If you do muster in a 2 seater, your either not serious bout muster'n, or you don't know wot serious muster'n involves.Ignorance is bliss............but only till you realise you were.You can always get the answer you want, if you ask enough experts.

[asra]

quote:Originally posted by Timquote:Side by Sides do act a little squirlly with only one passingerIn Australia we are only allowed to carry one passenger! - Only having a dig Tim. Seriously though, there is no reason why a side by side should be any more "squirlly" than any correctly designed Gyro.Tim McClureTim, When I have no passinger and no counter weight I notice a sig difference when making left and right hand turns. Also, unless I am very careful my passingerside wheel will lift off sooner then my side and a cross wind makes this effect more noticeable.Is my machine not 'correctly designed'? I have talked to other SxS owners and they experience the exact same thing so are sparrow hawks and rafs sharing this design flaw?

[Tim]

Tim, I have to ask - Do you sit on the "torque up" side? With a belt drive Subaru you need to sit on the left and with a gearbox (reverse rotation) you need to sit on the right. As I recall, all the two seaters I have flown take-off very squarly when flown solo. They do sit on a slight angle when power-off though. There is a significient difference when turning, especially when pulling G's.Tim McClure

[asra]

can a fella import(or build) one of those three seater's from sth africa or is this against the rules??they must fly and have a history. where do they fit in the grand scheme of things.

[Tim]

Currently there is no CASA exemption to allow for 3 seaters. It may happen one day but I wouldn't hold my breath. It took years of some of us operating illegally to force the issue of two seat legality, and I think it was only approved then because of the distinct training advantages.Tim McClure

[asra]

quote:Originally posted by TimTim, I have to ask - Do you sit on the "torque up" side? Yes, I do. I don't have any problems as I am expecting it. But when I am rusty it shows, I have a bit of a wiggle as I break ground.

[asra]

" I have a bit of a wiggle as I break ground".I'm much the same, I have a bit of a wiggle and smile as I break wind.Graeme.