Message-ID: <377820C5.39D474FC@gateway.net>
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 1999 18:26:29 -0700
From: dfs <dfs@gateway.net>
To: Lancair List <lancair.list@olsusa.com>
Subject: Nose wheel shimmy
Mime-Version: 1.0

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Re: the question about nose wheel shimmy from Angier, I think.

It's a lot like wheels-up landings: "There those that have, and there
are those that will" (paraphrased).

I hadn't had the problem in a lot of hours of flying when some nosy guy
at the airport pointed out that my nose wheel was wearing more at the
edges (shoulders, I think it is) than at the center of the tread.
Immediately thinking this was "a bad thing", I decided to increase the
pressure from the 25 psi I was using (with no shimmy whatsoever) to
around 35 psi. Takeoff was no different at the higher pressure but on
landing, I thought that the "BIG ONE" had hit (I was flying out of the
LA area at the time). The shimmy was so violent that I was sure I,d
damaged something! I virtually yanked the stick back to relieve nose
gear weight until my speed had decreased to the point where the nose
came down anyway. Fortunately, after a VERY thorough inspection, no
damage was found - that's to the airplane, not my nerves! Even a couple
double Scotches hardly helped.

Anyway, long story short, the nose seems to be more prone to shimmy if
you increase the tire pressure. Just reporting my experience here - no
theories as to why. Now, when some nosy know-it-all points to my nasty
nose gear tire wear, I'll just tell'm "Yep! That's just one of the
things that make these Lancairs go so d--- fast - go figure"!

Dan Schaefer
N235SP
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