I pursuit of ever greater fun....

I have starter landing on smaller gravel bars in different parts of the local riverbeds. So instead of a large regular surface covered in nicely graded stones, things are more complicated.

Usually, these smaller bars have a variety of rock grades, nicely distributed. Often, there seems to be larger rocks at one end of the bar, with smaller rocks at the other end. Each gravel bar is different, in terms of the landing direction and surface, and there are lots around. So I can usually take my pick of the spots, to suit.

My questions is, given the choice, which way should I land to minimise stress on my undercarriage:

Is it better to put the mains on the rough stuff, and roll out onto the smoother surface?
Or would the landing gear be better served if I put the mains onto the smooth at speed, and come to a stop in the rough?

Of course, I could lift the tailwheel with full power before I start the take-off roll.... but not on a rocky surface (prop doesn't like to eat rocks). Also I usually have to taxi to turn the plane around. Given the wind and surrounding trees / terrain, I usually have to go out the way I came in.

What do you think?

P.s. I realise one answer is "if you want to save wear, why land on big rocks at all?" Good question.
Sometimes fun comes at a cost, I just want to keep challenging myself while minimising the cost of wear and tear at the same time. There aren't many 350ft gravel bars around here which also happen to be pebble-smooth...

Wind is the king in STOL. The gear is not the problem it is the prop. On takeoff you have to suck it up an follow the king. Now if the wind is calm or mild and you have the hp, wing and prop to do the job than start with big rock because the prop won't pick them up. If you pull a load on small sand/rocks than the prop will pick them up and do damage. If you can give the prop 50 - 100 ft of roll before you pick up the tail it will help a lot. As far as landing I would always land on the small stuff first if the king would let me.
DENNY

I think the answer is a set of 31" Bushwheels

My big rock work was in Pawnees on short pastures with up to six inch diameter rocks. That was seeding fescue, so I was fairly light with a full load. I got off into ground effect as soon as possible and I touched down as slow as possible in low ground effect. That put me off the rocks slower than stall and back onto the rocks slower than stall.

Like Denny says King Wind management says use it to slow our ground speed. Wind, gravity thrust down hill, and bouncing over big rocks helped me get into ground effect quickly. Wind helped me get down with slow ground speed and uphill landing helped me get stopped quickly.

I used no brakes except for taxi turns. Sometimes I had to move rocks and pull the tail around by hand. Rocks in the prop was not a problem. This was in Stone County. They are all big. Cost Share government programs have most of those old rocks covered with fescue now. It is a really tough grass.

whee wrote:I think the answer is a set of 31" Bushwheels

The best invest you can make are 31s, they will save a lot of wear and tear on your airframe. The most sensitive thing on most TD planes is the tailwheel. My Citabria has a heavier tail than a Cub so it's harder to come to a complete stop with the tail up. I like to stop on smaller rocks if I can, it's harder to swing the tail by hand when it's sitting on bowling ball size rocks.

whee wrote:I think the answer is a set of 31" Bushwheels

False... 35" Bushwheels

35's and Baby Bush for the tailwheel
Mike

I assume you've landed these bars both ways. I'd go with what "felt" best to you. Just MHO your butt and your gear probably have similar opinions of your landings and landing surfaces.

I know with real big tires you sometimes don't even feel something at touch down speed that would be quite a bump at taxi speed.

But I'd still go with your gut..... I mean butt.

DENNY wrote:Wind is the king in STOL. As far as landing I would always land on the small stuff first if the king would let me.
DENNY

Agree.

Wind is always top dog.
But... often times there will be a bar facing one way, and 30 seconds further up-stream there's another bar facing the opposite direction. So there's always a good choice for wind, and I could start on the rough or the smooth. So lots of times, I can choose which one to land.

I also prefer to hit the small stuff first.
I like to hit the smooth stuff at speed, and if I roll out into the rough then oh well. But I am not sure that's the best. Like Utah Maule says, the feeling of the bumps seems to be worse when you're slow; sometimes.