Thread: ctsw and ctls rudder

I wonder how the rudder feel and control behavior compares between the CTSW and the CTLS?

I have to admit that I still find the CTSW rudder baffling after 85 hours. 2,000 plus hours total, and I have hundreds of hours in short-coupled airplanes like the Rockwell Commanders that tend to "fishtail" in turbulence. It doesn't seem that way in the CTSW. It doesn't seem to wag its tail much. Rather, the yaw stability seems closer to neutral than in the spam cans: the rudder sort of stays deflected. I have not been able to master using the rudder with the style and grace that I would like to display. Any ideas?

WF

i find it helpful to be downright anal about the amount of attention i pay to keeping the ball centered. i tend to trim at every flap change as well as every climb and descent. it is easier to work from a trimmed condition.

from other short coupled planes that i have built i learned to eliminate conscious thought about holding rudder pressure. meaning i would have to take my feet of of the pedals to see on which side i was holding pressure and how much. if i devote a portion of my brain or better yet reflexes to keeping the ball centered than i begin flying the ct well.

a revealing exercise is to initiate your turns with rudder and co-ordinate with aileron as opposed to the other way around. also try to turn with rudder only and keeping the ball centered.

coordination in the ctsw is not very intuitive and after 325 hours i have to fly the instruments. i'm sure the lack of cowling in the sight picture is a big part of it. in fact when you pull off those perfect turns there is a unique sight picture but with fewer visual references. if you keep that in mind, looking to find a different look for a coordinated turn it helps.

even though turns take more attention it is worth it. this design manuevers like a bumblebee, very quick and agile