Anyone have first-hand T tail experience?

yep

you'll hear a lot of horror stories about longer takeoffs due to elevator effectiveness, blah blah. A lot of people seem to think they are packing moose meat off a sandbar. For 99.9% of pilots, they'll notice no difference.

positive, your kids can run around the tail without scalping themselves on the stabilator.

negative, it's a PIA to get the snow off the tail.

Yes, I do.






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What is the real question?

What people’s thoughts are. People who have owned/flown/maintained them. A lot of thoughts floating around on the internet but I assume a lot of that is hearsay

If you want to talk on the phone, PM me your number. I'm sure it will be easier than typing a dissertation and take a more direct course than my ramblings in the forum would.

It's underpriced because of the old wives tails. Which makes it a good buy for people that need a six place airplane, without hitting the Powerball. The Turbo version is really underpriced, so don't overlook that one. It gives you the option to get over a lot of summer weather that normally aspirated planes have to plow through. Useful loads are 1200-1400 pounds, speeds are 155-165 KTAS, a little faster if turbo, parts are plentiful, systems are simple. The t-tail makes for a low-vibration ride since the tail is above the prop wash. Just don't try to takeoff from short, wet, & soft grass fields at gross weight. It's a bit harder to get the nose light under those conditions. That's about the only real difference to the straight tail version.

I’d own a T tail.... I inspect an owner assist T tail ( bout 5-6 years now). A part from getting on a 8 foot ladder to inspect the tail.... I have no beef with it.

Put this in the Chevy van or paneled station wagon category.....It doesn't fly like a sports car but it hauls a bunch and passengers like the room.

Yup. And I am glad the guys who have time in it chimed in before the keyboard commandos who don't have any experience. I had about 80 hours in one over the course of 13 months flying a guy who lost his medical.

Yes, I noticed the tail wasn't as effective down low. Probably one of the few ASEL aircraft I carried power down all the way to the end. When the tail is done, it's done.

So I thought it was a little different, but not bad. I would never, ever, hesitate to own one. And if the Toga / Lance / C-6 fit my mission, I'd buy a T tailed Lance in a heartbeat because the prices are down because of the folks who have not really flown them. No reservations... none.

Take the rear door off and it makes an excellent photo plane.

I have a decent amount of time in a PA-32RT-300T. I really didn't like how it flew. It was heavy on the controls and slow for the amount of gas it burned. It had a decent useful load and more room than a Bo.

Would I buy one... no. Should you buy one.... maybe.

No experience in one but I WAS specifically looking for one last year because of the price difference between it and the standard tail Lance. Oh, and I like the way they look as well. Then my current plane fell into my lap ending all decision making.

Would I still buy one after all of the research?




In a New York minute.

I don't like how the tail is pretty much ineffective at low speeds, but it's just an idiosyncrasy.

None of Cherokee 6 versions rank in my favorites, but once you learn it, the T-tail is fine. All the -6s are big haulers at reasonable prices compared to an A-36.

I’m just gonna guess that the tail of a T-tailed Lance is not as dead as the small tail of my exceedingly nose-heavy 205. Yet somehow I manage (and still get in and out of short dirt strips). It’s a hard life, I know, but someone’s gotta do it!

You could do like us 205’ers and put 100# of lead/water/gear in the back. It really helps. If I’m flying solo or two up front I’ll put two 6.5 gallon water jugs in the way back - one in the extended baggage compartment. Makes a huge difference!

Only thing I had to get used to when I started flying "T" Tail aircraft, is you don't hold some back pressure on the initial take off roll. Without prop blast over the elevator, it takes a little time to become effective and if you are holding too much back pressure the tail starts flying all at once.

I have a lot of Cherokee Six time and always wished they had a retract version and then along came the Lance. I liked it.

Bob

I’ve got some time in a piston single t tail. A Piper Tomahawk..... also a little time working on it.

Working on it is annoying, the tail way up there. Annoying to clean, annoying to lube and annoying to take off panels to look around. Not a big deal, just on a ladder. There’s also some recurring ADs on the t tail. Probably some on the Lance as well.

Flying wise: I suspect the average nose wheel pavement pilot wouldn’t tell a difference if they didn’t know there was a difference. An aerobatic, tailwheel or stol pilot probably can tell.

All in all, the t tail is fine. They fit in hangars around other planes nicely. Tail way out of the way!