L-5 Checkout Experience

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Mon May 05, 2008 9:21 pm

Well, Saturday I finally got the L-5 checkout done that I've been trying to get done for about a year. My first impression was how different the controls were as compared to the Cub and the L-2 I've flown. The stick is huge in comparison, and the flaps are a welcome addition. Also, the throttle quadrant is a bit different, and I made a note to be careful about the mixture position, as it was backwards of a few aircraft I've flown. For the whole flight I had a fellow in the back who's well-built (ie. big and heavy, but not fat) so I was using a LOT of forward trim the whole flight. Trimming on the L-2 is very simple with a little lever that quickly adjusts with a nice visual correspondence to it's position. With the L-5 - you turn a wheel that's just below your left forearm. One of the big things the instructor worked with me on was the flaps system. It's great and simple, but for a skinny guy like me (I guess I need to work out some more) it was a real handful to pull the flaps into position - especially at first. The key to the whole first part of the check was learning to apply the flaps smoothly so that when I did the landings, it would not become a hazard.
Landings proved to be rather uneventful. In my opinion the L-5's landing gear is a bit easier to use than the L-2 or Cub. The struts are great. As far as visibility is concerned, the L-5's nose is the highest I've flown with. In the Cub from the rear seat visibility isn't that good, but ok, the L-2 has great visibility even on the ground for me, but the L-5 requires gentle S-turns in order to really know what's ahead.
To wrap it up - biggest things I had to work on were visibility, and the flaps system. If you do things by instinct, be careful with the mixture control.
All in all, the L-5 is a nice plane, and was a lot of fun to fly.

Ryan

b29flteng · **Posted:** Mon May 05, 2008 10:29 pm

I had a problem with landings when I was checked out. I found out I couldn't "grease it in", as the airplane tended to dance around because of the gear. I found if I stalled it about a foot off the the ground the airplane would plant itself and spread the gear out and would track much easier. I learned in a spring-geared Cessna 120. Then again it may have been just me!

Forgotten Field · **Posted:** Mon May 05, 2008 11:09 pm

Congratulations, Ryan.
I heard a lot of different advice about the L-5 before I flew it, and after flying it for about 90 hours, I completely agree with the tail-low wheel landing and planting it on the ground, except in a stiff cross wind where I use a wheel landing. Even if you get a bounce or two, it is better than the "wallow" you get when you are flying slow and trying to grease it on. I usually use first notch of flaps and ailerons all the way down on final, and then determine if I want the last 15 degrees. If it is nice and calm, the full 45 degrees of flaps is nice, but you have to watch balooning as you really have lift to spare. One other thing- I don't idle the throttle until I am just about to touch down. That usually gives me the last bit of sink that plants me on the ground and allows me to get in a good nose high attitude. When I talked to the pilots of the 14th Liaison Squadron, two of them were pretty clear on setting up with the flaps and carrying just enough power to keep from mushing the controls, and then closing the throttle just before landing. On grass, I've been getting 200-300 foot landings consistently while flying final at 65 MPH with just a bit of power.

Now wait until you solo it, and hold the stick all the way back with 30 degrees flaps and ailerons down two cranks while you add throttle. The first time I did that on a nice cold day, I was surprised how fast I was airborne. It can't be more than 150 feet...

b29flteng · **Posted:** Tue May 06, 2008 4:58 pm

I don't think the "A" model (which I flew 20+ years ago) had the aileron droop. ?? One thing I've seen on the "G" model is some owners will put another notch in the flap lever quadrant to give you another flap setting, sort half way.

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Tue May 06, 2008 6:08 pm

Hmmm. I'm not sure if the L-5 we have is capable of drooping the ailerons. It certainly wasn't mentioned in the checkout. I have already soloed it, and it was pretty nice.

Ryan

Taylor Stevenson · **Posted:** Wed May 07, 2008 6:54 am

Ryan,
If your L-5 is an E or G model it should have the droop ailerons... it is a crank above your head (similar to a trim tab crank)
Taylor

LadyO2Pilot · **Posted:** Wed May 07, 2008 7:04 am

Congrats.....bet you had a bunch of fun !!!

Aerostream · **Posted:** Thu May 08, 2008 10:07 am

I bet it's quite an experience to jump from a 65hp Continental to a 190hp Lycoming.

Yeah, only the E and G models have droop ailerons. It's a cool thing to have, but the jury's still out on whether or not they add anything significant other than more drag. Landings are tricky, too, on account of the splay gear. If you have the choice, go with the grass runway. Best thing to do is learn to stall it just before/ as you touch down so you plant the gear and get some weight on that tailwheel (Of course I speak strictly as an observer for now).

The L-5 is a whole other animal when it comes to the other L-birds. For one thing, it was the only plane scratch-built for the Air Force and not pulled off the shelf and painted green. So it's got twice the power, its big enough for a seat-pack parachute (like you'll ever have the altitude to use it), and IMO is a more capable airframe. You should see all the junk they put on the L-5G before the contract was killed.

Great job, cool plane, hope you enjoyed it!

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L-5 Checkout Experience

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