MiG 3 Any Advice on stopping the Bouncy Landings?

[Weegie]

As the weather here is rubbish I've been trying out some different aircraft and always loved the "Sportscar" looks of the MiG 3

 

Just flying around again at the moment and familiarizing myself with isome of its quirkier controls (flaps and tailwheel lock)

 

Takeoff is fine although it does like to wander a bit, but landing??

 

I can put it down and not break anything fine but is there a technique or settings that stop it acting like a demented kangroo whenever the wheels touch terra firma?

 

FInd it looses lift around 150kph, no crosswind, but stalling it out and either the right wing drops or a tad above 150 and it just bounces down the runway. Pulling hard on the stick at just above 150 and it careers back into the air followed by the bounce too.

 

Must be missing something and I don't remember it being this bad when I was last in it, but that was quite a few years back

[ShamrockOneFive]

If you're bouncing I'd guess that you're chopping the throttle too soon and your descent rate is high thus causing the aircraft to hit hard and jump back up into the air. Or your landing speed is too high but it sounds like you've got it right down to the stall speed so its probably your rate rather than the speed that is the issue.

 

The MiG-3 is a handful but keep an eye on both your vertical speed as well as your stall speed on the way in.

[czech693]

I usually add a small amount of throttle as the speed drops in the flare to hold it at or slightly above stall speed.  That usually lowers it down to the ground without stalling.

[Zooropa_Fly]

MiG 3 Any Advice on stopping the Bouncy Landings?

 

Spoiler

Bail Jocky, BAIL !

 

Edited November 23, 2023 by Zooropa_Fly

[jollyjack]

Ya'll just got me curious again in this plane ... like bumpy rides.

 

 

[Dragon1-1]

If you're bouncing, this usually means you're coming in too fast, or at a wrong attitude. The MiG-3 is not easy to land, between the tailwheel, the engine and the bugged flap controls, it requires paying attention to vertical speed, airspeed and attitude at the same time.

[spreckair]

I had the same problem when I first started flying the Mig 3, but after flying it in career mode for many months, my landings are now quite smooth.  I cannot tell you exactly why they are smooth, but it came from practice practice practice...

[-TBC-AeroAce]

3 hours ago, spreckair said:

I had the same problem when I first started flying the Mig 3, but after flying it in career mode for many months, my landings are now quite smooth.  I cann

 

Above and as far as I can recall don't use full flaps with the Mig. They produce way too much drag requiring high thrust.

 

[Weegie]

I did try half flaps perhaps I should experiment some more with other flap settings, thanks. Also tried different fuel loadings, 100, 50 and 25 but that didn't seem to help much either

 

Now praticing on ridiculously wide and long runway at Hawkinage (Normandy map).

 

Looking at some reruns of recordings of them, my sink rate was ridiculously low and speed around 150kph or below, first touch and she bounces, but not too badly, but then the second bounce is usually worse than the first.

 

I can land the Spits and 109s and all the other fighters I've tried, including multi engined without issue.

 

Not total beginner, but the MiG is proving an unexpected challenge

[Dragon1-1]

You're going too fast. 150kph is fast, the MiG's stated landing speed is 135-145kph. At 150, it wants to get back into the air. You need to ride right at the edge of stall, then, right over the runway, pull it up into the 3-point attitude. If you're at the right speed, instead of going up, it should slow down and drop. Remember what the horizon looks like when standing on the ground, then try to achieve the same attitude right over the runway. If you time it right, you'll land smoothly.

[Weegie]

@Dragon1-1

 

Think you've nailed it for me, I'm still bouncing a little, but much reduced.

 

It's certainly a precision landing to get it right, few clicks of airspeed either way and it doesn't end well

 

Just got to practice more now

 

Many thanks to everybody for taking the time to give me the benefit of their experience and offer advice

[fergal69]

Wheels up landing usually cures any bouncing 

[tvcasualty]

I agree about the speed being too high, she also doesn't like to slow down, try a much longer rollout before the flare to bleed off excessive speed...  I agree this one is not easy to land.  I love the Mig3 scramble mission so I fly this one often!

[Dragon1-1]

On 11/24/2023 at 3:07 PM, Weegie said:

It's certainly a precision landing to get it right, few clicks of airspeed either way and it doesn't end well

This is normal with taildraggers. The MiG-3 is unusually sensitive to it, mostly because it doesn't like to slow down. One nice thing that flaps do is give you drag, high lift is manageable if you're at the right speed, but lack of drag can make it difficult to get slow fast enough.