Climbing in and sitting down

[Brock]

A bit of an odd questions I suppose.
Do owners of the XL tend to always enter their 'vehicle' from one side or the other or do you get in equally as often from either side.

Thinking ahead, if I am going to use only one side to get in then it might be tempting to weld a level 1/2" tube on the other side (below the arm pit) and cover the side of the opening to reduce the breeze.

[Kamcoman77]

I think most people in North America always enter their vehicles from the left side. Cars & Eagles alike.

[Brock]

I think most people in North America always enter their vehicles from the left side. Cars & Eagles alike.

Well yes, that's my habbit.  Didn't know if there was some unknown reason to change that up in the LE.  For instance hand proping on the right side makes it easier/safer to get in from the right.  I'll likely keep the starter but just using that as an example.

[Kamcoman77]

Depends on the engine. On 1/2 VW, it is usually easier to prop from the left side. So entering from left side makes the most sense. On Verner, probably the opposite is true. On another note, if you bend it up in a ground encounter, it may be advantageous to be able to exit on either side. I've thought several times about putting that horizontal bar across the right-side cockpit opening, but decided to leave it off.

[kalazzerx]

Left side for me - hand prop my my 1/2 vw from the left side (I hand prop from the rear).  I also put my wing tank on the right side, so fuel line is on that side and out of my way when entering from left.

[Chuck in Indiana]

The 3 cylinder Verners from the 3VL on turn the same direction as the v dub. Getting in Bullet is a little harder because of the extended gear and my legs that barely reach the ground.  I sit on the cross bar, grab the top wing mount tube with my right hand and the cross bar with my left.Lift my buns over the cross bar and into the center of the seat. Then do whatever is necessary to somehow get my stiffer by the month legs in.
Getting out is essentially the same except I have a hand hold on the left cabane to help pull myself out.

[Brock]

Thanks Chuck for that.  A couple of thoughts. 
It seems very strange that the prop rotation was changed.  That's facinating and I wonder why it was done.
Perhaps I can bag the suspension so it will squat for ingress/egress.

I've been thinking about prop clearance lately which brings thoughts of landing gear and wheels.  What is your prop clearance when on the ground and in level flight attitude?  I like the BlackMax wheels but realize that a 20" bike wheel gets the axle higher thus the gear can be shorter.  Lengthening the gear makes it weaker.  Do you recommend up sizing the tubing?

Thoughts?

[Chuck in Indiana]

Thanks Chuck for that.  A couple of thoughts. 
It seems very strange that the prop rotation was changed.  That's facinating and I wonder why it was done.
Perhaps I can bag the suspension so it will squat for ingress/egress.

I've been thinking about prop clearance lately which brings thoughts of landing gear and wheels.  What is your prop clearance when on the ground and in level flight attitude?  I like the BlackMax wheels but realize that a 20" bike wheel gets the axle higher thus the gear can be shorter.  Lengthening the gear makes it weaker.  Do you recommend up sizing the tubing?
I read somewhere that they wanted to use a starter that turned in the opposite rotation. (!) That sounds bogus to me..

Thoughts?

I realize that many use the Black Max wheels and brakes and like them, but I have a hard time imagining they are as light as these high tech bicycle wheels and brakes. I just had them off to true up the spokes after 50 hours on fairly rough sod usage, but didn't think to weigh them. Not much, though.
My thoughts on deciding on the 20 inch wheels were the same as yours.I *did* put the compression springs on the gear, but it is apparently not necessary to upsize the tubing. Of course, I always land as gently as a thistle down..
Just went out and measured.. 9 1/2". I remember looking it up on FAA 4313, and I *think* 9" minimum is what it said.

[Brock]

...
Just went out and measured.. 9 1/2". I remember looking it up on FAA 4313, and I *think* 9" minimum is what it said.

I had to search for that 9".  Found it in FAR25 (airworthiness standards) here it is...

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-25/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFR3db216ad9d52259/section-25.925
Does not apply to expirementals and certainly not to part-103 but is good guidance. 

[Dan_]

I had a Wittman Tailwind with a O-200 built in 1965 by a WWII B-25 bombardier who built another one later with an Lyc O-290.

This one had 4" clearance, and survived my "arrivals" while learning to wheel land it.  Best I remember it had about 7" sitting in 3-point.

Landing gear travel is a big consideration here, but what is recommended and what is gotten away with can sometimes be farther apart than one would think on first blush.

Just a data point.  Not tryna go against 43-13.  It is for all intents and purposes "The Bible" of standard practices.