Teaching tail wheel flying.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

When I did tail wheel check outs for licensed pilots the following was the sequence in which I taught them.


First they learned to taxi and recognise the limits to loosing control and ground looping.


Then they did high speed runs down the runway with the tail in the air until they could comfortably S turn all the way down the runway using the centre line as their guide.


When they were comfortable doing that we went flying.


First I taught them wheel landings.


Then I taught then three point landings.


Then I sent them off to fly on their own.


Generally they were competent enough to fly on their own after two hours of training.

[Colonel]

Chuck:  the world has changed around you.

The reward for long survival is complete alienation
from the bizarre world around you.

Canadian pilots think you have to be some kind
of astronaut or fighter pilot to fly a taildragger.

Me sad.

Remember when a Beech 18 appeared at my airport
and all the blowhard old guys with all the war stories
vaporized, leaving me alone with a [b]fire-breathing
dragon[/b], according to all the wise men on the internet?

It has quite the reputation, but you said bullshit,
climb in and check yourself out.  And, I did.

And I don't even fly as well as a TC Inspector, or
so I am told.

[img width=500 height=124][/img]

[Chuck Ellsworth]

There must still be some pilots out there who want to be more than just mediocre.

[Colonel]

99% of them just want a piece of paper and a white
shirt with gold bars.

Really sad.

It's just an easy job, to them.

I find this revolting.  My family has been flying since
1917.  Yup, 100 years of aviation.  It's very important
to me, in case no one has noticed  ::)

It is a terrible character flaw of mine that I cannot
tolerate posers or phonies.  Don't show up with
chicken strips on your motorcycles tires and a full
leather suit, for example. 

[img width=500 height=389]http://image.motorcyclistonline.com/f/f ... CODE-2.jpg[/img]

You probably don't want to know how I interview engineers.

PS  This is what a rear tire looks like:

[img width=333 height=500]http://www.madducracing.com/images/749c ... 49tire.jpg[/img]

See the difference quality makes?

I can't fly very well compared to the modern heroes,
but here are my taildragger chicken strips:

[img width=500 height=375][/img]

[Chris]

Unfortunately my motorcycle will drag the boards long before I run out of tire. Apparently I can get titanium nubs for them though, so at least it'll be a cool light show!


Any suggestions on where to do tailwheel flying in the Toronto area? Brampton has a Citabria. 3-Point Aviator maybe does training? Can't really glean anything form their website, it seems to only discuss buying airplanes. Burlington had a Super Cub but nothing on the website now.

[Colonel]

The taildragger in Brampton has been wrecked more times
that you've had hot meals.

The cub in Burlington was taxiied into the gas pumps,
IIRC.

Try 3-point.  I've heard good things.

[Liquid Charlie]

Can it still be called convention gear. Like a few here that is all that was available to learn to fly on. But as stated by the Col -- most now don't care they just have stars in their eyes and metal on their mind and can hardly wait to have full automatics. I always chuckle to myself when I here guys say that all the want to fly is a dash 8 -- really!!!!! and then I always get the question what was your most favourite aircraft to fly. I go down a short list and 3 out of the 5 are DC3(piston, skis and wheels), Bch18 (floats,wheels and skiis) and cubs , herc and 727 rounds off the group and instantly I get asked, "what about the Basler" and all I can answer to that is it's the DC3's ugly sister -- haha -- point being all the aircraft I enjoyed the most need to grabbed and both hands a feet are required to fly (yes even the 727) flat footed is not an option.


and yup I soloed in 6 hours and self taught myself to fly (even exam prep and write) right up to my commercial. Looking at ripoffs in the basic flight training even back then. The Chinese Air Force at the island likely started it all and when clubs became schools eroded even more. To much coddling, teaching (kids teaching kids) and over complicating things. Flight bags bigger than the aircraft. Jeezus if guys would just go out and fly by the ars of their pants more, turn off the radios, build time in a cub and actually have some fun but hey, maybe one can't do that any more and that my friends is what makes this such a sad state of affairs.

[Colonel]

It is my personal belief that fundamental knowledge
and skills need to be first acquired before skipping
ahead to the advanced stuff.

This opinion is shared by few these days, but I believe
the best house is built upon a solid foundation.

This of course is a completely unreasonable position
to hold today.  Stupid old man.  Got that.

[Colonel]

[quote]if someone was taught to use the rudder correctly from the start[/quote]

Unicorn.  Never happens in real life, on nosewheel.

I spent too many years teaching tailwheel.  Virtually
[i]every single pilot[/i] had to first unlearn their dead feet
which they were taught on nosewheel aircraft.

I like your fantasy, though.  Movie rights might
be worth something.  I'd pay to go see it.  I love
a good story.