Things No One Ever Told Me #1

[Shepherd]

I flew an Aeronca 11AC for the first time ever this morning.
How come no one has ever told me this taildragger is so easy to land?
This (so far) is the easiest plane to land I have ever flown.
Woefully under-powered. It was 65 hp and needed over 1,000' of concrete runway to get into ground effect before I could pull up and fly away. 74 degrees, 80% humidity, 3/4 tank of fuel and my gear bag plus me for a total of 215 lbs. Speed topped out at 80 MPH at full throttle. Control inputs were light.
But the landing! Trim for 65 over the fence, it flew into ground effect and leveled itself out. All I did was keep it straight and rolled in more up trim and it settled so softly I couldn't tell it was down. Almost no rudder input (not like the Cub or Luscombe) to keep it straight.
If I could find one with 85+ horses. I would be seriously tempted to own it.

 

[eman1200]

don't #1 into the wind.

actually I bet someone has told you that before.

 

[Half Fast]

If I could find one with 85+ horses. I would be seriously tempted to own it.

Maybe a nitrous kit?

 

[Half Fast]

Here ya go, Shep!

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/searc...UPER+CHIEF&listing_id=2366698&s-type=aircraft

 

[MauleSkinner]

don't #1 into the wind.

actually I bet someone has told you that before.

Nobody ever told me that with bifocals you can’t see to pee. You have to go by sound.

 

[steingar]

Flew an Aeronca Chief way back when. Fun little airplane. Used our hands as ailerons.

 

[MauleSkinner]

I checked a new tailwheel Pilot out in a Chief years ago…there are a LOT of ways you can botch a landing that the airplane just absorbs.

 

[MajorTurbulence]

My first solo was in the 65hp Champ. Never knew how sweet it was as I had no comparison. It was sweet enough though as it keep me alive through the experience.

 

[Checkout_my_Six]

...and electric fences. Make sure they're not hot first.

don't #1 into the wind.

actually I bet someone has told you that before.

 

[RyanB]

don't #1 into the wind.

actually I bet someone has told you that before.

The first lesson of Boy Scouts - always pee downwind.

 

[Howard Wilson]

Owned one back in the 70'-80's. Everything Shep says is right on. Mine cruised at around 85 mph. That landing gear is way more forgiving than the T-craft and Parrakeet bungee systems. I remember doing circuits off the grass on calm evenings at FDK, before the tower, that fat Clark Y airfoil would get into ground effect and you could literally hear the short grass hitting the tires and hold it there within a few inches of the ground before letting her all the way down.

 

[Daleandee]

"You don't tug on Superman's cape ..." (J. Croce)

 

[DFH65]

Did my TW training in an 11CC almost bought the same plane. The 85HP makes it a respectable airplane.

 

[Silvaire]

Chiefs are very similar to Champs and there are at least two incidences of a hand propped Champ getting away from it's owner and going on a true solo flight with nobody onboard. It's not hard to imagine that when it ran out of gas if there hadn't been a hill or a tree in the way it might have landed itself too.

 

[Dave Theisen]

That even after becoming a professional pilot that I still had to dump the lav bucket.

 

[MauleSkinner]

That even after becoming a professional pilot that I still had to dump the lav bucket.

Is there a way to approve of a post without “like”-ing it?

 

[Sac Arrow]

Is there a way to approve of a post without “like”-ing it?

Yes, you can simply reply, and say that you approve of the post.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Yes, you can simply reply, and say that you approve of the post.

I approve of this post.

 

[Lachlan]

Nobody ever told me that with bifocals you can’t see to pee. You have to go by sound.

Lose that beer gut, uh- nose cowl, and you’ll be able to see it when you pee once again, although you’ll still need to rely on peripheral vision when you set the tail down.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Lose that beer gut, uh- nose cowl, and you’ll be able to see it when you pee once again, although you’ll still need to rely on peripheral vision when you set the tail down.

I’d still have to turn my glasses upside-down to see clearly.

 

[Dave Theisen]

Nobody ever told me that with bifocals you can’t see to pee. You have to go by sound.

By the time you need bifocals, you should know where everything is.

 

[aterry1067]

By the time you need bifocals, you should know where everything is.

Try wiping with your other hand.

 

[eman1200]

That even after becoming a professional pilot that I still had to dump the lav bucket.

if someone throws up on the plane are you the guy responsible for covering it up with small pebbles?

 

[MauleSkinner]

if someone throws up on the plane are you the guy responsible for covering it up with small pebbles?

I would cover it up with additional puke.

 

[eman1200]

I would cover it up with additional puke.

me too. even for cleaning the lavs, bleck.

 

[Pilawt]

Is there a way to approve of a post without “like”-ing it?

Yes, you can simply reply, and say that you approve of the post.

I approve of this post.

 

[IK04]

Here ya go, Shep!

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/searc...UPER+CHIEF&listing_id=2366698&s-type=aircraft

30 Large for a Super-dee-Duper Chief with no electrical system, eh? Wow.

My first ever flight in a taildragger was in one of those as a passenger. The kid flying was about to bounce and porpoise us into the weeds when I decided to "help" by pulling the yoke all the way back, like I did in the C-150 I flew. The landing went pretty smooth after that.

Shortly after then, I taught myself how to fly a taildragger in a C-120 and it seemed more difficult.

 

[Ed Haywood]

Old tube and fabric taildraggers are like dogs. Each one is awesome in their own way, and they all go to heaven.