Aerobatic training near Dallas?

Diana

Diana

Final Approach
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Diana
Has anyone had any aerobatic instruction from the flight school, Four Winds Aviation, north of Dallas? I was thinking of perhaps getting some acro instruction (Citabria or Decathlon) somewhere while I’m down there visiting for a few days. Looks like they are based at Aero Country Airport.
 
I know there is a CFI at T31 who does aero instruction. Don't know his name, but Dave (my CFI A&P, old head and friend) speaks highly of him. I have seen the sign on his hangar and waited for him to land a couple of times, but never met him.

I'll check it out if you wish.
 
Diana said:
Bo, that would be great! Thanks. :)
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PM (or post) me a list of what you really, really need (want) to find out and I will get the info when I am out there Saturday.
 
The Old Man said:
PM (or post) me a list of what you really, really need (want) to find out and I will get the info when I am out there Saturday.
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I'd love a copy of that information, too, please!
 
The Old Man said:
PM (or post) me a list of what you really, really need (want) to find out and I will get the info when I am out there Saturday.
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Bo, I am looking for an aerobatic instructor who is familiar with basic competition maneuvers in the kind of airplane that I fly. I hope to compete in October in the Primary Category.

After I get my airplane back, I will have about 3 weeks to get ready for a contest. I’ve never been to a contest, I don’t have an instructor or coach. I don’t know how to make my airplane do some of the things it needs to do. I don’t know how to stay in the little bitty box or correct for wind in the little bitty box. I have one of the least capable airplanes for competition.

The kind of instructor I prefer for aerobatic instruction would hopefully be kind and patient and be able to actually teach. Someone who would rather “impart” than “impress”. They would also need to be serious about W&B and other safety issues doing aerobatics.

That’s the short version.

Thanks Bo! :)
 
Diana said:
Bo, I am looking for an aerobatic instructor who is familiar with basic competition maneuvers in the kind of airplane that I fly.

The kind of instructor I prefer for aerobatic instruction would hopefully be kind and patient and be able to actually teach. Someone who would rather “impart” than “impress”. They would also need to be serious about W&B and other safety issues doing aerobatics.
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Diana-

I can do all that for you except for the Citabria part... sorry.
 
Well, I spent about thirty minutes talking with Dave Honaker this morning. He's the prez and chief instructor at Four Winds. I would have spent longer, but he had a student waiting. They have 2 aerobatic aircraft used for instruction and several instructors for you to choose from. There are 3 approved boxes within 25 miles of T31 that they can use. They also have certified judges that can critique your performance in real time.

They also have a nice web site; tail-wheel.com that covers many other areas of their operation. I liked Dave and am seriously (we talked about it a little) considering turning the Redhead over to him for some instruction.
 
The Old Man said:
I liked Dave and am seriously (we talked about it a little) considering turning the Redhead over to him for some instruction.
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Bo, thanks so much for checking this out for me. I appreciate it. And I am excited to hear about your wife! I hope she gets some time there. Keep us posted on how she likes her training! Has she taken lessons before?
 
Diana said:
Keep us posted on how she likes her training! Has she taken lessons before?
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If/when she starts, it will be a part of the Journal. We have talked about her taking some lessons before, but never got around to it. Now it has become an imperative.

She keeps saying that she can't do it, it is too hard. I keep telling her that she becomes part of the car when she gets in it and the plane will be just the same. She loves driving and the plane will give her the same freedom but in three dimensions.

She will not go to the point of getting a license, too many medical problems. None insurmountable, but still complicating (diabetes is the biggie).
 
The Old Man said:
She keeps saying that she can't do it, it is too hard.
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Bo, if she ever wants to visit with someone about it, I would be glad to talk with her. I have had confidence issues since I started flying, and still do. But I keep at it anyway. What has helped is having people around me who encourage me and remind me "You CAN do it." :)
 
We may all have to get together for a meal while you are here. BTW, do you have a date set for the SLR trip?
 
The Old Man said:
We may all have to get together for a meal while you are here.
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That would be great! :yes:

The Old Man said:
BTW, do you have a date set for the SLR trip?
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We plan to go to the Legend Cub factory on Monday. Tuesday might be our rain date.
 
The Old Man said:
Well, I spent about thirty minutes talking with Dave Honaker this morning. He's the prez and chief instructor at Four Winds. I would have spent longer, but he had a student waiting. They have 2 aerobatic aircraft used for instruction and several instructors for you to choose from. There are 3 approved boxes within 25 miles of T31 that they can use. They also have certified judges that can critique your performance in real time.
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Bo, thanks for introducing me to Dave. Unfortunately, his schedule didn't work out with mine and we didn't get to fly. He seems like a great guy and I think I would have enjoyed flying with him.

I've given up on my dream of competing this year. Even though I have my Citabria back home, there are still multiple problems with it (out of rig, not "waterproof", problems with some of the cables, etc.) and it won't be ready in time for the contest.
 
Diana said:
Bo, thanks for introducing me to Dave. Unfortunately, his schedule didn't work out with mine and we didn't get to fly. He seems like a great guy and I think I would have enjoyed flying with him.
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Our pleasure, Diana. BTW, one of the guys (Bo Case) at the hangar working on the P51 was much taken by your friend. I was back out there on Tuesday and he pumped me for what little I knew about her.

Diana said:
I've given up on my dream of competing this year. Even though I have my Citabria back home, there are still multiple problems with it (out of rig, not "waterproof", problems with some of the cables, etc.) and it won't be ready in time for the contest.
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Hang in there, there's always next year.
 
The Old Man said:
BTW, one of the guys (Bo Case) at the hangar working on the P51 was much taken by your friend. I was back out there on Tuesday and he pumped me for what little I knew about her.
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Carol came with us to Gaston's the past two years. She lives in Kansas City and works at a hospital there. Tom has given her several lessons and if she lived closer to us, she'd have her license by now. She loves to fly, and did most of the flying to Dallas and back home.

The Old Man said:
Hang in there, there's always next year.
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Thanks Bo. They may be changing some of the categories next year and might add a hesitation roll, which will be even harder in my airplane with flat-bottom wings and no inverted fuel and oil. I was hoping to compete at least once under the present primary category.

I hope you keep us posted on how your wife likes her flying lessons. :)
 
Bummer on the competetion news Diana.

i have some of the same frustrations with the SSA and their glider contest structure. The "Sports" Class has been taken over by moderately skilled XC pilots with deep wallets, racing basically top of the line gliders in the lower class so they can win. Of course the Sports class was designed to give us poor (literally) chaps a chance to have some hearty competetion and not eat too much dust.

I understand that the same thing has happened to the sports class equivalent of the National Aerobatic Club. Deep wallets go buy Sukhois or Extras and people like you who love to have fun in Citabrias or Taylorcrafts end up eating dust. Too bad too...some of the most beautiful and skill demanding aerobatic flying I have ever seen has been in low-end aerobatic aircraft.
 
i see these are old posts, but does anyone know if they still do the acro up at t31? i'd like to give it a go.
 
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