I want to fly a tailwheel!!

M

MotoFlier

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Mar 24, 2015
Messages
782
Display Name
Display name:
MotoFlier
Anyone know where I can go in the Kentucky area to get a tailwheel endorsement? I got a bunch of days off and I'm willing to travel a reasonable distance. The only plane my CFI has is a P28-140 therefore that is all I have ever flown. I have been practicing my advanced maneuvers for my check ride and the short field landings got me itching!!
 
If you come to Texas, you can find a few places..
 
Every place I found is in Texas or Arizona. I will go out there if it comes down to it but there has to be a CFI with a tailwheel closer.
 
If you want to travel, one of the best in the country is Damian at Andover in NJ. You can learn in a cub, super cub, or a stearman.
 
MotoFlier said:
Anyone know where I can go in the Kentucky area to get a tailwheel endorsement? I got a bunch of days off and I'm willing to travel a reasonable distance. The only plane my CFI has is a P28-140 therefore that is all I have ever flown. I have been practicing my advanced maneuvers for my check ride and the short field landings got me itching!!
Click to expand...

There's a better way to do it than just "get a tailwheel endorsement." Find a place that does 10hr aerobatic intro courses in a Citabria. Typically they will throw in the TW endorsement as part of the package. If you want to fly a Tailwheel because you think it will make you a better pilot, flying aerobatics in a Tailwheel airplane will multiply the effect 100 fold. It will give you knowledge and experience in what a plane can really do (and more importantly where and why it fails to continue doing it) and confidence that may save you and your passengers lives regardless how the landing gear is configured. Aerobatics teaches you energy management at all the edges of the envelope, and that is the most critical thing to safety in an aircraft there is when it comes to having to crash.
 
Learning tailwheel properly isn't something one can just through in.

I'm all for the acro, but learning tailwheel is like soloing all over again time wise, and even then most folks won't rent to you solo, that says something.
 
All I know is, it's a damn shame a man has to go begging to find a TW instructor.

A testament to what sorry shape things are getting in...
 
James331 said:
Learning tailwheel properly isn't something one can just through in.

I'm all for the acro, but learning tailwheel is like soloing all over again time wise, and even then most folks won't rent to you solo, that says something.
Click to expand...

I bet after an hour of aerobatics, the training time to get a Tailwheel down for safe landings is cut to a third. All Tailwheel training really does is teach the level of finesse and stability with your path of energy that was lacking from prior training. Aerobatics develops that same awareness and capability set without having to learn it 12 seconds at a time, 6-10 times an hour. Acro lets you really play with it without risking damage. If you let it get away from you at 5000' you recover, if you let it get away from you on landing, you ground loop. I did my initial acro in a 2160 Robyn which is a tricycle. I transitioned easily into a Citabria with a TW and rental sign off in 1.1 (same facility with the Robyns just got the Citabria). I never found TW to be a big deal.
 
Aerobatic along with a TW ticket would be just fine I would think if the pilot can absorb it all and is a quick learner.

When I got mine, AFTER it was pretty much decided I was passed my TW requirements, on our last two flights I requested spin training and we cut loose. And this is where I agree with H. that it can save your life.

I'd go for one thing at a time and if you can squeeze in some spin training and can handle it, go for it. But I'm not saying that's a bad idea Henning is selling. It depends on the pilot/trainee and I guess money is what I'm saying.
 
Wow, I'm getting pumped, If I could get Aerobatic training and TW that would be multiball!!! Plus I'm all about anything that makes me and my family safer!
 
MotoFlier said:
Wow, I'm getting pumped, If I could get Aerobatic training and TW that would be multiball!!! Plus I'm all about anything that makes me and my family safer!
Click to expand...


Multiball. Heh. I like it. Pinball reference I assume.
 
I don't know where in KY you are, but there is a guy down in Lebanaon, TN that does tailwheel and upset training in a Citabria. He's on this site.


I really wish our flight school would buy a taildragger. I get bored flying trikes all the time, and love teaching tailwheel. I would set up mine to do instruction, but insurance for tailwheel instruction isn't cheap, and I don't think the Luscombe makes as good a trainer as a citabria or cub
 
Am I understanding correctly that you are looking to get TW and acro before you've even passed you PPL checkride?

More power to you I suppose, but I'm more a 'one thing at a time' kinda guy
 
dlsmith said:
I don't know where in KY you are, but there is a guy down in Lebanaon, TN that does tailwheel and upset training in a Citabria. He's on this site.


I really wish our flight school would buy a taildragger. I get bored flying trikes all the time, and love teaching tailwheel. I would set up mine to do instruction, but insurance for tailwheel instruction isn't cheap, and I don't think the Luscombe makes as good a trainer as a citabria or cub
Click to expand...

I know a guy who has been teaching initial students in his Luscombe for over 50 years, seems to have held up fine.
 
JCranford said:
Am I understanding correctly that you are looking to get TW and acro before you've even passed you PPL checkride?

More power to you I suppose, but I'm more a 'one thing at a time' kinda guy
Click to expand...

I think acro should be introduced before landings for PP. The problem with teaching finesse in 3D energy management doing landings is it is very time inefficient as it all focuses on 6-10 8 second periods evenly spaced, and everybody is staying away from the edge of the envelope because the risk is high, so students all learn to carry far too much energy into their landings which hampers progress by making landings difficult.

When you learn acro you aren't learning anything different, you are learning all the same things you are learning as a PP, you are just learning them to their limits, not just the middle of the safe zone. Once you see, feel, and experience the limits, you no longer fear going beyond them accidentally because you know right where they are. All landings are is maneuvering a plane right next to the ground out the bottom of the energy envelope and onto the runway.
 
Stewart's got me in for TW and Spin training!!!
 
merlin3 said:
I second stewarts aircraft. I have been doing aerobatic lessons there.
Click to expand...

If you see a really awesome guy with an amazing beard there this weekend be sure to stop and say what's up!
 
Henning said:
I know a guy who has been teaching initial students in his Luscombe for over 50 years, seems to have held up fine.
Click to expand...

Oh yes, it can be done. I'm in the process of teaching my girlfriend in it, but insuring it for regular instruction is astronomical.

That being said, I would just prefer to teach in a citabria or the like, simply for the more forgiving characteristics
 
Sounds like he may have already done the training by now, but I'd probably wait until after I passed the checkride. Then at least you can log the acro and tail wheel as PIC time.
 
dlsmith said:
Oh yes, it can be done. I'm in the process of teaching my girlfriend in it, but insuring it for regular instruction is astronomical.

That being said, I would just prefer to teach in a citabria or the like, simply for the more forgiving characteristics
Click to expand...

There is a loophole in the insurance if you aren't really super busy; typically a CFI can have up to 5 students at a time under a regular business/personal policy.
 
Henning said:
There is a loophole in the insurance if you aren't really super busy; typically a CFI can have up to 5 students at a time under a regular business/personal policy.
Click to expand...
Oh really? That may be worth asking the company about. Of course, then I would be subject to needing 100hr inspections, correct?
 
Damn OP, now I've been looking. Apparently a local outfit (OK3 Air) offers upset/intro to acro in an Extra 300. For the intro to acro: $2500 for five flights. Is that a good intro plane to this stuff, and is that a reasonable price?

My wife will probably leave me.
 
woodchucker said:
Damn OP, now I've been looking. Apparently a local outfit (OK3 Air) offers upset/intro to acro in an Extra 300. For the intro to acro: $2500 for five flights. Is that a good intro plane to this stuff, and is that a reasonable price?

My wife will probably leave me.
Click to expand...


I just did the tailwheel and Spin training I plan on going back for Aerobatic. I didn't do it for thrills but for safety I can tell you my comfort level in the plane is way up now. I would just explane to you're wife that it is going to make you a safer more skilled pilot. Ever see the video of the guy landing the plane with one wing?

Edit: well crap I just went to post the video come to find out it was just a hoax.
 
Last edited:
dlsmith said:
Oh yes, it can be done. I'm in the process of teaching my girlfriend in it, but insuring it for regular instruction is astronomical.

That being said, I would just prefer to teach in a citabria or the like, simply for the more forgiving characteristics
Click to expand...

I'll say it can be done. Many many pilots learned in Luscombes. I had both an a and an f. I stalled it, looped it and rolled it ( the f) and never found it "tricky" or hard to controll on the ground as some here have reported. Very straight forward , no surprises airplane. Don Luscombe was a true genius. I think it's a matter of hours flown in one. I didn't find mine any harder to fly than the Citabria 150 I used to fly. I should add that I'm not an acro pilot and only have 4000 hours of non commercial time.
 
MotoFlier said:
Edit: well crap I just went to post the video come to find out it was just a hoax.
Click to expand...

Which video? At first I thought you were referring to the Israel F15 story.

Yeah, I knew about the other one.
 
Last edited:
dlsmith said:
Oh really? That may be worth asking the company about. Of course, then I would be subject to needing 100hr inspections, correct?
Click to expand...

Yes, that is technically correct. There is a way 'technically' around that, but not worth it since if you're doing instruction in it, you really should get 100hr inspections. The way around is it not charge for the plane, just your instruction.
 
woodchucker said:
Damn OP, now I've been looking. Apparently a local outfit (OK3 Air) offers upset/intro to acro in an Extra 300. For the intro to acro: $2500 for five flights. Is that a good intro plane to this stuff, and is that a reasonable price?

My wife will probably leave me.
Click to expand...

Depends on how long the flights are, but if they are an hour and include the instructor, that would be a pretty fair price. If the are 15-30 minutes, then not so nice.
 
Regarding Stewart's air service, I noticed that their website indicates that you have to have renters insurance. How do you go about getting that? Did you need to purchase it before you went down there? Or do you just buy it at Stewart's air service?
 
The renters insurance you have to get somewhere else but its needed if flying solo and not with an instructor.
 
If you have a policy for your own plane it usually covers renting as well. Its a good idea to check first of course. My cessna is insured with AOPA and they told me I'm covered for rentals as well as loans of aircraft from friends as long as I'm qualified and current.

Frank
 
BiffJ said:
If you have a policy for your own plane it usually covers renting as well. Its a good idea to check first of course. My cessna is insured with AOPA and they told me I'm covered for rentals as well as loans of aircraft from friends as long as I'm qualified and current.

Frank
Click to expand...

Every policy I have had has had that provision as well. BTW, AOPA doesn't insure it, they are just the broker for the insurer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top