colojo
Line Up and Wait
I've been flying for 28 years and two months ago I purchased an RV-8, my first tailwheel airplane. I've never flown tailwheel before, so I needed to get a tailwheel endorsement.
This turned out to be more difficult than I expected. Tailwheel instructors and aircraft are remarkably scarce at my home field, Denver Centennial (KAPA). I did find a club, instructor and aircraft eventually, but once I started scheduling the flights it became clear to me that it would take most of the summer to get it done because of my work schedule and the instructor's schedule.
Two days before leaving for Orange County, CA for the 4th of July Holiday I came across an article in AOPA Pilot about G5 Aviation at John Wayne Airport. G5, as the article points out, specialize in tailwheel instruction, and they offer an accelerated course which I immediately signed up for.
I could not be happier with my experience. Over the course of two days I had about 3 hours of ground instruction and 6 hours of flight instruction from two instructors, Ron Rapp and Ty Frisby. I've flown with dozens of instructors in my day but Ron and Ty really stand out. We flew in their immaculately maintained Decathlon, and at the end of the second day I earned my endorsement.
G5 is a first-class operation and I'm grateful AOPA featured them in the magazine. For anyone seeking a tailwheel endorsement who can make it happen in Southern California, I recommend G5 without reservation. Their website is at http://www.fly5g.com/.
This turned out to be more difficult than I expected. Tailwheel instructors and aircraft are remarkably scarce at my home field, Denver Centennial (KAPA). I did find a club, instructor and aircraft eventually, but once I started scheduling the flights it became clear to me that it would take most of the summer to get it done because of my work schedule and the instructor's schedule.
Two days before leaving for Orange County, CA for the 4th of July Holiday I came across an article in AOPA Pilot about G5 Aviation at John Wayne Airport. G5, as the article points out, specialize in tailwheel instruction, and they offer an accelerated course which I immediately signed up for.
I could not be happier with my experience. Over the course of two days I had about 3 hours of ground instruction and 6 hours of flight instruction from two instructors, Ron Rapp and Ty Frisby. I've flown with dozens of instructors in my day but Ron and Ty really stand out. We flew in their immaculately maintained Decathlon, and at the end of the second day I earned my endorsement.
G5 is a first-class operation and I'm grateful AOPA featured them in the magazine. For anyone seeking a tailwheel endorsement who can make it happen in Southern California, I recommend G5 without reservation. Their website is at http://www.fly5g.com/.
