Tailwheel endorsement - DONE

flyersfan31

flyersfan31

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Mar 31, 2006
Messages
14,269
Display Name
Display name:
Freiburgfan31
The ink is still drying in my logbook.

I did my training at Andover Flight Academy, based at Aeroflex-Andover (12N) in New Jersey. Flew with Damian DelGaizo, known for teaching Harrison Ford as well as his video Tailwheel 101.

I can proudly say that I earned this one. Damian is a stern taskmaster. Good is not good enough. He really holds your flying to high standards, and I am a much better pilot for it. He didn't let me get away with close-enough, or almost, or kind-of. He knows his stuff, cold. He's very good at explaining the details of WHY you do something, and how it affects the aircraft. Eventually he was able to get everything through my thick skull enough to be satisfied with my abilities.

I highly, highly recommend flying with Damian if you are anywhere within striking distance. Andover NJ is kinda in the boonies, but worth the trip. The airport alone is beautiful; nestled in a valley with lakes at either end of the runway.

Flying a tailwheel plane, like the Top Cub I flew in, is so much fun it should be illegal. If you have a chance - DO IT!!!!!

(Now if only I could convince Mrs. Flyersfan that we need a Super Cub....)
 
CONGRATS!!!!

It's on my list of things to get done. Rob said he really enjoyed his tailwheel time and with the endorsement was able to t/o and land the stearman in Ohio......at least I got stick time.
 
I agree! Surprise her with it and base it at Wings. I will keep it exercised for you :D

It has got to be one of the best things I have done for my flying. Really keeps you thinking about the plane all the way to a stop, which improved every landing I have flown since.

Congratulations!

flyersfan31 said:
The ink is still drying in my logbook.

I did my training at Andover Flight Academy, based at Aeroflex-Andover (12N) in New Jersey. Flew with Damian DelGaizo, known for teaching Harrison Ford as well as his video Tailwheel 101.

I can proudly say that I earned this one. Damian is a stern taskmaster. Good is not good enough. He really holds your flying to high standards, and I am a much better pilot for it. He didn't let me get away with close-enough, or almost, or kind-of. He knows his stuff, cold. He's very good at explaining the details of WHY you do something, and how it affects the aircraft. Eventually he was able to get everything through my thick skull enough to be satisfied with my abilities.

I highly, highly recommend flying with Damian if you are anywhere within striking distance. Andover NJ is kinda in the boonies, but worth the trip. The airport alone is beautiful; nestled in a valley with lakes at either end of the runway.

Flying a tailwheel plane, like the Top Cub I flew in, is so much fun it should be illegal. If you have a chance - DO IT!!!!!

(Now if only I could convince Mrs. Flyersfan that we need a Super Cub....)
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
flyersfan31 said:
The ink is still drying in my logbook.

(Now if only I could convince Mrs. Flyersfan that we need a Super Cub....)
Click to expand...

If you get that done, PM me, I have the worlds two best supercubs for sale at this time.

Both have the 2300# gross weight up grade, extended baggage, new covers with Polyfiber system, cross braced fuselages, and 0-360-A1A 180 horse power Lycomings one new engine, and the other was rebuilt by me. TT 1000.

These aircraft are new aircraft except the data tag and log books.

both are listed at Cub Crafters

http://www.cubcrafters.com/inventory/N9796P

http://www.cubcrafters.com/inventory/N4293Z
 
dmccormack said:
Local guy has a Husky -- I haven't flown in it but it sure looks perfect for out west or a private grass strip.

:thumbsup:

My ideal hangar would have a Husky in one corner, a Baron in the other, and a C-3 in front.

:D
Click to expand...

Husky's sux.

State of Alaska trashed theirs and went back to Supercubs.
 
Tom-D said:
Husky's sux.

State of Alaska trashed theirs and went back to Supercubs.
Click to expand...

What about them "sux?" The Husky is based on the Super Cub, after all...

What I like about the newer (2005 and later, IIRC) Huskies is that they changed the ailerons to give the plane excellent control harmony. Cubs and Super Cubs are soooooooo doggy in the roll axis, they're not nearly as fun to fly. The new Husky can be controlled with your fingertips on the stick, the Super Cub you pretty much have to mash the stick into your leg to make a turn.

Not that I'd turn down a Super Cub if somebody gave me one. ;)
 
Tom-D said:
If you get that done, PM me, I have the worlds two best supercubs for sale at this time.

Both have the 2300# gross weight up grade, extended baggage, new covers with Polyfiber system, cross braced fuselages, and 0-360-A1A 180 horse power Lycomings one new engine, and the other was rebuilt by me. TT 1000.

These aircraft are new aircraft except the data tag and log books.

both are listed at Cub Crafters

http://www.cubcrafters.com/inventory/N9796P

http://www.cubcrafters.com/inventory/N4293Z
Click to expand...

Oh, I recognize those two. I've been ogling them at the CC site. :thumbsup:
 
Ive landed there before! Before they painted lines on the new runway, I thought it was pretty cool landing without any markings on the runway.
 
Congrats Andrew.

I was at VanSant this morning. Think I'm gonna start working on a tailwheel endorsement there in the cub.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
What about them "sux?" The Husky is based on the Super Cub, after all...
Click to expand...

No they aren't, just because they look like a cub in some fashion they are no cub.

they are heavier, the CG is way forward, thus you can not get into and out of short places like a cub.

In the air the husky is a bit faster, and the controls are lighter but that isn't always a good thing. it leads to over control in close places, so it requires higher level of proficiency to deliver the goods in a husky than a supercub.

The Alaskan game management folks could not catch the poachers because the poachers would land on a short bar, and wait. the patrolman would run out of gas and leave for fuel. then the poachers would go home.
 
flyersfan31 said:
Oh, I recognize those two. I've been ogling them at the CC site. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Both aircraft were re-built by a friend, and the yellow one was re-covered by CubCrafters. and has one of my 0-360 / 180 in it.

the red and white one is only a 2000 # gross weight cub, and was the friends personal transportation while he is in AK, so it has some time on it.

both aircraft have every STCed appliance you can get on a cub already installed and certified.
 
A word of caution to those getting, or just got your tail wheel endorsement.

just because you have the ink, doesn't mean your qualified to fly all conventional gear aircraft.

jumping out of a cub with new ink, and trying to fly a C-185 is suicide, I'm just saying the certificate is a start.
 
The Husky is a better plane in every single respect than a super cub except 3 things:
- there's about a million STCs for super cubs to do anything you can image
- and you can't buy parts for a Husky at the hardware store in anytown Alaska.
- romantic notion of bush flying

But other than those things, the Husky blows away a Super cub in just about any performance or use.
 
Good job! BTW, I've been meaning to get to Andover. I've heard it's a nice strip. Any restaurants on the field or nearby?
 
Tom-D said:
A word of caution to those getting, or just got your tail wheel endorsement.

just because you have the ink, doesn't mean your qualified to fly all conventional gear aircraft.

jumping out of a cub with new ink, and trying to fly a C-185 is suicide, I'm just saying the certificate is a start.
Click to expand...

Man... and I was gonna jump in that empty Sopwith Camel just the other day and take it around the patch...

:dunno:
 
Tom-D said:
A word of caution to those getting, or just got your tail wheel endorsement.

just because you have the ink, doesn't mean your qualified to fly all conventional gear aircraft.

jumping out of a cub with new ink, and trying to fly a C-185 is suicide, I'm just saying the certificate is a start.
Click to expand...

Undeniably true... but I think it's pretty common for transitioning pilots nowadays to get that point laid on them during the training. I did.

Besides, pilots don't need any particular kind of landing gear to go and fly something they aren't ready for. All it takes is more money than sense. :D
 
Congratulations!
I have respect for tw pilots; I will never be one. I do have the rating but never, ever felt like I could relax in the airplane near the ground. I guess that's normal for a tw a/c, right?! But it was not a lot of fun because of that for me. They are all surely beautiful airplanes too....which makes me ever more fearful of flying them!
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Congratulations!
I have respect for tw pilots; I will never be one. I do have the rating but never, ever felt like I could relax in the airplane near the ground. I guess that's normal for a tw a/c, right?! But it was not a lot of fun because of that for me. They are all surely beautiful airplanes too....which makes me ever more fearful of flying them!
Click to expand...

I think the comfort level increases with experience (like everything else, right? :rolleyes2:).

It's like riding a motorcycle -- you know you're exposed, and so you must be more attentive no matter how many hours/miles you have.

I like the added pressure of doing it right every time. I think it improves all aspects of aviating.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Congratulations!
I have respect for tw pilots; I will never be one. I do have the rating but never, ever felt like I could relax in the airplane near the ground. I guess that's normal for a tw a/c, right?! But it was not a lot of fun because of that for me. They are all surely beautiful airplanes too....which makes me ever more fearful of flying them!
Click to expand...

I think feeling confident at that moment in a taildragger is a lot like it is in any plane- it just takes practice, after being taught well how to do it. Maybe you were, but maybe you just didn't do enough landings, or maybe it was just not the right "conventional gear" airplane for you.

You have to be concerned about the position of the center of mass relative to the mains, but other than that, the other factors are the same with nosedraggers.

And learning to land a TW airplane safely in varying conditions reinforces you the importance of never really "relaxing", even with a nosewheel!
 
rottydaddy said:
You have to be concerned about the position of the center of mass relative to the mains, but other than that, the other factors are the same with nosedraggers.
Click to expand...

Well.... I think TW reinforces several good habits that are often extinguished in nosewheel-only pilots (even though they may have been taught) such as:

  • Proper aileron position during taxi, takeoff, and landing.
  • Use of rudder (it's not a tailwheel issue as much as an old-airplane-design-thus-bigger-rudder reality).
  • Slips (some TW almost require a slip to keep the runway in sight).
  • landing precision (you really focus when landing a tailwheel, and that includes where the wheels will touch down. Those of us landing between taxiways on the turf next to paved runways have limited space amd thus no room for excess float).
  • Elevator control (too many pilots are focused on Vr in SEL airplanes. Good grief -- can't you feel when it's ready to fly?)
  • Healthy respect for when and how to use brakes (given many older TW airplanes have older, no-so-great brake systems)
  • Out the window VFR flight (not much to look at inside in these old TW airplanes).
I'm sure there are others... :cornut:
 
One of the problems I experienced was that the conditions always resulted in a very very long ground roll on t-o and landing.

It was summer, 5000msl, and almost always near gross in a 140.
So you know we spent a looong time rolling down the asphalt.

It wasn't, 'power up, then tail up, and away'. It was agonizingly long moments of twitchiness as I s'd my way down the runway!

Still I would not give the experience up for anything.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
One of the problems I experienced was that the conditions always resulted in a very very long ground roll on t-o and landing.

It was summer, 5000msl, and almost always near gross in a 140.
So you know we spent a looong time rolling down the asphalt.

It wasn't, 'power up, then tail up, and away'. It was agonizingly long moments of twitchiness as I s'd my way down the runway!

Still I would not give the experience up for anything.
Click to expand...

Dave,

That's how it is for me nearly every takeoff (well, except for 5000' MSL!) The ground roll is long enough that it takes some foot action to keep the thing rolling straight (unlike many over-powered Super Cubs and the like).

Landings, no so much, but I think you'd enjoy the whole experience much more on grass. That's what these airplanes were built for.
 
David said:
Good job! BTW, I've been meaning to get to Andover. I've heard it's a nice strip. Any restaurants on the field or nearby?
Click to expand...

You need a car. There's a good diner in Andover, and a nice tavern in the other direction, but too far to walk. If you had a bike, no problemo.

Bring a lunch, and just enjoy the scenery.
 
dmccormack said:
I like the added pressure of doing it right every time. I think it improves all aspects of aviating.
Click to expand...

I concur. It's not as hard as it seems, once you get the brain, hands, and feet all working together, but if one of them stops talking to the other, you might have problems.

You can't afford to take 5secs off during landing. 100% concentration. Not a bad thing, really. Not quite so much for wheel landings, but the 3pointer? You better be on your game, IMHO and limited experience.

You can apply everything you learn to flying a trike. The converse does not apply. I definitely have a much better feel for the Matrix as a result of flying the Super Cub, even though the Matrix feels squirrelly and ready to quit at the same speed where the Super Cub is doing high cruise!

Fun, fun, fun. Did I mention fun?
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
One of the problems I experienced was that the conditions always resulted in a very very long ground roll on t-o and landing.

It was summer, 5000msl, and almost always near gross in a 140.
So you know we spent a looong time rolling down the asphalt.

It wasn't, 'power up, then tail up, and away'. It was agonizingly long moments of twitchiness as I s'd my way down the runway!

Still I would not give the experience up for anything.
Click to expand...

Well, that's on the edge of the performance envelope for that plane. Normally, it should all happen quickly; I have a little 140 time, and in more standard conditions, they really will be ready to fly as soon as the tail comes up (which is quite predictable and happens just soon enough). But even in high-DA or xwind conditions, you can reach a point where it's no big deal, as long as you feel you are ahead of the airplane. Acclimation makes a huge difference!

I learned this stuff in a Champ, which is probably the easiest transition trainer, and the difference between my first hour and my tenth was like night and day. At first, I could barely taxi it, and the first unassisted takeoff and landing rolls had me wondering if it was even possible to keep it straight. :D By the time he turned me loose in it, I felt right at home (but not complacent).

But still, the feet will often be busy. My tailwheel instructor told me more than once "as long as your feet keep moving (as needed) you are doing OK."

And Dan is right: most taildraggers were made for grass, and it is definitely a lot more pleasant on a soft surface. Snow, especially... there are other considerations with skis, but it is usually a much more relaxed affair.
 
rottydaddy said:
But still, the feet will often be busy. My tailwheel instructor told me more than once "as long as your feet keep moving (as needed) you are doing OK."
Click to expand...

I think the Big Idea in taildraggers is light feet.

Meaning -- we get used to pushing the rudder in newer airplanes (and the TW/ Nosewheel difference is not only about wheel placement -- it's also about newer designs engineering out more and more adverse yaw).

In the newer model you start a turn and you push on the rudder required to make the turn coordinated. You push to straighten out (maybe). And then you rest your feet on the pedals until the next turn.

In the older airplane you have pressure on the pedals at all times, and your constantly adding or releasing tiny increments of pressure.

On downwind before landing I usually do the rudder wiggle -- adding and relaxing pressure on each pedal until I feel the tail slew. It gets me into the mindset of pressure, not pushing.

It seems to be an arcane distinction, but next time you're out in an old airplane think about it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top