Tailwheel student

[dell30rb]

I completely disagree. That's why the J3 is such a good trainer as it gets you using your peripheral vision to gauge height and drift.

One advantage to this is you can 'fly gangsta' in other airplanes cause you no longer care about having a clear view over the glareshield in the flare. I used to fly with the seat up as high and as far forward as practical. Much more comfortable to scootch and lean back a bit.

 

[AuntPeggy]

Tailwheel lesson #2
Milky, humid skies and slippery asphault stayed with me - and light traffic - all the way to Danbury for my tailwheel lesson. As I approached the exit from I-684 to I-84, traffic in the exiting lane slowed to a crawl. There was plenty of time to contemplate the inauspicious 20 MPH speed sign with the stick image of an overbalanced truck on its way to disaster. Rounding the second tight bend, cars and trucks from both highways merged into the single lane that was not covered by the crumpled remains of an eighteen-wheeler on its side. The single Highway Patrol car that had passed a few miles before was the only emergency vehicle on-site.

Despite the delay, I arrived around 45 minutes early. Once again, Tony was waiting because his earlier lesson had been cancelled. I had brought a pillow from home, but Tony wanted me to try the cushion from the school until he found that it would not allow full travel of the stick. So, my trusty bed pillow, folded in half inside a pillow case was put to the task. It took a moment to affix it properly to the seat and slide my butt onto it without promptly sliding the pillow to the floor. The difference was phenomenal! It turns out that there is actually a window in the front of the Cub. Tony's head obscured the middle of it, but there was a bit of horizon viewable on each side and three instruments were visible.

After some discussion about crosswind, we climbed out on Runway 8, with a wind 180 @ 6. I wasn't comfortable with the crosswind, so I did that cloverleaf turn onto Runway 17 that Tony had done during the previous lesson. Danbury sits in a bowl that gathers clouds, surrounded by peaks to the North and West to keep them in. Good neighbor restrictions keep aircraft flying just North of Runway 8 to avoid overflying the pool on the school grounds. The approach to 35 descends through the valley between two hills that reach up above the plane on each side. The descent to Runway 26 is like a downhill ski jump when you come over the ridge and immediately plunge 1000 feet to the runway. The approach to Runway 17 is relatively flat, over the mall.

We landed on 17 and Tony kept us from a ground loop while I pushed the throttle in for a go. With the nose pointed up between the hills, Tony guided me to the turning point for our small craft that is inside the normal pattern I had learned for my Cessna. As we neared the crest of the hill, tiny white tendrils reached down toward us. "This is high enough," Tony advised as I estimated the gap between leaves and wisps to be sufficient for a tiny Cub. "You can climb again after you get past the ridge." So, we navigated between the treetops and the clouds for an hour before I got too tired to continue. Each landing I could feel the rudder pedals responding to Tony's input, so I know there is still a lot left to learn.

 

[denverpilot]

You'll hit a point where feeling the instructor punch a rudder pedal will seem like an insult -- since you were "just about to do that" but were honestly too late. Then you try to beat them to it.

I got a chuckle that the "good neighborly" PC overflight rules applied for a school, but not for a mall. Hahaha. Probably more to it than that, but I'm a simpleton. Seems stupid to play that game, but if it keeps the scared ninnies happy and off our backs... Fine. Whatever.

Nice story. Very visual. Another transition I remember was when I stopped caring as much about the view and started feeling the side loads and hints of them starting in my butt. I hope the pillow doesn't dampen that too much. Might be why he wanted to use the (presumably harder?) cushion.

 

[yakdriver]

Feeling what the airplane is doing is the key to flying a tailwheel competently. If you stick with it you will find yourself feeling the airplane starting to move one way or another and correct it with tiny inputs before you can visually see it move. That's why sitting in the back of the Cub is best as it is further back of the center axis and you can detect movement sooner than from the front. It will translate to flying any airplane once you get it down. Don

 

[AuntPeggy]

Julu 06, 2013 - Tailwheel Lesson #4.
Skies were beautiful. Weather is hot and humid, but basically a great day for flying. Hubby already had his first tailwheel lesson, so we got there at 9:00 and he got the first slot. They went off to Candlelight and when they returned, I watched Hubby doing a beautiful wheel landing.

For my turn, we went off to the lakeside community grass strip, too. There is a lake near one side of the runway and a ridge along the other side. This time, I asked Tony to give me a refresher of the items he had covered in the first lesson, so our first landing was his with me concentrating on his movements. Then I did the next landing and it was wonderful. Tony didn't need to help with it and we touched down in a three-point landing and Tony didn't help keep us straight. Of course, that made me cocky, so the next landing was awful. But, we kept on and I was able to pull out a couple more greasers.

I have been letting the plane get away from me when taxiing, so we also concentrated on getting better control of that. Once again, I asked Tony to demonstrate and then I did it myself.

I think I am progressing faster than I usually do and it might be for two reasons. I am taking possession of the instruction by letting Tony know that I did not get something or that I need a refresher on it. Also, we are flying several times a week, so it is helping with continuity.

Since Hubby had his lessons with Tony the other day and today, and since Hubby is a CFI, they spent his lesson with Tony teaching Hubby the tailwheel and also how to teach the tailwheel. Since they have one student in common, they talked about the difficulties in teaching me. I really benefit from that because Hubby knows me and he can talk about me and to me about problems. So, in the end, we both told Tony not to worry about encouraging my small steps. I want a realistic evaluation of my progress from the beginning. I won't get discouraged. Persistence is my other name.

So, the third reason that this training seems to be going well is that Tony is not afraid to be honestly critical.

Anyway, as we returned to Danbury for the steep dive to Runway 24, I had the little plane under control in a slight crab for nearly a 1 mile final. As we passed over the highway and headed toward the fence, I remarked that it was time to take out the crab and line up with the runway. I did, then concentrated on keeping the plane pointed toward the end of the runway and flaring within a few feet of its surface. We kissed the asphalt with the stick held to my breast and the little beast went straight down the middle. I was exhausted. Tony taxied us back to parking.

Hubby and I sat in the parking lot with a congratulatory meal of baked chicken fingers, celery, carrots, tomatoes that I had packed before leaving home.

 

[wabower]

Glad to hear the smart pills are working! Your post has to be one of the best turn-around stories ever posted here. Keep up the good work.

Julu 06, 2013 - Tailwheel Lesson #4.
Skies were beautiful. Weather is hot and humid, but basically a great day for flying. Hubby already had his first tailwheel lesson, so we got there at 9:00 and he got the first slot. They went off to Candlelight and when they returned, I watched Hubby doing a beautiful wheel landing.

For my turn, we went off to the lakeside community grass strip, too. There is a lake near one side of the runway and a ridge along the other side. This time, I asked Tony to give me a refresher of the items he had covered in the first lesson, so our first landing was his with me concentrating on his movements. Then I did the next landing and it was wonderful. Tony didn't need to help with it and we touched down in a three-point landing and Tony didn't help keep us straight. Of course, that made me cocky, so the next landing was awful. But, we kept on and I was able to pull out a couple more greasers.

I have been letting the plane get away from me when taxiing, so we also concentrated on getting better control of that. Once again, I asked Tony to demonstrate and then I did it myself.

I think I am progressing faster than I usually do and it might be for two reasons. I am taking possession of the instruction by letting Tony know that I did not get something or that I need a refresher on it. Also, we are flying several times a week, so it is helping with continuity.

Since Hubby had his lessons with Tony the other day and today, and since Hubby is a CFI, they spent his lesson with Tony teaching Hubby the tailwheel and also how to teach the tailwheel. Since they have one student in common, they talked about the difficulties in teaching me. I really benefit from that because Hubby knows me and he can talk about me and to me about problems. So, in the end, we both told Tony not to worry about encouraging my small steps. I want a realistic evaluation of my progress from the beginning. I won't get discouraged. Persistence is my other name.

So, the third reason that this training seems to be going well is that Tony is not afraid to be honestly critical.

Anyway, as we returned to Danbury for the steep dive to Runway 24, I had the little plane under control in a slight crab for nearly a 1 mile final. As we passed over the highway and headed toward the fence, I remarked that it was time to take out the crab and line up with the runway. I did, then concentrated on keeping the plane pointed toward the end of the runway and flaring within a few feet of its surface. We kissed the asphalt with the stick held to my breast and the little beast went straight down the middle. I was exhausted. Tony taxied us back to parking.

Hubby and I sat in the parking lot with a congratulatory meal of baked chicken fingers, celery, carrots, tomatoes that I had packed before leaving home.