Tailwheel endo

[SpyderPig]

Seeing as everyone everyone has been debating flying schools, pilot training and cadetships so enthusiastically lately Im going to throw this one in the ring *dons flame jacket*

Nearing the end of the PPL phase of my training, I'm looking to add a tailwheel endo to my log book to enhance my stick and rudder skills (MECIR NVFR included in training). My question is, should I undertake this now, enhance my skills and instill better habits early? Or should I consolidate my nav/general flying skills before worrying about this?

Learning good habits from the start is easier than breaking bad habits down the track, but anyone who has done this your opinions on it being worth while would be great. Also, at what stage did you feel you were ready to have a go at a tail dragger or the skills were helpful?

I know most will say its personal preference, what suits you, everyone is different, talk to your flying school etc. My school dosnt have a tail dragger and everyone I talk to tells me to come train with them, its hard to get a straight answer. So, this is still a place to get some advice right? *ducks*

Only other thing to add is I have a choice of a Citabria or a Tiger Moth for it:}

Cheers

[Flying Binghi]

...at what stage did you feel you were ready to have a go at a tail dragger...



Whats the rush ? get to it when yer get to it..:ok:







.

[Chimbu chuckles]

I did mine at 40 odd hrs (RPPL)

Just do it asap...you'll never regret it.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Do it in the DH-82A and learn airmanship - besides what the rudder is really for....IMHO...
'Original' Tigers have no brakes, therefore......
No electrics, so you get to learn how to 'swing the prop', safely.
Plus a whole lot more...and its a whole heap of fun - which sometimes seems to disappear in this 'modern world'....
Go and ENJOY!!:ok:

[Chimbu chuckles]

I didn't notice your choice of aircraft...definately go the Tiger Moth. I hope its a standard Tiger with a tail skid, no brakes or starter motor:ok:

Starting up for some glorious aeros one afternoon a few weeks ago.:ok:

LnVJCsO8BtU

[aldee]

Some years back my first taildragger was RNI @ ymnd but I'm not sure it was a lot of benefit when it came to other types ( cub, maule, t6, c185 )
a hell of a lot of fun mind you
you could always jump in at the deep end and go visit the man with the S2's :cool:

CC, been some $'s spent on that old girl, beautiful :ok:

[Dupre]

Mate go for it! I did an endorsement and a bit of flying in a tiger and a cub (with 300hrs) and it remains one of the things I'm most proud of many years later.

Neither a/c you mention is difficult to fly... they are both trainers after all. If an RAF bloke in 1935 can take a tiger on at 0 hours, why not you with 50? You'll improve on your skills more because you will be exposed to different a/c which feel very different to handle. If you come back to a spam can to do your CPL later, it might even seem easier. And you can always take the taildragger on a navex - 2 birds with 1 stone. If that isn't consolidating your flying i don't know what is :}

I wish I had done more taildragger flying when i had the chance - my first 200hrs were entirely cessna. Nothing against cessnas, but why not spice it up a bit? If you wind up with a CPL and head up north looking for that first job, the chief pilot might just find you more interesting to talk to than yet another sausage factory product.

And it's easier to get your mates to costshare for a ride in an interesting plane like a tiger than a spam can! :ok:

[Like This - Do That]

Did it that way from the word go. Right hand on stick, left on throttle, little wheel at the back, and aeros to boot - flying the way the Good Lord intended. :D

I think I had about 40 hours before I flew a nosewheel spamcan. :zzz:

SpyderPig give both Tiger Moth & Citabria a go, and Chippy, and Pitts.

[Jabawocky]

ChimbuTV :ok:

You could do a tail dragger training video programme and some aero's as an follow up series now that camera works properly!

[frigatebird]

Learnt the basics on this Kitten

http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy129/bird__photo/ultralights/scan0009.jpg

then went and did a couple of hours on BAI - a Cessna 180 with Hemples at AF - so I could fly this Minicab in the spare time

http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy129/bird__photo/ultralights/scan0007.jpg

The brothers great little Minicab - no vices, almost handled like a tricycle with its 65 h.p. Continental. No generator or starter, so it was swing the prop too.
Some tailwheels you have to fly them all the way to the parking area, but not this one. He was sorry later he sold it.

[waren9]

...at what stage did you feel you were ready to have a go at a tail dragger...


Once upon a time, thats all there was for beginners.

As other have said, get in to that Tiger as quick as the weather and your wallet allow.

[Andy_RR]

Tiger Moth is a lovely old bus, but it'll screw with your brain because that damn propellor turns the wrong way! :}

An old Cub or Supercub is a great place to start and is an enormously fun thing.

I have flown the Cubcrafters LSA Supercub at Aldinga - lovely build quality and fancy carbon but not an improvement in terms of flying enjoyment at all. I so wanted to like it though :(

edit: meant to say, go for it! As with any flying adventure, the sooner the better!

[SpyderPig]

Thanks for the response everyone. A big part of me is really drawn to the nostalgia of being able to fly a Tiger, having the wind in your face, hand swinging a prop, that big rudder and seeing as the difference is only around $20 p/h its looking rather enticing. How ever I was informed today by a good friend that if I went with the Citarbia I would be able to fly with a very well known and highly regarded instructor, and seeing as its skill enhancement Im after I will be looking at this very closely.

Either way Im excited for the challenge of adding a new dimension to my flying:ok:

The Pig

[desert goat]

You could do a few hours in both :)
Have fun!

[Bastardos]

Absolutely do it in a tiger - all of the other taildraggers will be easy in comparison!

At around 100 hours I started a tiger rating (actually in the same tiger that I had my first ever flight in at age 16). My instructor reckoned about eight hours to go solo and he was about right.

It was about taking into context the era in which the tiger was designed for. Airfields - so always take off into wind. No radio - so have a good lookout. You actually need to use your feet and develop a feel for the aircraft. Spinning - lots of spinning. Adverse yaw - plenty of that. Sideslipping - great fun and useful. Aeros - great for loops, dreadful for rolls.

Then as I went onto the ratings in chipmunk, piper cub, harvard, I realised that the tiger was such a great foundation. Three pointers and cross winds are easy in other taildraggers!

A whole new world of aviation opens up for you. The Tiger is a great intro to WWI aircraft and was the primary Oz and NZ trainer for WWII and for good reason. A truly dreadful plane in many respects and a brilliant trainer for that very reason.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Absolutely do it in a tiger

Impossible! :E

Dr :8

[Peter Fanelli]

For a minute there I though this thread was about moderator complaints again.
Then I figured it was about endorsements and the doctors contribution was coincidental.

[SpyderPig]

:ok: glad you discovered differently.
Quote:
Absolutely do it in a tiger
Impossible! http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/evil.gif




lol "common babe, it'll be just like in those old romantic movies, except not in balck and white....but if the owner finds us run, because he does have a gun....just like in the movies"