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Old 26th May 2006, 14:53
  #7 (permalink)  
'India-Mike
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flying snapper is correct as regards aircraft. Not so sure about instructors though as they pulled in an instructor from the Prestwick Flying Club recently to do a couple of Aerobat aerobatics sorties. So instructor availability may be an issue.

Realistically, do it on a fixed-pitch propeller machine. It'll teach you engine management skills that'll remain ingrained, no matter what you fly next. Personally I'd like you to learn in our Chipmunk (ooh err, advertisement - sorry mods), but you'd do 10 hours tailwheel before starting aeros, then you'd have an aeros and a tailwheel checkout to do. I'd allow 20 hours to do the AOPA course AND get a differences endorsement for tailwheel - you wouldn't be able to kill those two birds with one stone. The Chipmunk requires beyond-beginners care to stall-turn left, stall-turns less well with the chattering ballast (instructor) in the back, and requires very careful energy management when putting a sequence together.

That leaves Tayside's Herons. In one respect the Heron is a better aeroplane than the RAF's Tutor - it's got that fixed pitch propeller, and you don't notice the 20hp less. As much as it pains me to say so, I rate the Heron above the Bulldog for aeros. It's got enough performance for sustaining energy in a sequence. It's almost carefree-manoeuvring for the PPL.

So go to Tayside. Get a Heron. Ask for Syd. Top man. If db6 still does a bit there, ask for him too. Good man as well (sorry db6 - if you're who I think you are, I know you, but you probably don't know me!)
I've got no connections with Tayside, other than hiring their Heron once, and having been an engineering customer in another life!