Well, I've got about 16 - 1800 hours on the aircraft, but you are correct in the respect that it was a long time ago. (30+ years)
It's pretty much as Rusty says. To begin, adjust the seat comfortably. If you will be doing any engine out work, adjust the fore-and-aft so you get full rudder throw with a leg position that is comfortable for you.
Engine starting is usually a breeze: props full forward, throttle cracked and mixture idle cut-off. Motor the engine over while giving it a few shots of prime, and after nine blades, hit the mags. Once it fires up, bring the mixtures up to auto-rich. On run-up, exercise the props at 1500 rpm and check the mags at 2000 rpm, if I remember correctly.
Taxiing isn't that big a deal unless you have a stiff crosswind. You have a lockable tailwheel at your disposal, so when you begin to taxi, once you have the aircraft tracking straight, lock it and the aircraft will track straight ahead. Remember to
unlock the thing when you have to turn.
On take-off, allow the airplane to fly itself at around 80 - 85 kts. We used to climb at 500 fpm for the sake of the ear drums. The airplane flies well, but it's fairly heavy on the controls. The ailerons require quite a bit of input, as I recall. We did airwork at 120 kts. Steep turns are a joy. As you roll into the turn, ease the nose up about three degrees and hold it there with the elevator trim, or alternatively brace your elbows on the armrests. The controls are well coordinated so that only small amounts of rudder will keep the ball in the center. Once it's trimmed, the airplane is quite happy to go around in circles all day, hands off, kind of nodding a bit as you hit your sipstream at the end of the turn. Trying to force the airplane into a stall will open your eyes. There is no stall warning system, and there is very little warning before it drops a wing.
Easing it into a stall, on the other hand, is very straightforward and normal stall recovery works great. If you do engine out work, use coarse rudder control to maintain straight flight, then crank in the rudder trim. The rudder trim is in an awkward position, under the throttle quadrant and requires some physical contortion to get to.
We used to use 105 kt on the approach, with about 90 kt over the fence. Always wheel landings, slightly tail low. When the mains touch, move the column ahead very slightly to pin the mains, and allow the tail to descend of its' own accord. Make sure you're pointed in the direction you want to go when the tail descends, and that the tail wheel is locked.
That's about what I remember from awhile ago. Air Atlantique will certainly have their own procedures that they'll want you to follow. God bless you, bm, and I admire your courage.
