Tailwheel Conversion

[Rusty Cessna]

Hiya folks,. .. .Have decided to do my tailwheel conversion before leaping into aerobatics! So I was wondering if anyone of you had any recomendations or comments about any of the places that do the course.. .. .Where do you know that offers the course? The main contenders at the moment are Clacton, Jersey Aero Club and their Chipmunk, aswell as Compton, although I don't know what the offer, any tips or advice?. .. .Many thanks,. .Rusty.

[FlyingForFun]

Rusty,. .. .Can't remember if I've told you this already. But go and buy a copy of "The Compleat Taildragger Pilot" by the late Harvey S Plourde, ISBN 0-9639137-0-0, published privately by his family. It's definitely available from Transair, and probably from most other pilot shops. Read it before you start, and you'll have a much better understanding of what's going on - not to mention that it will take you less time (and money!) to do the conversion!. .. .FFF. .---------

[DB6]

Tatenhill, <a href="http://www.tatenhill-aviation.co.uk" target="_blank">web page</a> near Burton-On-Trent, have a fully aerobatic (inverted fuel & oil) Decathlon on which you can do your tailwheel conversion AND aerobatics. How's that for two birds with one stone? £118/hr last time I checked.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Rusty C:. .. .Save yourself a lot of wasted time and money.. .. .Find a good aero instructor with a tailwheel aerobatic airplane and you will get both at once.. .. .Tailwheel conversions are really no big deal, don't listen to all the hype and B.S. you hear around the airport. Anyone that trys to tell you tailwheel flying is difficult obviously does not know anything about the subject.. .. .................. . <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />

[Rusty Cessna]

Cheers for the input folks, forgot to mention one of the reasons im doing the conversion is because funds wont allow the aeros yet! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> . .. .Tatenhill sounds good!. .. .Thanks again,. .Rusty

[tacpot]

Northants School of Flying did a good job of my tailwheel conversion, but my ultimate aim was to fly something with same performance characteristics as their Super Cub. But they also have a Pitts S-2 that you can go on to do aeros in. Others on PPRuNe have spoken highly of their aeros training. . .. .If you ultimate aim is aeros, then the Decathlon is a great idea. A couple of people in my syndicate did their tailwheel training on the Decathlon at Tatenhill before 'down-grading' to our taildragger. Their only comments were that learning to land on Tatenhill's concrete was hard (but meant that in the future, landings on grass were a cinch <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="rolleyes.gif" /> ), and the instructor has very high standards! So the Decathlon is obviously suitable for learning on.. .. .Let us know what you decide. . .. .tacpot. . . . <small>[ 13 March 2002, 00:05: Message edited by: tacpot ]</small>

[Southern Cross]

Supercub at Panshangar is v good.

[FlyingForFun]

Cat Driver,. .. .You're right, tailwheel conversions are not hard. But they must be done properly.. .. .When I was taught to fly tailwheel, I was shown how to do a 3-point landing. Then I was sent on my merry way, quite happy that I was now converted.. .. .I turned up at a flying school in America, wanting to rent their Super Cub. I already knew that they'd need me to learn wheel-landings for their check-out - I thought this would take an hour or two at most. After all, I already knew how to fly a taildragger.. .. .Six hours later, I finally got signed off. And I am forever greatful to all the guys who patiently sat behind me in the Super Cub, teaching my how to slip, fast-taxy, dutch-roll and all the other skills you need to really fly a taildragger.. .. .Now, whenever I fly in any kind of real wind, especially gusty cross-winds, I look back on the times when I was worried about flying a Cub in 10kt winds straight down the runway. Part of it is more experience, but most of the difference is that I hadn't been taught how to fly a taildragger properly - and I'm sure it would have only been a matter of time before my first groundloop had I not had the training every taildragger pilot owes himself.. .. .Rusty, don't go anywhere if they won't teach you wheel-landings - one day you'll get caught out by unforecast winds, and you'll need those wheel-landings. And if anyone thinks they can get you checked out in 5 hours or less, they're probably not going to do it properly. It took me longer than that, even after I thought I was already checked out!. .. .As Cat Driver says, it's not hard. But it must be done properly.. .. .(Of course, once you're properly checked out, there are few things in aviation that are as satisfying as stomping on the right rudder, using left aileron to do a slipping turn from downwind onto final, rolling out on final about 50' above the ground, switching the slip to the other side for the strong crosswind - and landing perfectly on the right-main. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> ). .. .FFF. .--------

[13579]

Try Cubair at Redhill. Good Piper Cub, excellent rates, good instructors, and once the weather improves, an fantastic airfield for taildragging. Although a lot of fun and good experience, like Flyingforfun say, learning the full range of landing skills is important, so get a good teacher and a thorough grounding, should take just a few hours. Good luck, best wishes.

[Zlin526]

Try the Tiger Club at Headcorn. Do the tailwheel course on the 90hp Super Cub, then check out on the Tiger Moth, Jodel, Stampe and for a real thrill, try the Turbulent.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

FFF:. .. .You have hit the nail right on the head, all I would like to add is there is no real average time to learn a new skill, it will vary from person to person as there are to many factors that come into it.. .. .What is important in this flying game is learning it right the first time around.. .. .When a person decides to learn some new skill you should make sure the instructor that is going to teach you knows not only how do it but how to teach it. . .. .So ask for and look around for the best instructor you can find.. .. .When I teach tailwheel flying the first thing I do is have them run the whole lenght of the runway with the tail in the air until they can S turn back and forth across the center line with ease. ( the runway high speed runs reinforce the use of rudder to control yaw, usually about one to two hours will do the job, sometimes 1/2 hour will do it.) Then we go flying.. .. .First they must master wheel landings then I teach three point.. .. .Have fun:. .. ........................ . <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />