Taildragger Training

[J.A.F.O.]

Without boring you with hours of waffle I'm after some advice.

I'd like to know if anyone can recommend (or even advise against) any schools in the UK for taildragger training.

Thanks.

[NinjaBill]

Sherburn aero club, near Leeds, offer training in both a C140 at £85/hr dual, and in a CAP 10b at £120/hr dual.

Nice club, and friendly instructors. www.sherburn-aero-club.org.uk

NB

[Flyin'Dutch']

JAFO,

Were are you based or in which bit of the UK do you want to do your training?

FD

[J.A.F.O.]

Thanks for your replies - I'm based in East Anglia but am happy to look at places throughout the UK.

[Flyin'Dutch']

East Anglia!

Well I think you could do worse then than to look at Clacton, which advertises themselves as the home of taildragger training.

Can not remember ever reading anything negative about them, have no experience with them myself but all those that have been seem to be rather pleased with what is on offer.

HTH

FD

[Lowtimer]

East Anglia's quite a big place, Clacton is at one edge and may well be convenient for you. If you're nearer the other edge, you could also consider the Cambridge Flying Group with its Tiger Moths, and there's also a beautiful Tiger Moth and a Pitts S2 available at Northants School of Flying, at Sywell, which is just a short trip down the A14.

[AerBabe]

I know a nice man with a Chipmunk as Husband's Bosworth... The fact that it's taken him over 18 months of instruction and I still haven't soloed isn't his fault!


(That's only about 5 h flying over 18 months.)

[LowNSlow]

If you don't mind going transatlantic you could try Chuck "Cat Driver" Ellsworth here you might even get tempted to start on the big Cat

Alternatively, if you ever meet a guy called John Nutter around the Popham / Southampton way ask him.

PS I'm not connected with Chuck in any way.

[BlueRobin]

If you are serious about tail wheel and becoming proficient at it therefore, use someone local and do the practice over a number of weeks. Clacton is lots of fun, excellent introduction to tailwheeling and very good therefore, but they're not the be-all and end-all if you can only stay in Clacton short-term.

Any chance of instruction that Chippy being available to non-Aerbabes ?

[Arclite01]

The problems with the Tigers at Cambridge is that they are very busy all the time and that the wind only has to be a few Kts above 0 and they are out of limits.

I know, I tried twice.

The Cubs at Clacton are definately your best bet. They are fully geared up for training and the field is grass and no hassles.

However there is also a C152 tailwheeler at Elmsett which is in Wattisham zone. Horizon flying club I think it is...........

I did my refresher training at Redhill (Cubair) and they were great.

Hope this helps

Arc

[QuackDriver]

I did my tail dragger differences at Clacton and thought it was great. Weather was foul so most of it was doing bad weather circuits with wind. Good for going around to farm strips as well.

[Say again s l o w l y]

Horizon is at Elmsett, don't worry about it being inside the Wattisham MATZ. I've been in and out of there for years and I've never had a problem.

Bill Stitt is the CFI and they have a C150 aerobat Texas Taildragger. Not a bad machine, as it has had very little use compared to the average school machine. You can do an Aero's course as well!

The Wx at Clacton can be interesting, especially with the runway being orientated N/S. Talk to Mark at CLN, he'll sort you out.

[QNH 1013]

Please, please, please, first beg, borrow or buy a copy of "The Compleat (sic) Taildragger Pilot by Harvey S Plourde. All the mail order pilot shops seem to have copies.

After you have read this book you will begin to realise just how important it is to be taught by someone who really knows how to handle taildraggers and not just a club instructor who once did a five hour conversion course himself / herself, and hasn't done much with one since.

Today's fixed runways mean you will need to master crosswind landings, wheel landings and more. You can only learn greek from someone who speaks greek. Don't try to learn about taildraggers from someone who hasn't mastered them.
Best of luck with the training. It will open up a whole new world to you.

QNH 1013

[Papa Charlie]

My penny worth....

Cubair at Redhill - Super Cub.
The Real Flying Company at Shoreham - Chippie and Stampe.

Speak from experience of both. Highly recommended.

[AerBabe]

That's Shoreham, not Southend?
How much do they charge for the Stampe?

[FlyingForFun]

QNH,

Please, please, please, first beg, borrow or buy a copy of "The Compleat (sic) Taildragger Pilot by Harvey S Plourde

Agreed.

After you have read this book you will begin to realise just how important it is to be taught by someone who really knows how to handle taildraggers and not just a club instructor who once did a five hour conversion course himself / herself

Also agreed.

FFF
----------------

[Ace Rimmer]

Second Papa Charlie...Real Flying Co are a quality outfit

AB : Can't quite remember off the top of my head what the rate is but I've a feeling the dual rate is over £200-240 range. In any case they want you to have a sign off in the Chippy or quite a bit of taildragging before starting dual on the Stampe... which is understandable the dam* thing is absolutely immaculate. Mind you the Chippy is in pretty good nick too.




Of course doing the conversion on a Tiger, Stampe or a Chippy you'll also get familiar with the joys of post flighting anything powered by a Gypsy engine - LOTS of oil to wipe off!

[J.A.F.O.]

Thanks everyone.

I started out by thinking that Clacton was my best option but I didn't want it to be my only option.

FFF & QNH - Already got the Compleat Taildragger, hence the question.

So, it'll probably end up being Clacton but at least I now have other options should I need them.

Thanks again.

JAFO

[AerBabe]

Sorry I didn't answer this before; yes, the Chippie is available to non-ABs through AWA Flying Group - 024 7630 1498. However, the best way to get hold of the instructor for the Chippie is directly. I'll ask him which number he wants published & come back to you...

[DB6]

Rather further afield, Tatenhill Aviation, near Burton on Trent, has a Super Decathlon. Fully aerobatic with inverted fuel and oil systems. What more could you want?