Tail dragging then aeros
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You could also try Fly2help at Kemble.
www.fly2help.org
They specialise in tailwheel, aeros and advanced flying. They also have a lovely Decathlon and a Chipmunk for the training.
www.fly2help.org
They specialise in tailwheel, aeros and advanced flying. They also have a lovely Decathlon and a Chipmunk for the training.
Citabrias as $150/hr, Pitts at $330/hr
As for doing a tailwheel conversion in the Pitts... I guess anything is possible, like learning to drive in a vintage Ferrari. The first 50 or so landings in the Pitts are terrifying even when you're comfortable with tailwheel landings. Unless you're really a natural genius then I'd be sure it'll be both quicker and cheaper to do the conversion in something that flies more like an aeroplane and less like a brick.
n5296s
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trg
Cassidy at WW
Ambrose at Popham
Castle at Full Sutton
Frank at NSOF (Sibson)
If you are in Fl, then I highly recommend Keoki at www.ameliaislandaerobatics.com
Budd at airbum.com in Scottsdale is very good too - a unique aviation experience!
Not so sure that I agree with our resident corpulent 8-9 year old: learn to fly a benign (benign is not an instruction Ed, you struggle to make eight most days!) taildragger prior to committing aviation in the Pitts.
I've flown half a dozen S1's, 8 S2A's, 4 B's and a couple of C's and the one thing that they all have in common is that they all fly differently!! Differences between the marques is understandable but they are different between aircraft of the same model.
As a wise man (and I think it was my chum, Budd D) once said, " The Pitts will spoil other aircraft for you.
Flew mine for 12 mins last week, first aeros this year and I still am wiping the smile of my face, 4 days later!!
Go do it and let us know how you get on.
Stik
Ambrose at Popham
Castle at Full Sutton
Frank at NSOF (Sibson)
If you are in Fl, then I highly recommend Keoki at www.ameliaislandaerobatics.com
Budd at airbum.com in Scottsdale is very good too - a unique aviation experience!
Not so sure that I agree with our resident corpulent 8-9 year old: learn to fly a benign (benign is not an instruction Ed, you struggle to make eight most days!) taildragger prior to committing aviation in the Pitts.
I've flown half a dozen S1's, 8 S2A's, 4 B's and a couple of C's and the one thing that they all have in common is that they all fly differently!! Differences between the marques is understandable but they are different between aircraft of the same model.
As a wise man (and I think it was my chum, Budd D) once said, " The Pitts will spoil other aircraft for you.
Flew mine for 12 mins last week, first aeros this year and I still am wiping the smile of my face, 4 days later!!
Go do it and let us know how you get on.
Stik
A little less conversation,
a little more aviation...
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Stik,
You'll be pleased to hear I missed my usual WW slap-up lunch today - was having trouble fitting into the EAC overalls...
The decision to do the tail-wheel conversion in the S2 was on the advice of Uncle - I was all all fired up to do some time in the Cub beforehand, but he was of the opinion it wouldn't help that much. For the record, we did 6.4 hours dual before he let me loose in the S1 - and as you've noticed, I have two left feet and hand-eye co-ordination on a par with David Blunkett, and hence as far from being a natural as it's possible to get.
As you say, every Pitts is different, and we're lucky that MAXG doesn't have the rather more lively ground handling of some other S1s (famous last words though - given that LG reshaped the lower-left aileron at Elvington, SH did the lower right as you remember at Conington, doubtless it will be muggins who manages to scrape one of the upper ones down the runway at some stage
).
However, right at the start I was lucky in that Alan, Tim J and the rest of the crew were very emphatic that I put aside all of the horror stories and bar-room (and internet forum) mystique around the Pitts and just crack on with it. If the purpose of the exercise, as defined in the original post, is not simply to undertake a tailwheel conversion but specifically to compete in a Pitts, then all I can say is that skipping the Cub time worked for me....so far.
Cheers,
Ed
You'll be pleased to hear I missed my usual WW slap-up lunch today - was having trouble fitting into the EAC overalls...
The decision to do the tail-wheel conversion in the S2 was on the advice of Uncle - I was all all fired up to do some time in the Cub beforehand, but he was of the opinion it wouldn't help that much. For the record, we did 6.4 hours dual before he let me loose in the S1 - and as you've noticed, I have two left feet and hand-eye co-ordination on a par with David Blunkett, and hence as far from being a natural as it's possible to get.
As you say, every Pitts is different, and we're lucky that MAXG doesn't have the rather more lively ground handling of some other S1s (famous last words though - given that LG reshaped the lower-left aileron at Elvington, SH did the lower right as you remember at Conington, doubtless it will be muggins who manages to scrape one of the upper ones down the runway at some stage
).However, right at the start I was lucky in that Alan, Tim J and the rest of the crew were very emphatic that I put aside all of the horror stories and bar-room (and internet forum) mystique around the Pitts and just crack on with it. If the purpose of the exercise, as defined in the original post, is not simply to undertake a tailwheel conversion but specifically to compete in a Pitts, then all I can say is that skipping the Cub time worked for me....so far.
Cheers,
Ed
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Pitts' are sooo tricky on the ground...
I believe that the above myth was perpetuated by several names well known to you, Ed! (Williams/Cassidy/Perrin)
The reason being that it introduced a bit of "gamesmanship" and therefore implied that the driver was above average calibre.
It really is just another aeroplane - but it will do exactly what your hands/feet tell it and it will do it very, very quickly!!
Stik - I spent yesterday washing and polishing mine!!
The reason being that it introduced a bit of "gamesmanship" and therefore implied that the driver was above average calibre.
It really is just another aeroplane - but it will do exactly what your hands/feet tell it and it will do it very, very quickly!!
Stik - I spent yesterday washing and polishing mine!!
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Try www.fly2help.org
Have a look at fly2help.org They have a Chipmunk and Super Decathlon. Their instructors are hugely qualified (2 of them also fly Spitifres!) and many of them have displayed high performance aerobatic aircraft before. Two of them even own Pitts's......... They operate out of Kemble [not too far from you] and the other plus point is that all their profits go to charity (helping young kids experience flying and funding aviation scholorships)
cheers
Phill
cheers
Phill
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Thread Starter
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Thanks for all of the feedback - very much appreciated , looks like I will be going with NSOF at Sibson or with Cassidy at WW. Or I may even go to the states with Keoki or Budd - from no choice to too many choices!!
Any other advice would be most welcome
Thanks Again
, looks like I will be going with NSOF at Sibson or with Cassidy at WW. Or I may even go to the states with Keoki or Budd - from no choice to too many choices!!Any other advice would be most welcome
Thanks Again
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You don't have to go far from Oxford for taildragger and aeros training. Enstone Flying Club are operating a Chipmunk with ex-RAF instructor for exactly your needs. I'm coming up to my first anniversary of Chipmunk flying - about 30 hours in it and enjoyed every moment. Give Enstone a call on 01608 678204.
ACL
ACL
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"Have a look at fly2help.org They have a Chipmunk and Super Decathlon. Their instructors are hugely qualified (2 of them also fly Spitifres!) and many of them have displayed high performance aerobatic aircraft before. Two of them even own Pitts's......... They operate out of Kemble [not too far from you] and the other plus point is that all their profits go to charity (helping young kids experience flying and funding aviation scholorships)"
Understand that they do great spin training too
Understand that they do great spin training too
