Tail Dragger Conversion
 

I have recently bought into a tail dragger group (Condor). Up until now I have only ever flown normal tricycle type aircraft (Piper PA28, Cessnas).

I have booked with a qualified instructor to do a tail dragger conversion - he reckons 4 to 5 hours.

As a holder of a JAR-PPL for SEP (Land) is there anyhting LEGALLY to stop me just jumping in and going for a flight (NOT that I intend to - I'm stupid but not THAT stupid) - just wondered what the legal position is.

Also what would the insurance position be?? and finally does the conversion have to be done by a qualified insructor or could it be done with any PPL who has already got his/her conversion?

No doubt all the answers can be found in the depths of some CAA publication but I cannot find anything relevant in my searches.

Cheers.

Not entirely certain, but doesn't this come under "Differences training"? I would certainly expect it to. Certainly far less significant difference like constant speed prop and retractable undercarriage require such training.

From memory, I think tailwheel was not included in the original draft of differences training requirements, prompting an very experienced instructor friend of mine to contact the CAA to voice his disgruntlement!!

No, you can't legally fly it until you've been signed-off by a suitably qualified instructor (not just a PPL) for the tailwheel 'differences' endorsement.

SSD

No, I don't believe there is nothing that can LEGALLY stop you jumping in and going for a flight.
However, your fellow group members might be a little chavved off when you bent it on landing/takeoff. Also, it is unlikely that the insurance company would cough up when they discovered your lack of tailwheel experience.
A tailwheel conversion takes as little as 3 hours.
I suggest you keep sitting in it making engine noises until you've been checked out

SSD is right.

Practically, there is nothing to stop you, but the law is clear - you need differences training and a sign-off by an instructor (I assume the instructor needs to be suitably qualified too, but...?)

If you have bought a share and try to fly it without such a rating, you will become highly unpopular. Most groups (as mine has) have rules that clearly state you need to adhere to the legal and group rules - and flying a tailwheel aircraft without the necessary sign-off will invalidate the insurance.

If the CAA don't get you, the other members will:=

You will be quoted c. 5 hours for the training - but if you have the ability and are aware of the differences you can be signed off sooner. I was expecting 5 hours and got signed off in 1.5

Thanks for all the answers, as I said I have NO intention of flying without the conversion training but was interested to find what the LEGAL requirements were.

Chox

Well done Chox for seeing the light...you won't regret it.

Mono is "not quite right" :rolleyes: but the others are :D .

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

I am pretty sure that the 5hrs is now a requirement not a recommendation. In the old days it was just sufficient training to achieve the standard. When I did mine it was an hour of circuits. I will have to dig out the guidance notes.

Unless there are rule changes I have not seen, there is no minimum time for differences, in fact my understanding is an instructor can even sign differences off with a briefing - I think the only one this might be half sensible for is retracts, even then best to do a few circuits. With the right ability it is possible to cover tailwheel conversion in an hour or less but 5 hours is realistic for most people, especially if you cover all the bits that should be in this:- three pointers, wheelers, crosswind.:}

Foxmoth
Please explain wheelers? I would have hated to have missed out on these!

I did a tailwheel conversion last Sept. Insurance company required 15 take-offs & landings, not touch & go's prior to solo flight. Other limitations were put in place until 25 hours on type.

Wheelers are touching down mainwheels only in a level attitude, you then hold the tail up until you run out of forward stick. Wheelers are particularly useful in gusty conditions and many tailwheel pilots prefer them for crosswinds as it keeps the rudder in the slipstream until the tail finally drops at a very low speed. IMHO anyone converting to tailwheel should at least learn this technique even if you choose not to use it (I will not sign a tailwheel endorsement off without it).:rolleyes:

n.b. Touch and goes will normally be acceptable for TO & Ldgs - or had they specified that tis was not OK?

Chox
In answer to your original question, JAR–FCL 1.215 Class ratings (A) states:-
LASORS Appendix E to Section F gives guidance on differences training.
No minimum times are specified.

Mike

When I bought share in a taildragger, the insurer set their own criteria for the experience required to fly the aicraft solo. I forget how many taildragger hours they wanted, but I didn't have them, so they specified I had to do 15 landings in the aircraft with an qualified instructor.

Have you seen your Insurance Policy? If not, you should see it before you fly the aircraft to make sure you are aware of all its provisions.

good luck - its a great feeling to have mastered the dreaded taildragger!

tp

Foxmoth
Tks for explanation - didn't do any. Fly level, stick back......hope for the best:{
Only done onc tricycle light aircraft landing since....best ever or close to it.

Tacpot Ain't it just;)

Foxmoth

I've got around 300 tailwheel hours and was never taught or used the 'wheeler' technique. I've landed safely in strong cross-winds in a variety of tailwheel aircraft using the fully held-off/wing-down method and fail to see what benefit the wheeler has.

My real problem is taxying, and, for that, landing technique is irrelevant

Foxmoth
Tks for explanation - didn't do any. Fly level, stick back......hope for the best

Not quite. Wheel it on in a level attitude (or vey slightly tail-low), then slight forward stick to 'hold' it on as the mains touch the ground (not enough to raise the tail above the fuselage-horizonatl position). As the speed bleeds off, more forward stick is required to maintain the level tail-up attitude. In the Chippy, with about 30 knts down the strip, you can come to a stop with the tail up, whereupon despite full forward stick it will gently lower the tail to the ground.

Even if you don't need to do one, they are great fun!

SSD

Lucy,

If you were never taught to do wheelers and have never done them it's not too surprising that you fail to see the benefit. Foxmoth is spot on; wheeler landings are a very valuable technique and I believe they are a required part of a t/w pilot's repitoire (I won't sign off difference training without doing wheelers). They are much more comfortable in a strong X wind on some types and will alow you to land in crosswinds which would be impossible (or at least unwise) for a three pointer. remember, "taildraggers" is used as a blanket term but they don't all fly (and land) the same so it's important to have a detailed understanding of what works best on any particular type before you fly it. What types do you fly?

Some of the characteristics an aeroplane exibits during taxying and during landing can be similar so I'd suggest that a full understanding of the possibilities and requirements of how to land your aeroplane might be relevant to taxying too!

3 Point (and wheeler too when required!!)

GK430, If you have not done wheelers I suggest you learn how with someone that knows WIHIH, idealy an instructor.
In addition to xwind landings, wheelers are useful in gusty conditions because you have a bit more speed and control up to touchdown.:ok:

Oops.

Sorry chaps:bored:

So, is my self endorsed IMC rating also illegal?:}