Taildragger training?
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2023
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From: Greece
Taildragger training?
Hey everyone. I’m 16 years old and am saving to get my PPL. I was considering the option of getting mine in a taildragger/bushplane. I heard that you can get your tailwheel endorsement at the same time and can switch over to trikes without an additional rating. What would be the pros and cons of doing it this way? Did anybody here choose to take this route? Thank you for all the helpful info so far.
Joined: Apr 2009
Aviation Qualifications: Non-Aircrew
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From: DM33
Training in gliders and tailwheel airplanes will give you skills that some airplane pilots never acquire. Whether those skills will be useful later depends on what you end up flying. Don't know the rules where you live but, in USA, once qualified on tailwheel you need no additional endorsement or rating to fly with the small wheel at the front.
Pros - you'll develop far better stick and rudder skills in tailwheel aircraft
Cons - It will be more challenging and may be harder to find a qualified instructor
I started in gliders, then flew SEL with the wheel at the front, then converted to tailwheel. I had the advantage that the glider time had taught me what my feet were for.
Pros - you'll develop far better stick and rudder skills in tailwheel aircraft
Cons - It will be more challenging and may be harder to find a qualified instructor
I started in gliders, then flew SEL with the wheel at the front, then converted to tailwheel. I had the advantage that the glider time had taught me what my feet were for.
With3Tees
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 99
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From: London UK
This might interest you. It’s an article about Pitts being the ultimate basic trainer. I know some would disagree…
https://vdocuments.net/pitts-a-basic...al.html?page=8
https://vdocuments.net/pitts-a-basic...al.html?page=8
Joined: Aug 1998
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 6,623
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From: Ex-pat Aussie in the UK
It is absoultely true that tailwheel skills make a better pilot. It is also true that those skills are harder to acquire, so you might take a bit longer to solo (i.e. you'll spend more money).
Most people learn on nosewheel aircraft, and once they have the licence, decide if they want to spend the extra on the tailwheel.
Aerobatics, Historical aircraft, Glider towing, Crop dusting, some Bush flying all use tailwheel. Are you going to be doing any of that in your forseeable future?
Most people learn on nosewheel aircraft, and once they have the licence, decide if they want to spend the extra on the tailwheel.
Aerobatics, Historical aircraft, Glider towing, Crop dusting, some Bush flying all use tailwheel. Are you going to be doing any of that in your forseeable future?
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 416
Likes: 36
From: Down south
It is absoultely true that tailwheel skills make a better pilot. It is also true that those skills are harder to acquire, so you might take a bit longer to solo (i.e. you'll spend more money).
Most people learn on nosewheel aircraft, and once they have the licence, decide if they want to spend the extra on the tailwheel.
Aerobatics, Historical aircraft, Glider towing, Crop dusting, some Bush flying all use tailwheel. Are you going to be doing any of that in your forseeable future?
Most people learn on nosewheel aircraft, and once they have the licence, decide if they want to spend the extra on the tailwheel.
Aerobatics, Historical aircraft, Glider towing, Crop dusting, some Bush flying all use tailwheel. Are you going to be doing any of that in your forseeable future?
If you start from scratch on a tailwheel you will acquire the awareness , skills. The reflex will get ingrained early on without you even noticing, right away. You should be able to solo in the same time frame as with a nosewheel.
But if you start on a nosewheel then you will likely be in much more trouble switching over, as you need to get rid of the bad habit of not using the rudder other than to apply a gentle touch to compensate for yaw on takeoff, this will take a very very long time and frustrate you along the way.
Basic taildraggers as a piper cub should be available at a very reasonable cost. I strongly suggest to go the taildragger way, as you will learn to control and feel the airplane.
Nosewheel pilots develop grotesque flying habits, especially at landing. This is not to say that you cannot learn correctly on a nosewheel, But a lot of instructors today are deficient in this respects as nobody has taught them how.
