Tail Dragger conversion advice.
 

Hello,

I would dearly like to do a conversion to tail wheel in the Cambridge area. I have looked at the Cambridge flying group and found them to be very helpful indeed. I would however like to explore other options too. Can anyone suggest anything.....?

Cheers,

Nish.

Umm do lots of leg exercise.....and practise going around in small circles so you dont get dizzy when it happens for real.
:) :)

Considered Clacton?

Nice relaxed atmosphere, bouncy grass which helps keep it tracking the right way, free mushrooms growing on the apron and a reasonable chance of catching me there on my days off and coming down the pub with us after flying.

What else could you ask for?

Buy Harvey Plourde's book 'The Compleat Taildragger Pilot' before you start the conversion. Good stuff, and will probably save you money too - be prepared before you get there. Taildraggers rule OK.

How about doing some 90 mph wheeling practices, siting backward in your motorcycle !?

Thanks.

I find it hard to believe that people need to do go on these taildragger conversion courses-someone somewhere's making money out of it anyway!
All you need is a checkride (as you would on any new a/c type), and your instructor will tell you everything you need to know. In my experience, the only big difference is taxiing. The t/o's and landings will take a circuit or two before you've cracked it-good luck :)

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I'm on my way!

Willy,

If you go and fly a taildragger with your instructor for (say) five hours you'll pay the going rate for the aircraft and his time.

If you go on a 'conversion course' which typically lasts five hours or so you pay (wait for it)........... the going rate for the aircraft and instructor.

Tain't no different. It's only a name.


PS No Instructor is going to let you go solo after 'a circuit or two'.

[This message has been edited by Flintstone (edited 03 October 2000).]

I did a PPL with the Cambridge Flying Group and can thoroughly recommend them. Their immaculately kept Tigers are fun to fly, and will provide as good a tailwheel initiation as can be found. Also, the Cambridge grass is plentiful, which helps when you can't see a damn thing on landing bar the back of the instructor's head!

Hiya Willy J,
Interested in your comments !
"I'm on my way" is exactly where you'll be going if your own comments are not tongue in cheek !!
I first flew taildraggers in the sixties and do so again now, approx.250 hours a year amongst others, - all instruction.
In between, a "few" thousand hours military and airline.
I still keep the feet going all the way to "stop" because now and again the little
bu&&@r will try to bite you.
Don't ever get complacent.

Sail Army. ;) ;)

Sleeve Wing, very true.
The only point I was trying to make was that a conversion course of say 5 hours seems a touch excessive to teach a qualified pilot how to fly a taildragger. This, of course would depend on the pilot's experience and the a/c type etc. Saying that, I was fortunate enough to start my flying career on taildraggers, so I never had to make that transition-I'll get me coat then! :)

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I'm on my way!

Willy,

As you say, depends upon the pilot. I was lucky enough to also start on taildraggers. Lately I've helped a few people convert. Some were ready within a couple of hours, others needed extra.

I think I saw some bloke walk off with your coat. Might as well stay and have another drink, eh?

Is it just that, a conversion course? I heard that under JAR you had to have a taildragger endorsement. Which seems silly, because I was not aware that taildraggers are a different category to other aircraft of the same specifications (with just the wheels in a different place).

With a PPL SELP you will need "differences training" before you can exercise your privileges on a tailwheel aircraft (unless you have grandfather rights - having such an aircraft as P1 before 1/1/2000). This must be carried out with an instructor (and I presume the syllabus is specified somewhere).

Arrow 2

Go on, just the one then!

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I'm on my way!

I have to admit, as an instructor, I really enjoy doing initial taildragger training. It always sorts out the loudmouth/yuppie pilot from those who really want to learn to fly these tricky little beasts.
One of the funniest times was an arrogant prat who managed to con a local survey company into loaning him one of their C180s for his conversion. He couldn't even taxi it to the holding point! :) After 2 hours of pure humiliation, we decided that he would stick to more "modern" aircraft.
Although, those pilots are not too common now. The braggarts want to fly high and fast, those who love to fly cope well with the Citabria and Cub, for their introduction to fun flying.

I learned on taildraggers, instructed on them and fly a Cub on my days off. The best bit of advice I ever heard was " After you've landed, a taildragger wants to be like a puppy - and chase it's tail"

Taildraggers are great fun and they definitely require more "piloting" than a tricycle. Real flying!
When I did my taildragger endorsement,as I approached the A/C (a Decathlon) with my instructor,he said "you see it there all tied down?" to which I nodded."Well,it is safe now" he said. "As soon as we untie it it is likely to do ANYTHING!"
How right he was!
At that stage I had a few hundred hours on tricycles and all of a sudden I had to learn to fly again and learn to use those things on the floor that I thought were footrests!
:) :)

Taildragger !?

Built to fly not to drive :)

Anyway, at the time you get used to it...No problemo, an airplane is still an airplane and you will love it.

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Radials are good only for noise

Willy, as someone who learnt to fly on taildraggers, I don't think you appreciate the culture shock to one who never had to worry about approach speed accuracy, and who thought it was all over once the wheels were on the ground.

Having also learnt on Chipmunks, I found converting others to it was a matter of drumming in Accurate speed, Hold off, and it ain't over til the prop is stopped.

Its true that some dork in JAA has made them 'complex types' so Nishko will now have to do a proper course. Good luck you WILL enjoy.