Tailwheel Rating

[Bruce]

Today I had my first lesson toward getting my Tailwheel rating and becoming a "real" pilot!.
Motivated by the desire to NOT BEND my own homebuilt, I have started a tailwheel rating at EuroFlight in Tauranga. The aircraft being used is a leased Protech PT-2 homebuilt, ZK-PTT.
The Protech has a reputation for being a bit of a handful on landing due to its very short fuselage (A popular modification with PT2 builders is to lengthen the fuselage by about 18") but my Instructor Tim Holland reckons that its an ideal trainer as once I can handle a PT2, every other light taildragger should be easy by comparison!
I had a great introductory session in the aircraft today, and despite its quirks, I think I will enjoy flying it. We did some upper air work initially so I could get the feel for how the aircraft handles. Having only ever flown Cessnas, the PT2 is the first aircraft I've flown with a stick rather than a yoke. It has exceptional visibility and a very docile stall. Its rate of climb is way better than a C150, even though it has the same O-200 engine. It is however a little slower, and being lighter, inertia is a lot less. Having a short fuselage it requires a bit of footwork to keep it in balance - but that is a good thing as i keep getting told to use my feet more on the Cessnas - even though I cant feel any significant difference - unlike the Protech.
landings are indeed a bit of work, fortunately there was no significant wind!. It definitely is ready to depart sideways if given the opprtunity - one touchdown wandered off to the right and required a bit of help from the instructor to get it pointing back down the runway. Although we tried a couple of 3 point landings, the Protech generally prefers a wheel landing, which seemed much more controllable when I tried.
Next week I am on Holiday so i'm going to have another lesson, probably involving a trip across to Matamata where we dont get messed around by air traffic controllers under training (The trainee on duty today made a total mess of sequencing the PT2, A gyrocopter, a Cherokee and Dash8, which wasted a bit of time and confused everyone - we decided to call it quits for the day after that!)
I have to say I am really keen to get this rating as I am sure it will improve my flying generally. It may take a bit of time and practice though!

How many other tailwheel pilots do we have on the forum?
Andrew (Citabria) Ryan (Dragonfly DH90) and Simon (simonJG) obviously, who else?

[Citabria]

Good for you Bruce, and Welcome to the secret club ;D

I describe taildragging like driving a car at high speed... only in reverse try it and you'll see what I mean.

Have fun and remember, small changes and if in doubt ..

GO ROUND!

[pa18]

In the days I learnt you would progress to a NOSEWHEEL rating ;D
Might cop some stick here but if you conquer the C-185 you will have most things in the bag

[FlyNavy]

The RAAF Winjeel trainer was nice with a lockable tailwheel. Woe betide landing with it unlocked though - groundloop (the tailwheel could be unlocked on the ground with full forward stick deflection and this could happen during spin recovery practice inflight - locking the tailwheel was reverse process). What kind of 'tail dragging device' does a 'PT-2 homebuilt' have?

[flyjoe180]

Did about 500 hours on a C180 and a few hours playing in Andrew's beast and some Harvards, but havent touched a tail wheel aircraft since I left full time instructing. Amongst the most satisfying and challenging flying I ever did, I'd encourage any pilot to give it a go if you haven't already. There are a lot of rumours and tales about how dodgy tail wheel aircraft are and to some, tail wheel pilots are like some small elite. It's all bollocks, like anything else, if you give it your total concentration and complete respect, you will enjoy it and learn a lot about flying and yourself.

[Bruce]

Thanks for the encouragement guys, I certainly enjoyed myself today.
FlyNavy, the PT2 has a Maule Tailwheel, steerable by rudder travel, fully castoring beyond that (very similar to the APL assembly on my own machine).
I've just been filing my AIP ammendments and notice that matamata is unlikely to be "quiet" for the next two weeks due to gliding competitions - Might have to persuade the instructor to try somewhere like Thames. I would prefer an uncontrolled airstrip as the Tower mucked us around so much, and its another thing to concentrate on when the learning curve is already pretty steep!

[flyjoe180]

Thames isn't far away Bruce, but do they do gliding there in the weekends too? HOw about Whitianga or Pauanui? Nice long strips with room for error, perfect for learning.

[corsair67]

Bruce, before you know it, you'll be able to handle a beast like the Corsair! ;D

[Peter Lewis]

I did a tailwheel rating on a 90hp Cub at Ardmore.
With a cruising speed of 75kt and no flaps, it was rather like riding a push bike down the motorway.
This was in the days when the tower was operational, so when the airfield was controlled we could do low-level 600ft circuits on the northern (non-traffic) side of the field. That wasn't so bad, but things were a lot more exciting when we had to mix it with the big boys if the tower was off-watch.
Things more or less came to an end when one day the radio exploded in a shower of sparks when I was on short finals. I was never all that enthusiastic about BQS after that episode.

[phaedrus]

I've just noticed this thread and in particular flyernzl's comment on BQS.

As it happens I think BQS was what I did my first tailwheel rating on as well (haven't got my logbook handy to be totally sure), fortunately there was a nice new Icom radio up front so no sparkies on any of my trips ;D.

Sadly she was comprehensively damaged last year, I think the present owner is working on repairing her to fly again another day.

There's little I can say that hasn't been said before about taildraggers, they're at times willful, capricious, frustrating or downright scary but also a very satisfying machine to fly.
Nothing like doing a perfect greaser (please god!), also nothing like an out-of-control tank-slapper of a landing or a near ground loop either

Incidentaly my most recent taildragger rating was a twin, in many respects a lot easier to fly than BQS - somewhat more mass which means one doesn't get pushed around the same and a lockable tailwheel also seriously helps to keep things straight!

[Peter Lewis]

BQS seems to have been pranged several times (Not by me - all I ever did was catch a wingtip in a strip-side bush at Pauanui while trying to turn her around). I last saw BQS when she in bits/under repair at Bridge Pa about four years ago.

[Bruce]

As there was a query in another thread about taildragger progress, I thought I'd post a quick update here.
Basically, I've had 2.5hours, but with SportAvex setup, windy weather and various other comittments that get in the way, I havent done anything for over a month
The problem now is my instructor is going overseas for 2-3 weeks. None of his other instructors are current in the Protech, so that is a bit of a problem... He was going to find an A-Cat instructor mate of his and get him checked out so he could take over, but its all getting very complicated and scary - and thats just trying to book a lesson!.
As it is really busy at work at the moment, that restricts when I can fly largely to weekends - which isnt great for the instructor. I like to do several sessions in a day in order to make the trip to Tauranga worthwhile. All up trying to get a session is pretty hard work, far worse than the BFR when there was a selection of aircraft and instructors available.
I was hoping to get some flying done this weekend, but everything inNZ aviation seems to stop for Wanaka....
I'm very tempted to look elsewhere for a suitable taildragger option, but the only other feasible ones appear to be at Ardmore (such as a citabria! ) Does anyone have any suggestions about who else can do tailwheel training, but can also offer suitable sheduling? - and isnt too far from Cambridge!
Now highly frustrated....

[Bruce]

Just an update to this thread. Since the last posting I've been flying with Andrew (Citabria) in ZK-CIT which is working out really well. I can report that this afternoon at Matamata I sucessfully completed my first Tailwheel solo!
Still got a bit of practice and polishing to do on wheeler landings etc, but its a real buzz to accurately pole the Citabria around the circuit and set her down nicely all on your own. due to disappearing daylight I only did one circuit, but it was certainly a cracker of an evening (dead calm, quiet circuit, big grass field...) and does the confidence a world of good. Many thanks Andrew.

[Dave Homewood]

Well done Bruce.

[Peter Lewis]

Welcome to the club (the tailwheel club).

[Dave Homewood]

Bruce, just remember when in a tailwheel aircraft, weave. Or you might end up in an expensive situation like this plonker



And no, it's not a Spitfire like the title infurs, thankfully. Does anyone know where this happened?

[Bruce]

Fortunately the Citabria doesnt have the problem of a long Snozz like the Schlepp in the clip does! Thats a former German or Swiss target tug if that helps work out where it is.
No the Citabria has superb visibility, you sit up nice and high in the front seat, and being a tandem 2 seater you see clearly all around - the roof light windows are handy for checking where the Skydivers are when preparing to taxi!

[philip]

or this....

[Dave Homewood]

That one looks more like a case of bad parking.

[Citabria]

I'm glad to say that CIT was not involved in any similar incidents late Sunday afternoon ;D ;D ;D

Well done Bruce, good skills and a relaxed hand, CIT had one thing to say on the way home.

;D