made a decision....

[killbilly]

I'm still saving up to do my IR - but I've had a serious jones to go fly and learn some new stuff...so on pure chance I happened to click a link for an FBO where it turns out they do tailwheel training.

So I talked to the guy at length on the phone. Really liked talking to him. Liked what he had to say - he was of similar mind and style to my original CFI, whom I worship as a minor deity....

I'm gonna go get my TW. In a Super Cub. Can't wait. Just gotta get it scheduled.

 

[jrh]

Be careful what you wish for. I was in the same boat, thought it would be fun to get a tailwheel endorsement, and next thing I knew I became the owner (read: married to) a Cessna 140!

Sounds like a blast though. I'm jealous, I've never gotten to fly a Super Cub. Have fun!

 

[surreal1221]

Have fun, I regret not getting my TW. . .but. . .such is life.

 

[ctab5060X]

Excellent decision.

It will be one that you will never regret.

 

[My Flight Surgeon]

Let us know when you are signed off and Welcome to the TW club.

 

[WacoFan]

I'm still saving up to do my IR - but I've had a serious jones to go fly and learn some new stuff...so on pure chance I happened to click a link for an FBO where it turns out they do tailwheel training.

So I talked to the guy at length on the phone. Really liked talking to him. Liked what he had to say - he was of similar mind and style to my original CFI, whom I worship as a minor deity....

I'm gonna go get my TW. In a Super Cub. Can't wait. Just gotta get it scheduled.

Major red-flags here. You will never want to fly a nose-dragger again. You will probably start having nocturnal emissions about taildraggers and will probably end up owning one. Sounds like the aeronautical equivalent of Crack to me - be careful or soon all your time and money will be spent in the pursuit of keeping the tail behind you on landing.

 

[ctab5060X]

Major red-flags here. You will never want to fly a nose-dragger again. You will probably start having nocturnal emissions about taildraggers and will probably end up owning one. Sounds like the aeronautical equivalent of Crack to me - be careful or soon all your time and money will be spent in the pursuit of keeping the tail behind you on landing.

You do know that the medicaton for this condition calls for flights to be make not only in a taildragger, but also one with a radial engine... oh, wait, that just makes the condition worse!

 

[killbilly]

Major red-flags here. You will never want to fly a nose-dragger again. You will probably start having nocturnal emissions about taildraggers and will probably end up owning one. Sounds like the aeronautical equivalent of Crack to me - be careful or soon all your time and money will be spent in the pursuit of keeping the tail behind you on landing.

Know what is really driving this?

I really want to own an airplane. Something with a proper stick and tailwheel.

When I search around on Trade-A-Plane lately, I search Aeronca, Decathlon, Citabria, J-3 Cubs, Stinsons.

I have severe Citabria lust. And there are some relatively affordable examples out there. I need to do more research though - there are WIDE disparities in the pricing based on model years and maker - I'm not sure, but it seems like three or four different companies made Citabrias over the years.

To me, they're a lot like Ducatis. You can go ride/fly one for a while, and after you're done, sit in a lounge chair with a cold beer or a coffee and stare at it for awhile. Citabrias, to me, have severe ramp appeal.

Or an RV-3. I can't afford an RV-8, but an RV-3 or the two-seat tandem model...(RV-6, perhaps?) would be fairly awesome.

 

[ctab5060X]

I have severe Citabria lust. And there are some relatively affordable examples out there. I need to do more research though - there are WIDE disparities in the pricing based on model years and maker - I'm not sure, but it seems like three or four different companies made Citabrias over the years.

Drop me a PM sometime. I will be more than happy to answer questions you have about the type.

 

[unclenobby]

I'm still saving up to do my IR - but I've had a serious jones to go fly and learn some new stuff...so on pure chance I happened to click a link for an FBO where it turns out they do tailwheel training.

So I talked to the guy at length on the phone. Really liked talking to him. Liked what he had to say - he was of similar mind and style to my original CFI, whom I worship as a minor deity....

I'm gonna go get my TW. In a Super Cub. Can't wait. Just gotta get it scheduled.

Nice, I'm thinking of getting my TW in a citabria too once done with the Comm....good thing about doing it now is it counts towards your 250hrs for Comm. In hindsight I should have done it during my 250, live and learn!

 

[WacoFan]

Know what is really driving this?

I really want to own an airplane. Something with a proper stick and tailwheel.

Sounds like you are already a lost cause. If you are going to do it, do it right - try to find a small grass strip that will allow you to build a quanset-hut style of hanger with an apartment built on. That way you are never too far from your loved one. Also - an airplane I have always liked and that I think is relatively under-rated is a Stinson 108 series airplane. I like them all. The 108-2's are prettier (smaller vertical fin) but the 108-3's, with the monster vertical tail are also very cool. They are delightful airplanes with good utility.

 

[ctab5060X]

Sounds like you are already a lost cause. If you are going to do it, do it right - try to find a small grass strip that will allow you to build a quanset-hut style of hanger with an apartment built on. That way you are never too far from your loved one. Also - an airplane I have always liked and that I think is relatively under-rated is a Stinson 108 series airplane. I like them all. The 108-2's are prettier (smaller vertical fin) but the 108-3's, with the monster vertical tail are also very cool. They are delightful airplanes with good utility.

A Waco, Citabria, and Stinson all flew into a grass strip... guess that means a party at the quanset hut! :nana2:

 

[WacoFan]

I support user-fees for anything with a nosewheel. The exception would be Mike's P-3's, and anything with a nosewheel that also has radial engines (Connie's, DC-4,6,7's, B-25's, etc). Possible levy a double user-fee for nosewheel Beech 18's just for ruining the looks of a cool airplane, but probably exempt them as well.

 

[t-cart]

You're gonna have FUN!!!

 

[Firebird2XC]

A TW endorsement is good fun and all, and certainly an enriching experience for a pilot...

BUT...

Don't delay your IR rating too long. Once of.. if not THE best thing a pilot can do for his survivability curve is to get an IR.

A TW is fun, sure, but an IR will SAVE YOUR LIFE.

 

[WacoFan]

A TW endorsement is good fun and all, and certainly an enriching experience for a pilot...

BUT...

Don't delay your IR rating too long. Once of.. if not THE best thing a pilot can do for his survivability curve is to get an IR.

A TW is fun, sure, but an IR will SAVE YOUR LIFE.

Seems TW and IR do have the common ability to give the pilot a finer sense of control over the airplane. I vote for both.

 

[flyboywbl]

I really want to get mine this summer. It was between that and my Heli add on. The heli stuff is gonna be a stretch but i bet the tail wheel won't be too expensive. A guy i know just bought a Harmon Rocket with an IO-540 in it. He says it trues out at 235 kts. He said i could fly with him when ever. I'm a little leery because it is a homebuilt but man would it be fun! I can't fly a DC-3 (my favorite plane) with out a tail wheel endorsement!

 

[killbilly]

Seems TW and IR do have the common ability to give the pilot a finer sense of control over the airplane. I vote for both.

I definitely plan to do both, but I've got a bit of money burning a hole in my pocket and I really want to do some flying that's as much fun as it is...study.

There is no doubt that I will earn an IR, but it's going to take longer. I need time in the air anyway, and at my level, any education with a CFI about flying technique is worth the time and money spent.

In addition to being fun, I've been told by countless pilots at varying levels that tailwheel time will make me a better overall pilot. This appeals to me. Once I let go of the idea of flying professionally, it sort of opened up a lot of options to me.

Here's the ultimate goal/dream - I want to own a little Citabria or something like that, and take about a month or so to fly around the country and explore. Fly along both coasts. Find small airports. Maybe take some people on their first airplane rides. Visit JC people. Land on a beach somewhere and sit there with my plane and guitar and watch the sun rise or set.

Y'know? Stuff like that.

This is a first step on that journey. It make take me 10 years to get it all together, but it's something I'm gonna do.

(jeez, I know it's corny...sorry...just re-read it)

 

[Ian_J]

Bill - got my TW in a Citabria and flew off a little grass strip out in the country. Lots and lots of fun.

 

[HeyEng]

I definitely plan to do both, but I've got a bit of money burning a hole in my pocket and I really want to do some flying that's as much fun as it is...study.

There is no doubt that I will earn an IR, but it's going to take longer. I need time in the air anyway, and at my level, any education with a CFI about flying technique is worth the time and money spent.

In addition to being fun, I've been told by countless pilots at varying levels that tailwheel time will make me a better overall pilot. This appeals to me. Once I let go of the idea of flying professionally, it sort of opened up a lot of options to me.

Here's the ultimate goal/dream - I want to own a little Citabria or something like that, and take about a month or so to fly around the country and explore. Fly along both coasts. Find small airports. Maybe take some people on their first airplane rides. Visit JC people. Land on a beach somewhere and sit there with my plane and guitar and watch the sun rise or set.

Y'know? Stuff like that.

This is a first step on that journey. It make take me 10 years to get it all together, but it's something I'm gonna do.

(jeez, I know it's corny...sorry...just re-read it)

Corny or not...that is awesome!!! One of the guys at my home airport has a Stinson and is looking at buying ANOTHER one (in addition to his wife's Cherokee). It's one STEAL of a deal and truth be told, I wouldn't mind having one either. My Granddad had one back in the day and it is just a really cool airplane. I am still wanting an Ercoupe just for the reason you state. Something that looks different that all the trikes out there and is guaranteed to get you good parking at all the fly-ins!!!

So MUCH better than running around in an RV (camper, not the airplane!).