need CFI & tailwheel in AUS area quick!

TXaviator

TXaviator

Well-Known Member
Ok so i have a potential gig that would start in early June, but they are really pushing for me to get my CFI prior to it (which, im sure makes everyone here very happy to hear me say, LOL) and I also want/need the endorsement to fly a proper aircraft (conventional gear)....

First, how quickly can one do a CFI rating, if we fly every day? Anyone around central TX do tailwheel? Both at the same time maybe??

Thanks!
 
I think it can be done, not so much having to fly everyday but you'll definitely want to hit the books everyday. Getting through the FSDO is the toughest part of this ride. But I "heard" from someone who works at a flight school in SA that the FAA is farming out some of the checkrides to the DPEs. I can't verify that to be true though.
 
at1024 said:
I think it can be done, not so much having to fly everyday but you'll definitely want to hit the books everyday. Getting through the FSDO is the toughest part of this ride. But I "heard" from someone who works at a flight school in SA that the FAA is farming out some of the checkrides to the DPEs. I can't verify that to be true though.
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They only do it when they are too busy to get to them themselves.
 
Give Pilot's Choice (GTU) a call at 512-869-1759. I don't think they do tailwheel, but they make good recommendations if it's out of their league. jerrywhite7 was a CFI there, I got my PPL there, so... two JC people to vouch for it.
 
Rosstafari said:
Give Pilot's Choice (GTU) a call at 512-869-1759. I don't think they do tailwheel, but they make good recommendations if it's out of their league. jerrywhite7 was a CFI there, I got my PPL there, so... two JC people to vouch for it.
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only thing with GTU is... i live WAY on the south side of austin. much closer to san marcos than i am to GTU and well, with austin traffic... id much rather not go to GTU for anything!! thanks though!
 
You can knock out the CFI in two weeks pretty easily considering your acro experience. Like others have said, it's mostly self study... Just crack the books, get comfortable talking through commercial maneuvers from the right seat, and make a bunch of lesson plans using the CFI PTS as guidance. If it were me, I'd concentrate on that first. Deal with the tailwheel afterwards. Should be less than $2500.
 
But I thought "I wouldn't be a good instructor" and "there are better ways to get experience"

Wait a minute. How did you manage to get the awards previously posted in your signature without having a tailwheel endorsement?
 
Screaming_Emu said:
But I thought "I wouldn't be a good instructor" and "there are better ways to get experience"

Wait a minute. How did you manage to get the awards previously posted in your signature without having a tailwheel endorsement?
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what awards do you need a tailwheel endorsement for?
 
busted.gif
 
nice try fellas but no "busted" here.

as per UND puppymill guidelines, we had to fly the deca with a safety pilot (UND instructor) in the back.... sucked for competing with extra weight!!

so ive got ~30 hours "dual received" in the 8KCAB and no tailwheel endorsement written into my book because that was "outside the scope of the aerobatic training course"

pretty dumb huh!!

oh and to add to that, i didnt really ever go out in the deca with the intent of practicing landings to proficiency... it was usually go out and practice acro, then come back and kinda plop in a 3 point landing with the instructor making sure i didnt bend it or ground loop. so im sure i could stand to get some real technique critiquing before getting turned loose in a conventional gear plane anyway to be honest.
 
TXaviator said:
nice try fellas but no "busted" here.

as per UND puppymill guidelines, we had to fly the deca with a safety pilot (UND instructor) in the back.... sucked for competing with extra weight!!

so ive got ~30 hours "dual received" in the 8KCAB and no tailwheel endorsement written into my book because that was "outside the scope of the aerobatic training course"

pretty dumb huh!!
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Glad that you weren't "busted". Quick question though - when you were flying the Decathalon, did the instructor let you do the take-offs and landings? If so, I would call KillBilly's guy and he can probably knock out the tailwheel real quick.
 
Screaming_Emu said:
But I thought "I wouldn't be a good instructor" and "there are better ways to get experience"?
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im not getting the CFI cert to go be an instructor, and ive managed to get up to 135 mins without instructing or bending a plane, so dont get too excited.

im getting it because the job nibble i got wants me to be able to give aerobatic flights to tourists (and i am inferring the insurance wants it that way or done as "instruction"...dunno)
 
WacoFan said:
Glad that you weren't "busted". Quick question though - when you were flying the Decathalon, did the instructor let you do the take-offs and landings? If so, I would call KillBilly's guy and he can probably knock out the tailwheel real quick.
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yes. takeoffs and landings were both done by me. but like i said, its been a while and im SURE i do actually need the refresher and some instruction on the matter. :-D

so in sum, i *need* the tailwheel, and the CFI is a formality but also needed... so i was thinking... CFI in a tailwheel = two birds one cheque!
 
TXaviator said:
nice try fellas but no "busted" here.

as per UND puppymill guidelines, we had to fly the deca with a safety pilot (UND instructor) in the back.... sucked for competing with extra weight!!

so ive got ~30 hours "dual received" in the 8KCAB and no tailwheel endorsement written into my book because that was "outside the scope of the aerobatic training course"

pretty dumb huh!!

oh and to add to that, i didnt really ever go out in the deca with the intent of practicing landings to proficiency... it was usually go out and practice acro, then come back and kinda plop in a 3 point landing with the instructor making sure i didnt bend it or ground loop. so im sure i could stand to get some real technique critiquing before getting turned loose in a conventional gear plane anyway to be honest.
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Sounds a lot like my spin flights. They consisted of JK saying "go ahead and land it" despite my insisting that I've never flown a tailwheel and have no idea what I'm doing.

So that makes your instructor kinda a weenie if he wouldn't give you a little instruction and an endorsement. Its his name in the logbook, not UNDs.
 
Screaming_Emu said:
Sounds a lot like my spin flights. They consisted of JK saying "go ahead and land it" despite my insisting that I've never flown a tailwheel and have no idea what I'm doing.

So that makes your instructor kinda a weenie if he wouldn't give you a little instruction and an endorsement. Its his name in the logbook, not UNDs.
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Eh, I'm not too bent out of shape over it considering the good time i had flying acro.... but yeah it is high time I got signed off for the tailwheel!!
 
I have seen people get their CFI in two weeks. I had a 6 hour oral followed by another comm checkride flight from the right seat. Study everything. All is fair in love, war and CFI checkrides.
 
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