South Florida (Preferrably Miami) Tailwheel Endorsement

[Murdoughnut]

Took me two days, 2.4 hours total. I also had a ton of glider time though, and gliders are almost all taildraggers. And I doubt many instructors would sign you off only seeing you fly once.

I don't know that you can really predict how long it will take though. There are really only three skills you need to master. Landing at full stall (a three point landing), landing on one or two of the main wheels (a wheel landing), and using the rudder. Most pilots prefer wheel landings (you have more control), unless there are operation reasons you can't (prop clearance and short fields basically). Using the rudder correctly is probably the hardest thing to master learning to fly a taildragger. Even harder if you are used to flying a 747 or an MD-11 - in my anecdotal experience, heavy jet drivers are not conditioned into making frequent rudder corrections.

The best way that I have heard it explained, a taildragger is like a kid's tricycle. Pushing it forwards, pretty easy. Now imagine grabbing the handle bars and pushing it backwards. If it moves off of the line you want it to move in even slightly, it will veer off in that direction quickly. The key to maintaining directional control in a taildragger is to make constant, small rudder corrections to keep the nose pointed where you want. You can't ignore this for a second. The consequences for screwing up can be pretty severe. The airplane may either leave the runway, flip over, or end up with the tail in front (a ground loop).

With trike gear, as long as you can put the aircraft in ground effect and keep the nose up, eventually you are going to touch down somewhat safely. Not so with a taildragger. To cause the main wheels to touch first, the airspeed must be well above stall speed. If the main wheels touch hard enough, they will bounce and increase the angle of attack, causing the aircraft to lift off again, and probably bounce again. To prevent this, two things are necessary. The rate of sink must be well controlled, and when the wheels touch, the stick needs to move forward to counter the additional angle of attack you are about to get. To control the rate of sink, you either need to adjust power, or flare with excess airspeed. All the while, you need to be dancing on the rudder pedals to maintain a straight track along the ground.

If you can, grab a copy of Stick and Rudder and read through it before hand, it should make the techniques you are trying to learn more clear.

I never understood the hard-on some people have for taildraggers. Obviously some planes (like your Pawnee) require it. But I couldn't imagine being interested in a car if someone said - "Check this model out - it's less stable, less safe from an engineering perspective, and has crappier visibility. Enjoy!"

 

[WacoFan]

I never understood the hard-on some people have for taildraggers. Obviously some planes (like your Pawnee) require it. But I couldn't imagine being interested in a car if someone said - "Check this model out - it's less stable, less safe from an engineering perspective, and has crappier visibility. Enjoy!"

You disgust me you spandex wearing, lib, greenie. And that was BEFORE you slammed taildraggers!

Bush planes are generally better as taildraggers - more prop clearance, more rugged, etc. There are some practical uses for taildraggers. One of the main ideas for them though is that by getting your endorsement you unlock an entirely cool, and generally much more interesting group of airplanes to fly.

"Check out this model! It's so stable a monkey could operate it, doesn't require the skills that other machines do, is only less-safe if the pilot doesn't have basic airplane control skills and is generally the aeronautical equivalent of a vanilla shake. Enjoy!"

 

[drunkenbeagle]

I never understood the hard-on some people have for taildraggers. Obviously some planes (like your Pawnee) require it. But I couldn't imagine being interested in a car if someone said - "Check this model out - it's less stable, less safe from an engineering perspective, and has crappier visibility. Enjoy!"

Fair points,

Wouldn't say it is less stable or safe per se - moreso that it is less forgiving for operators that are not properly trained and lack experience. A stick shift cargo truck is probably a bad thing to learn to drive in, but entirely practical for the purpose it was built for.

Taildraggers do have some design advantages as well. They have much more prop clearance, and can typically house larger engines. Larger props can be more efficient, or at least less likely to need gear boxes. They are more practical to operate from unimproved fields. And all other things being the same, they will weigh less and have slightly less drag (at least, again, in most cases).

 

[drunkenbeagle]

You disgust me you spandex wearing, lib, greenie. And that was BEFORE you slammed taildraggers!

Of course I expected Waco to beat me to the punch with a more eloquent and thoughtful reply.

Perhaps one of the best reasons to learn to fly a taildragger though, there are tons of very practical used aircraft that sell at a steep discount because everyone learns to fly a trike now.

 

[TwoTwoLeft]

For you folks that went to tailwheels, how long did it take for you to get the endorsement? 1 day? 2 days?

Usually takes about 5-10 hours. This is more or less the syllabus I follow:

Lesson 1: Getting familiar with the aircraft, taxing, all the basic airwork and a half dozen landings or so.
Lesson 2: Pattern work and 3 point landings
Lesson 3: Short & Soft field Takeoff and landings
Lesson 4: Wheel Landings
Lesson 5: Crosswind Landings
Lesson 6: Review all the above

If you have no prior tailwheel experience you should have about 40-50 takeoffs and landings under your belt. If there are no crosswinds near by, spend the money and travel to an airport where you can practice. It's worth it.

Make sure you and your CFI practice engine failures on takeoff: Tail up, mains on & cut the power. That's about as hard as it gets when you're trying to keep the pointy end forward.

 

[Murdoughnut]

Of course I expected Waco to beat me to the punch with a more eloquent and thoughtful reply.

Perhaps one of the best reasons to learn to fly a taildragger though, there are tons of very practical used aircraft that sell at a steep discount because everyone learns to fly a trike now.

I will say (and Waco, hear this) ... one my top-10 bucket list items is to pull a plane on an open trailer. Been checking out the Kitfox lately - looks like it would do just that ... AND, the tailwheel version would fit into my garage. So there ya go.

 

[drunkenbeagle]

Way to suck the fun out it. Why would you want an airplane on a trailer? Only two possible justifications for this. Either it is so bad ass, that the Feds won't even give you a waiver to ferry it to the middle of nowhere to fly it, or it is a glider and you have landed out. Either way, towing a plane just tells me that you could be flying it.

Much like a boat, if it is parked on your lawn or in your garage, it means you aren't really planning on using it much.

 

[Murdoughnut]

Way to suck the fun out it. Why would you want an airplane on a trailer? Only two possible justifications for this. Either it is so bad ass, that the Feds won't even give you a waiver to ferry it to the middle of nowhere to fly it, or it is a glider and you have landed out. Either way, towing a plane just tells me that you could be flying it.

Much like a boat, if it is parked on your lawn or in your garage, it means you aren't really planning on using it much.

Penis envy. I'm tired of these bastards with their giant boats getting all of the attention of trashy women.

 

[Deleted member 21509]

Penis envy. I'm tired of these bastards with their giant boats getting all of the attention of trashy women.

If you really wanted something that would just sit there and not get used....Buy a Harley, it takes up way less space and trashy women love em!

 

[WacoFan]

If you really wanted something that would just sit there and not get used....Buy a Harley, it takes up way less space and trashy women love em!

You get a more high-brow form of trashy chick with a plane.

 

[ctab5060X]

If there are no crosswinds near by, spend the money and travel to an airport where you can practice. It's worth it.

Some of the best advice so far in this thread. I remember when I was learning to fly many moons ago, we would go do pattern work on days when we had good crosswinds. For its size, a 7ECA can handle a fair amount of crosswind (I think demonstrated was 40mph). If I ever questioned the wind, my instructors comment was always "what wind?"

Mastering crosswinds in a taildragger is a must in my opinion and will make you a better overall pilot.

Make sure you and your CFI practice engine failures on takeoff: Tail up, mains on & cut the power. That's about as hard as it gets when you're trying to keep the pointy end forward.

Oh, you bring back evil memories with that one. Biggest handful I have ever had was doing simulated power reductions after the tail came up in the Beech 18. Only did power reductions back to about 50% power, but that airplane could get wicked if you didn't bring your A game.

 

[b7474ever]

BUMP....

So what to the original poster
Did you ever get your endorsement ?

I'm looking for a SuperCub in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area for training g