killbilly
Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
It should be illegal to have this much fun. Truly. I couldn't stop grinning, cackling maniaclly to myself as I repeatedly slipped the sucker down to the turf and then kicked it out, learning to settle gently....
Two days of yanking and banking, tap dancing on the rudder, one near-ground loop, and a plane that will slip like an express elevator to hell, and I have my endorsement.
I ain't qualified to just go jump in any taildragger, and I can't even solo this plane without 100 hours in it, but I feel like a hell of a lot better pilot.
I learned to save the bad landings that I could, convert a 3-pointer to a wheel or go around when I couldn't. To land when it was ready and not before. I learned that fat Alaska tires on pavement are difficult at best. And that Larry at the FBO will make fun of you for bouncing one pretty bad.
On grass, they're outstanding.
I understand more about rudder control now than I ever thought possible.
And when you THINK the stick is all the way back to plant that tailwheel, you really do have another inch or so of travel, and it does make a difference.
If the Cessna 172 is the Honda Accord of the sky, then the '59 SuperCub is most certainly a Jeep:
I have never had more fun in my life. And Ken, my instructor, does this the right way: it's not just instruction. It's a Texas Hill Country Flying Adventure where you will land in pastures, unmarked grass strips, pavement, nice grass strips, riverbed sandbar touch n' goes and if you're lucky, an island in a lake. You'll learn wheel landings, 3-pointers, crosswind-rudder-two-step-jitterbug. He's about making the whole thing educational and fun, instead of educational and boring.
You'll also have sore legs and back from muscling the plane around. And you'll grin stupidly the whole time and cackle to yourself.
You'll learn how to do a MONSTER "slip-around-the-corner" to touch down softly, gently, at Llano.
Most importantly, you'll feel more like an Aviator and less like a "pilot."
Best money I've spent so far in flight training. I REALLY want a tailwheel airplane now.
I've included a couple of pictures here, but the full album (and you REALLY need to look at the Colorado river shots) is linked below.
http://picasaweb.google.com/billy.hutchison/Tailwheel#
Two days of yanking and banking, tap dancing on the rudder, one near-ground loop, and a plane that will slip like an express elevator to hell, and I have my endorsement.
I ain't qualified to just go jump in any taildragger, and I can't even solo this plane without 100 hours in it, but I feel like a hell of a lot better pilot.
I learned to save the bad landings that I could, convert a 3-pointer to a wheel or go around when I couldn't. To land when it was ready and not before. I learned that fat Alaska tires on pavement are difficult at best. And that Larry at the FBO will make fun of you for bouncing one pretty bad.
On grass, they're outstanding.
I understand more about rudder control now than I ever thought possible.
And when you THINK the stick is all the way back to plant that tailwheel, you really do have another inch or so of travel, and it does make a difference.
If the Cessna 172 is the Honda Accord of the sky, then the '59 SuperCub is most certainly a Jeep:
I have never had more fun in my life. And Ken, my instructor, does this the right way: it's not just instruction. It's a Texas Hill Country Flying Adventure where you will land in pastures, unmarked grass strips, pavement, nice grass strips, riverbed sandbar touch n' goes and if you're lucky, an island in a lake. You'll learn wheel landings, 3-pointers, crosswind-rudder-two-step-jitterbug. He's about making the whole thing educational and fun, instead of educational and boring.
You'll also have sore legs and back from muscling the plane around. And you'll grin stupidly the whole time and cackle to yourself.
You'll learn how to do a MONSTER "slip-around-the-corner" to touch down softly, gently, at Llano.
Most importantly, you'll feel more like an Aviator and less like a "pilot."
Best money I've spent so far in flight training. I REALLY want a tailwheel airplane now.
I've included a couple of pictures here, but the full album (and you REALLY need to look at the Colorado river shots) is linked below.
http://picasaweb.google.com/billy.hutchison/Tailwheel#