Tailwheel family, here I come!

CN94559

CN94559

New Member
So my mom works for southwest and always talks about her 16 year old student pilot son, and usually she just gets a "oh thats so great for him, I'm happy". Well on this trip, she talked to a Captain, that happens to own his own 7AC Champ and is a CFI. He also owns 100 acres of land with his own private field on it and he offered to give me my tailwheel endorsement... for free!!!! :nana2::nana2::nana2::nana2:

Darkside, here I come!
 
tlewis95 said:
Woah...

Congrats!!!

It will be a lot of fun!
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Oh I know it!

One of my buddies flies it, and he says if you learn how to fly this, you can fly basically any tailwheel (except the pitts cause its a squirrelly bitch)

Is that statement true?
 
CN94559 said:
Oh I know it!

One of my buddies flies it, and he says if you learn how to fly this, you can fly basically any tailwheel (except the pitts cause its a squirrelly bitch)

Is that statement true?
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A Champ???

I highly doubt it. I have never flown one, but it looks to be about the same shape and pretty much the same landing gear as the Cub I fly.

So if it is anything like a Cub in landing, it should be very easy (relatively ;)) to keep going straight.

The difference between landing something like a Cub and something like a C140 is quite substantial though.
 
tlewis95 said:
A Champ???

I highly doubt it. I have never flown one, but it looks to be about the same shape and pretty much the same landing gear as the Cub I fly.

So if it is anything like a Cub in landing, it should be very easy (relatively ;)) to keep going straight.

The difference between landing something like a Cub and something like a C140 is quite substantial though.
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This guy has flown a cub, and said its a little bit different flying airplane, but the champ is heavier, and has better ground visibility. From what this guy says, I wont be able to just hop in any plane an go, its basically I'll just really know how to fly a tailwheel, and I'll be comfortable in the heavier tailwheels such as the C140 and such.
 
CN94559 said:
This guy has flown a cub, and said its a little bit different flying airplane, but the champ is heavier, and has better ground visibility. From what this guy says, I wont be able to just hop in any plane an go, its basically I'll just really know how to fly a tailwheel, and I'll be comfortable in the heavier tailwheels such as the C140 and such.
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Sounds good then.

Kinda makes me want to go fly a Champ now. :)
 
Definitely do it. It's a lot of fun.

Sidenote - saw your airplane on Saturday afternoon at AUS. Looks like Wayne was taxiing out of Atlantic as Seggy and I were walking back in from our hill country tour. I saw the tail number and was like, "I know that dude!"
 
killbilly said:
Definitely do it. It's a lot of fun.

Sidenote - saw your airplane on Saturday afternoon at AUS. Looks like Wayne was taxiing out of Atlantic as Seggy and I were walking back in from our hill country tour. I saw the tail number and was like, "I know that dude!"
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Well, as of this past weekend, its no longer our plane. Its going to England to be in a flight school over there. Thats cool that you saw him though :)
 
Welcome to the darkside... mwah hah ha. :rawk:

When the darkside takes over and you feel the need to fly another taildragger, get at least a good check out. Most have their own personalities.

I highly suggest Budd Davisson's "Taming the Taildragger Pilot". PM me for a link if you need it. Its a short, but very good article.

Oh, and yes you can solo a taildragger w/ a student certificate and proper endorsements.
 
Champ is easy and fun to fly depending on the tailwheel. Some tailwheels break easily and they can get away from you if you are not careful. I regularly fly a couple different Champs and they are lots of fun. I also fly a Citabria which is significantly different than the Champs in my opinion. Tailwheel is great and will make a pilot out of you. Have fun!
 
Champ is certainly a good training platform for TW.

I just resent the Pitts being a bitch remark. This airplane does just what you tell it to do, just like any other. Just gotta pay attention to your idiot light coming on and stop there :D. This is meant in a fun way.
Once you've flown a Pitts, you'll be screwed for life. Nothing reaches it.
 
escapepilot said:
Welcome to the darkside... mwah hah ha. :rawk:

When the darkside takes over and you feel the need to fly another taildragger, get at least a good check out. Most have their own personalities.

I highly suggest Budd Davisson's "Taming the Taildragger Pilot". PM me for a link if you need it. Its a short, but very good article.

Oh, and yes you can solo a taildragger w/ a student certificate and proper endorsements.
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I plan on always going up with somebody before I fly an aircraft that I'm not comfortable with before I solo it, so don't worry I wont be dumb :D

38bat said:
Champ is easy and fun to fly depending on the tailwheel. Some tailwheels break easily and they can get away from you if you are not careful. I regularly fly a couple different Champs and they are lots of fun. I also fly a Citabria which is significantly different than the Champs in my opinion. Tailwheel is great and will make a pilot out of you. Have fun!
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I'll be sure to be careful of that, thanks for the warning!

Cessna414JJB said:
Champ is certainly a good training platform for TW.

I just resent the Pitts being a bitch remark. This airplane does just what you tell it to do, just like any other. Just gotta pay attention to your idiot light coming on and stop there :D. This is meant in a fun way.
Once you've flown a Pitts, you'll be screwed for life. Nothing reaches it.
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:yup:

Yeah, when I say its a squirrelly bitch, I meant on the ground cause its so sensitive, don't worry, I love the pitts, almost as much as the Christen Eagle :rawk::rawk:
 
I flew the champ today, and I have to say, I didn't do as bad as I thought I would. I actually kept the plane coordinated through the flight and did well on the takeoff. On landing, I bounced twice my first one, settled in "perfectly" on the second one, the third one the wind started to pick up so it wasn't quite as good. The fourth one, I tried a wheel landing, and it didnt go as well as the 3 points, but I still only bounced 2 times.

I'm pretty excited to go back up! :nana2:
 
Congrats! IMO, the most important thing to learn during tailwheel training is what to do when you bounce. Sounds like you're doing great! :nana2:
 
escapepilot said:
Congrats! IMO, the most important thing to learn during tailwheel training is what to do when you bounce. Sounds like you're doing great! :nana2:
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I would say that, and correcting for if you don't land perfectly straight would be the most important things I've found so far.
 
1. Stick back, stick back, stick back.

2. Two bounces on a wheel landing until you convert to a 3-point

3. Don't trust anyone when you are hand-propping.

Thats all you really need to know. :laff:
 
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