Tailwheel Fun

kellwolf

kellwolf

Piece of Trash
So, I went out to do my intial spin training in the Citabria today. The good news is I know a lot more about spins and have experienced them, the bad news (for my waller) is I'm hooked on that darn tailwheel airplane now!

Once you get used to holding the stick full back and leading your turns, taxiing ins't really that hard. It helped that we had winds of less than 4 knots today, though. The spins themselves were less dramatic than I thought they would be, but they were MUCH faster than I thought they would be, too. The airplane is actually very easy to handle and is about as responsive as anything I've ever flown. Came back and did two touch & gos and full stop just for fun since we had the time. All three were three pointers (no wheel landings this time around), and since the wind wasn't kicking, I didn't have too much of a problem once I figured out where ground effect was.

So, looks like I'm gonna go ahead and get that tailwheel endorsement. If I gotta get 250 TT for my commercial, might as well have fun doing it!
 
Hello KellWolf,

Cool...and you get to use a stick instead of a yoke! Wait 'til you try a Super Decathalon (I went on demo in one once). Welcome to the tail wheel club!

Happy Landings,

JR
 
The Citabria is a very docile tailwheel plane. I got my sign off in a 8KCAB, then went and got a sign off in a J-3. Worlds apart, those two planes. In addition to flying from the back, the ground handling characteristics weren't the same at all.

Things get a lot more interesting in tailwheel planes when there's wind. Even on breezy days, when the wind is straight down the runway, taxiing is a handful. But all good fun, and when you get back into a trike you'll realise how easy they are to handle.
 
Well go to do some spin training at ATA in one. It was a blast. The then chief pilot of Discover Air also had a pitts that he preferred to use.
 
I got my tailwheel endorsement in a Stinson last year and haven't flown a tailwheel aircraft since, because I became involved in Commercial training.

But now that's out of the way I'd like to get back into some tailwheel flying, and am thinking about the Citabria.

Maybe I'll do some spin training in it too as that's needed for the CFI too, right? Don't you need a spin endorsement for that? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]


Maybe I'll do some spin training in it too as that's needed for the CFI too, right? Don't you need a spin endorsement for that? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

You most definitely do. Make sure and do it in an airplane that spins aggresively. I had done spins in a 172 back in my instrument training days (my CFII thought it would be a good thing for me to learn, just in case), and boy were those easy to get out of. For the CFI I did my spin training in a Great Lakes... a lot more aggresive... and a lot more difficult to get out of. Better experience in my opinion. Most of the tailwheel airplanes will work well.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


Maybe I'll do some spin training in it too as that's needed for the CFI too, right? Don't you need a spin endorsement for that? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

You most definitely do. Make sure and do it in an airplane that spins aggresively. I had done spins in a 172 back in my instrument training days (my CFII thought it would be a good thing for me to learn, just in case), and boy were those easy to get out of. For the CFI I did my spin training in a Great Lakes... a lot more aggresive... and a lot more difficult to get out of. Better experience in my opinion. Most of the tailwheel airplanes will work well.

[/ QUOTE ]

Did you do that down at Chandler? The Great Lakes is fun ain't it. But how on earth would you ever realistically get out of it to "bail" if there were some structural failure and the thing was uncontrollable. It's hard enough getting in and out with it sitting on the ground. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
[/ QUOTE ]

Did you do that down at Chandler? The Great Lakes is fun ain't it. But how on earth would you ever realistically get out of it to "bail" if there were some structural failure and the thing was uncontrollable. It's hard enough getting in and out with it sitting on the ground. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah... I did it at Chandler Air Service! Those planes are sweet... I loved it! As for bailing out... I asked the same question to the CFI... he told me that if a wing fell off chances are I'd figure a way out of the airplane. Realistically though... I have no idea. But you're right, getting in and out of those is such a pain. It was worth it for the experience though!
 
[ QUOTE ]


[/ QUOTE ]

Did you do that down at Chandler? The Great Lakes is fun ain't it. But how on earth would you ever realistically get out of it to "bail" if there were some structural failure and the thing was uncontrollable. It's hard enough getting in and out with it sitting on the ground. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah... I did it at Chandler Air Service! Those planes are sweet... I loved it! As for bailing out... I asked the same question to the CFI... he told me that if a wing fell off chances are I'd figure a way out of the airplane. Realistically though... I have no idea. But you're right, getting in and out of those is such a pain. It was worth it for the experience though!

[/ QUOTE ]

Caution on that...... In a plane where you're able to bail out, you'd be wise to have some sort of egress training....or at least a briefed plan on how to bail out if the need arose. Having the CFI say you'd "figure it out at the spur of the moment" and going ahead and flying when you yourself don't even have an egress plan...the "no idea" part...is about as wise taking off into IMC without an instrument rating because "you'll figure it out".

Learning and briefing a bailout plan when you are wearing a chute and in an an airplane you can bail out of, is just as important as briefing an approach prior to flying it. No different at all; and definately not something you want to take lightly.

Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.....at the time that performance is needed.
 
[/ QUOTE ]

Uhhh. In a plane where you're able to bail out, you'd be wise to have some sort of egress training....or at least a briefed plan on how to bail out if the need arose. Having the CFI say you'd "figure it out at the spur of the moment" and going ahead and flying when you yourself don't even have an egress plan...the "no idea" part...is about as wise taking off into IMC without an instrument rating because "you'll figure it out".

Learning and briefing a bailout plan when you are wearing a chute and in an an airplane you can bail out of, is just as important as briefing an approach prior to flying it. No different at all; and definately not something you want to take lightly.

Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.....at the time that performance is needed.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm going to have to agree 100%, and it was my fault for not pressing the issue. Live and learn- and next time I do any aerobatics, I'll take your advice. I do have to say one thing, the design of the Great Lakes is horrible for entering and exiting the airplane... there was no easy way in or out of that airplane. Still, not a valid excuse, I realize. We all do stupid things... and we all do them in airplanes... I'll chock this one up on the experience list.
 
Tailwheel flying has been some of the most fun, challenging and skill-enhancing flying that I have done. The Citabria is a fun plane and it wheel-lands real nice too. The real challenge comes when you get some crosswinds and some gusts...then things get interesting. Stay humble and don't get overconfident with a taildragger! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]


[/ QUOTE ]

Uhhh. In a plane where you're able to bail out, you'd be wise to have some sort of egress training....or at least a briefed plan on how to bail out if the need arose. Having the CFI say you'd "figure it out at the spur of the moment" and going ahead and flying when you yourself don't even have an egress plan...the "no idea" part...is about as wise taking off into IMC without an instrument rating because "you'll figure it out".

Learning and briefing a bailout plan when you are wearing a chute and in an an airplane you can bail out of, is just as important as briefing an approach prior to flying it. No different at all; and definately not something you want to take lightly.

Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.....at the time that performance is needed.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm going to have to agree 100%, and it was my fault for not pressing the issue. Live and learn- and next time I do any aerobatics, I'll take your advice. I do have to say one thing, the design of the Great Lakes is horrible for entering and exiting the airplane... there was no easy way in or out of that airplane. Still, not a valid excuse, I realize. We all do stupid things... and we all do them in airplanes... I'll chock this one up on the experience list.

[/ QUOTE ]

I hear ya. And I know where you're coming from...It's just one of those things that many people don't think about, since there's few times in GA that you'll be in an airplane you can bail from...unless you fly one normally. My only thing is that it's not as easy as it looks or seems. Hell, even having the judgement to make THE CALL to bail out of a plane is something that needs to be learned and ingrained. I do egress and parachute training every 90 days, because of all the knowlege that you have to retain, and (since we don't eject/bail out on a regular basis) that information and training needs to be reinforced often to keep it rote when it's needed.

Even just wearing a parachute isn't enough if you haven't got training on the how and why of parachuting.....things like parachute landing fall, picking an LZ, clearing chute malfunctions, alternate methods of deploying the chute, etc, etc. It's more than just strapping one on to you back. But too many guys don't train in this in GA...they just toss it on and think it's an instant insurance policy. It's far from it if one doesn't know what they're doing. For me, knowing how the ejection seat works and WHEN it'll work and when it won't is also training I have to have....all to help me survive.

But like you said, you live and learn, and that's all good. I just want you to be safe and have EVERY chance of survival if, heaven forbid, you ever find yourself in that situation where it's bail or die.
 
[ QUOTE ]


But like you said, you live and learn, and that's all good. I just want you to be safe and have EVERY chance of survival if, heaven forbid, you ever find yourself in that situation where it's bail or die.

[/ QUOTE ]

I appreciate your comments and concerns... I'll take your advice to heart in the future. I'll pretty much fit your description of everything... I was taught to pull the cord on the parachute, and that's about it. I have yet to jump out of a plane... but, if in the future I take up aerobatics, I'll make sure to do a few jumps first (I have yet to jump out of a plane... but it sounds kinda fun). If I would've had to jump, I would've had no idea what I was doing. The only real thing I was told was that, if my CFI jumped... I should too. looking back, probably not the best of advice. as I said before, live and learn!
 
[ QUOTE ]
The Citabria is a fun plane and it wheel-lands real nice too. The real challenge comes when you get some crosswinds and some gusts...then things get interesting. Stay humble and don't get overconfident with a taildragger

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I'm counting down until next Tues. My wife asked last night which I liked better, the Citabria or the Seneca. I told her there was no way to compare the two since they are totally different. The Seneca is a great cross country multi-engine, and it's a lot of fun to fly. The Citabria is a "throw back" plane to simpler days, which is also a lot of fun. I'm actually HOPING for a decent wind on Tues to get some practice in.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top