Hello... Hello... This Thing On?

[5x5]

Just by the way, not all taildraggers are old and worn out. I trained on a 1 year old Citabria which was certainly a sweet flying little bird. Being aerobatic, it was very responsive and a joy to handle. And while I haven''t flown one, there are Maules, Huskys, the new Luscombe and a number of others out there to enjoy.

My only advice would be, don''t take the conversion if there isn''t a plane nearby that you can rent/use afterwards. While the training itself will make you more aware of crosswinds and fine tune your landings (HAVE to be straight and without drift), it is an extra expense if there''s not a plane to use afterwards.

 

[cx400]

Does anyone know if there are any private owners willing to sell blocktime in or close to Toronto?

Feel free to send me a private message about it.

Thanks

 

[flythenumbers]

I too love Anywhere Map, but I think it will make me sloppy if I am not careful. I mean, I can do a flight plan in under a minute, including fuel burn, heading, ETA, ETE.... It sucks to have to pull out the paper and whiz wheel and take and hr to do the same thing.

Then, I clamp it to the yoke and the GPS tells me in a nice huge green line just where to go. As I fly, it reminds me to switch tanks, lookout for obstacles... How sweet is that? Yes, I pull out my map, yes I draw lines on it and mark my check points. The more I fly with it, the more I think, "Why bother with the paper?" The I think, what if it dies....
Long and short, I use the paper as a backup.

A part of me is just a little jealous of it, the machine sorta makes me feel like less of a pilot. At times, I just like to shut off the tech and fly the plane. Now when the weather gets bad, give me all the aids I can handle.

Some day, I really wanna take something like a NORDO Jenny up and be one with plane and sky.

 

[Charles W.]

5x5 :

Even if you never fly a tailwheel airplane again is it not worthwhile having learned how to better control any airplane?

Chas W.

 

[graunch1]

Let''s see here CW. Definition of a Taildragger - the quickest way to reduce one''s ego to a severe minus. "What in Hell is the runway doing out the left window - no wait!! out the right Window- whoops no wait, its back on the left"!!!!!

Learned to fly in a C120, most fun I ever had after I got my brain back to the tailwheel

 

[5x5]

Chas,

I tend to agree with you. I was just trying to be sensitive to the fact that not everyone can afford to take more training. When it''s a struggle to find the money to fly, what do you do when it''s a choice between taking up a good friend or significant other for some sightseeing or more training?

While I am a strong supporter of enhanced training and the value of tailwheel experience, I don''t believe it is required to be a very safe and skillful pilot. If you strive to fly the absolute best you can all the time and do things correctly, your handling of a tricycle "abomination" will tend to be very solid.

At the same time I do look forward to the time when I get back to flying with the little wheel behind me.

(And you''re right, even now in the 172 I find myself thinking on approach "Would this be acceptable in the Citabria? - a frame of reference that will be with me forever.")