Tailwheel In Addition to...

[Pilot4Life]

Just a quick update and info post...

Getting my tailwheel endorsement :D (another step toward the Kitfox, allbeit a small one) with Marcus Paine from Alaska. He's here giving a group some Upset Recovery Training in his Super Decathalon and the Tailwheel Endorsement is just a bonus. Every time I do this training (URT), the importance of understanding what's happening with our airplanes is reinforced. Great training...Should be experienced by all. Purposely, not because we find ourselves upside down, stalled, or uncoordinated. Just my two cents...

Here's a pic of the 8KCAB I'm training in :D...

5821

[SkyPirate]

Cool on that Chris

[SkySteve]

Chris,
For your Upset Training, do you actually go Upside Down?

[Lion8]

Chris. I put quite a few hours training in a Kitfox IV before it developed some issues. I finished up my endorsement in a Super Decathlon exactly the same color and all as this one. Very nice machine. I found this Decathlon to be much easier to fly than the Kitfox.-Tom

[Lion8]

Chris, forgot to tell you. Flying aerobatics is real fun too. I did it in a Great Lakes.-Tom

[Pilot4Life]

SkyPirate...Cool indeed!

SkySteve...Through all my training to date, I've been every which way...including loose! In the Decathalon this time... I've done loops, rolls, stalls, spins, inverted flight, and loving every minute of it.

Lion8...The Decathalon is pretty agile, yet also stable. My only flight in PeteOhms' plane was similar in handling as I recall.

I'll keep everyone posted on tomorrow's excitement!

[SS7Flyer]

I did SPIN Awareness training as part of my tailwheel endorsement and I can tell you this... sitting in your chair on the ground and saying out loud the spin recovery procedure is WHOLE lot different than hanging in your harness staring straight down while the ground goes round and round in the windscreen for the first time. The first time in a fully developed spin is very eye opening. :eek: Great training!

[Pilot4Life]

All,
Training complete! Great time, as always. First upset recovery training was in a ZLIN, then out to Mesa Arizona to fly with "Otter" from Aviation Performance Solutions, or "APS" for short. Then back to the ZLIN during my Instructor Pilot training, and now in the Decathalon! Indeed, being inverted is eye opening! Remember though, given an upset airplane, most situations are recoverable. We simulated the take off today and getting caught in a heavy airplanes wake turbulence. I was on the controls and Mark suddenly (unannouncent) rolled me on my back. With ~ 50 mph on the indicator and rolled inverted, I rolled upright and recovered with NO LOSS OF ALTITUDE! Huge confidence builder. Becoming upset in the plane isn't too much of a concern, as long as you assess the situation, know how your plane responds, and you make the correct and timely inputs to fix it! Don't be afraid of STALLS, SPINS, LOOPS, & ROLLS....JUST TRAIN FOR IT. It'll save your butt one day!

On another note...I am looking, now, to add an aerobatics airplane to my list and train my future students in the same manner! Of course, I'll add Aerobatics Instructor to my qualifications before just for my own comfort and skill.

[Slyfox]

my opinion is to gain spin awareness, as to not get into it in the first place. with that said. my first time I did a spin in an airplane was the first lesson I got in a Cessna. the instructor said to pull straight up and put in rudder. the thing stalled and went right into a spin. like you said your looking at the ground with everything spinning in a circle. I did what the instructor said to do to get out of it. I than came back and said, " lets do that again, cool stuff".

later in ground school there was another guy, big guy, that previously thought he was the cats meow. he had the same instructor and the instructor did the same thing to him. lets say he was very upset and got another instructor, he didn't like having that done to him.

[Esser]

Good thing that guy wasn't training in Canada. You have to complete spin training to get your Private License.

[metalman]

I love the super decathalons, great planes, and they just feel strong when you throw them around, very confidence inspiring. I did some spins in a Tigermoth shortly after gaining a GFPT ( not sure what that is in the US) I'd heard a lot about the graveyard turn onto final and thought I better find out what what it was all about, about a year later I had the misfortune to fly into a willy willy on final and nearly got stuffed into the ground, short version, at 500agl got flipped nearly inverted, plane started to yaw and roll and I was able to recover ,I reckon I dragged it over the fence at dot feet . The scary thing is I know plenty of mates who are fine pilots but would be dead now if they'd been in that situation ,an aero endorsement is one of the best things I've done I reckon,
Matty

[Pilot4Life]

Slyfox...I whole heartedly concur with avoiding upsets for "normal" flying. However, I sure am glad I've seen everything that can happen and have successfully recovered from each incident in training to know that it can be done. Not a nervous pilot anymore, just aware yet unafraid!

Matty, what airplane(s) did you get your Aero endorsement in? You'd mentioned some time in the Decathalon. Was that the plane?

On another note...I also didn't get my tailwheel endorsement. I could have, but I didn't feel that I'd had enough training, in my own assessment, to feel safe in all envelopes should I be Solo in my own plane. I did, gracefully I might add, stick the 3-point landings,1 wheel landing, and properly correct a botched wheel landing. I just didn't get any crosswind landings which are notorious here in Sierra Vista. We had calm winds all morning, every morning! Not complaining, just didn't get the crosswind experience that I wanted for the endorsement. Oh well, there's always another chance to fly. Next time it'll be in Mark's Super Cub. Always wanted to fly one....though, I've always wanted to fly a Series 7 SS too! Stick & Rudder...here I come!

Great stories of SPINS folks...funny to read. Keep them coming!

[metalman]

Did the aero endorsment in a super decathalon, and I'm also fortunate to be able to take a Tigermoth out on occasion,when I can afford the hourly rate ,big$$$ ,although since I've had my own plane going it's really hard to pay for time in someone else' aircraft, I seem to keep bringing it back to what the fuel in my jigger costs ,,,the tiger is $375 per hour solo, my plane cost me about $30 ph in fuel,,,I can do a lot of flying for one hour in the tiger ,or the Super D ($275 ph solo) for that matter!

[Slyfox]

Slyfox...I whole heartedly concur with avoiding upsets for "normal" flying. However, I sure am glad I've seen everything that can happen and have successfully recovered from each incident in training to know that it can be done. Not a nervous pilot anymore, just aware yet unafraid!

Matty, what airplane(s) did you get your Aero endorsement in? You'd mentioned some time in the Decathalon. Was that the plane?

On another note...I also didn't get my tailwheel endorsement. I could have, but I didn't feel that I'd had enough training, in my own assessment, to feel safe in all envelopes should I be Solo in my own plane. I did, gracefully I might add, stick the 3-point landings,1 wheel landing, and properly correct a botched wheel landing. I just didn't get any crosswind landings which are notorious here in Sierra Vista. We had calm winds all morning, every morning! Not complaining, just didn't get the crosswind experience that I wanted for the endorsement. Oh well, there's always another chance to fly. Next time it'll be in Mark's Super Cub. Always wanted to fly one....though, I've always wanted to fly a Series 7 SS too! Stick & Rudder...here I come!

Great stories of SPINS folks...funny to read. Keep them coming!

agreed. I am very glad to have experienced and learned how to recover as well.

[jamesmil]

I find the kitfox hard to spin, after trying to spin it in phase 1 testing all it would do is enter a spiral unless you snapped it in. rolls real nice though.

[GWright6970]

Good deal on getting the tailwheel endorsement and doing the training Chris! Well done sir!:D

[Pilot4Life]

Thanks Grover! How'd that Solar Plant project work out? Things with the KF coming along well? If I ever get out to Sac again, I'll be calling you. Same goes for Highwing, should he see this post.