Video - Training with Paul Leadabrand

[cirrusjetpilot]

Since most of you are not on the Kitfox Facebook page, I figure to post here as well.

Paul Leadabrand came to my home airport and we did a full 8 hour transition training. I captured the first few hours of it and turned out to be very educational video for those completing the build and starting to considering some type of training.

Even for the most experienced Kitfox pilots, I would think Paul and his team to be a great resource.

It is a 20min video but encapsulates what it takes from someone that never flew a Kitfox before, to be somewhat little more comfortable with the Kitfox specifics.

Enjoy!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRG0sOkGdkM

[Dave S]

Thanks for sharing,

Couldn't help but notice that your instructor has a similar philosophy as Chuck Yeager about landing - hold your airspeed, level out and hold at 4" from the runway at idle and try to keep the plane from touching the runway till you run out of stick. CY claimed he could land any plane that way.

Good video and good advice to keep on learning.

I have to admit that my Kitfox transition, which was kindly and generously done by a local ATP, who flew a kitfox for fun, challenged me on the descent angle a bit - till I practiced a little I had a tendency to arrive way too high at the threshold...but that would be expected having previous experience in aircraft of a higher sink rate. Also surprised (pleasantly) by how little loss of altitude a person could accomplish in a Kitfox on a practice turnback (at altitude).

[DesertFox4]

Thanks for the ride Alex. Enjoyed that. You handle it pretty well already.

Again, you really have a sweet example of Kitfox and love the new panel.

I've had the pleasure of flying with Paul three or four times now. Hope to fly with him again soon. Always learned something of value and appreciated his teaching methods but also enjoyed that he really does love instructing and gets what the Kitfox is all about. You learn how to get the most out of your Kitfox in short order while having a blast.

[Norm]

Thanks for the ride and the tips. I am a new instructor and picked up some tips that will help my students. Paul is good.

[av8rps]

What an awesome video! In addition to the great audio and use of multi camera views, the video is a great way for someone to experience a Kitfox without actually stepping in one.

And Paul's training was really great. But I fly my Kitfox quite differently. Typically I fly a much higher final approach as I've found my float equipped Kitfox gets real draggy when I try to drag it in. Plus, since Kitfoxes are so much fun to slip, I love burning off excess altitude with a slip on final because I'm too high :D.

When I was first trained how to land an amphib floatplane I was told "just land it like it was a shopping cart". To this very day, that's how I land it. We never forget our good instructors...

[ppilotmike]

Great vid, thanks for posting it. Mike:)

[David47]

Great Video Alex, really enjoyed it and nicely edited. I'm hoping to head over from Australia next year in July and take some flying instruction through Stick and Rudder as well. I've heard that Paul is a great instructor, and your video just highlighted that, so thanks for sharing it with us.

[Ramos]

Awesome, Alex! Great to have an opportunity to actually see how Paul operates, for those of us who are deciding on an instructor. Thanks again.

Question: Just how big of a guy is Paul? Looks like he was taking up a little more than his 50% of the cabin. :D

[cirrusjetpilot]

[QUOTE=But I fly my Kitfox quite differently. Typically I fly a much higher final approach as I've found my float equipped Kitfox gets real draggy when I try to drag it in.[/QUOTE]

I have found myself doing the same lately. I think the video is a good starting point but honestly they were very flat and didn't yell for much flair. I am coming a little higher and slipping a bit as well.

[cirrusjetpilot]

Awesome, Alex! Great to have an opportunity to actually see how Paul operates, for those of us who are deciding on an instructor. Thanks again.

Question: Just how big of a guy is Paul? Looks like he was taking up a little more than his 50% of the cabin. :D

Her's a pretty big guy. My guess he's over 6ft tall. But we were both very comfortable. I am not sure on a model 4 or 3 where the cabin is not as wide as the 5,6,and 7.

[Av8r_Sed]

Thanks for the video. It got me reminiscing about flying with Paul and his cool, calm demeanor. Wish I was a little closer to Stick & Rudder.

[Av8r3400]

Paul, you should come with us this fall to the Kitfox Fly-in. Going to hook up with Stick and Rudder for training then off into the big rocks...

[kmach]

Very nice video, keep them coming.

[Av8r_Sed]

Paul, you should come with us this fall to the Kitfox Fly-in. Going to hook up with Stick and Rudder for training then off into the big rocks...

Well, I sent in my RSVP, so I'm in. Just give me a couple of days head start. 2-stroke to Idaho, or bust!

[foxbait]

Great video, thanks for sharing.