Warbird Information Exchange

Ok, so this is not strictly warbird-related, but it may be in that this is often a first step into a warbird...

Saturday I met a goal that I'd been looking forward to for some time. My first tailwheel student solo. I've given plenty of tailwheel endorsements, but none from scratch. Normally, while I'd prefer to start all students in the Cub, I tell them that they'll save money in the long run just starting out in the trainer they'll take for the checkride and then get the endorsement later. I hope that will change someday when I can afford to buy a tailwheel plane of my own that has a radio and an electronic navigation system. Until then, I'll be waiting. This student wants a Sport Pilot License, and specifically wanted to work with the Cub, which honestly made me very, very happy since I think he'll be a better pilot in the long run, and his solo this weekend also made me happy. It took a little bit longer (15 or so hours, I'm not sure since I don't have his logbook in front of me) but considering we taught him 2 types of landings, ground reference maneuvers, and all of the airwork to near checkride standards, I don't consider him too far off of schedule. Now we're off to cross-country flying, which is almost a joke since we're only required to go >25NM for the SP XC. That said, it will take a bit to get anywhere ... It's a Cub!

Here's the video: http://youtu.be/ABDmBba7lQo

Ryan

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Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.

That equates well to watching your first child head down the driveway on their bike for the very first time, to having them pass their driving and written tests, or strolling across the stage to get their diploma. All your coaching and nurturing paid off and your prodigy is successful.

My congratulations to both of you good student, great instructor

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

Nice looking hangars there on that first take off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats. You mean a "true solo" no time in anything prior to the tailwheel. I have been wanting to do one of those. I had one student take his private checkride in a Maule Mx-7 this summer. He was 17 years old with 39 hours in type and 79 total. I also have a 23 year old who got his pvt. in a C-172 and came to me with 53 hours. I have him ready to solo his dad's M-7-235C, and he has 65 hours total time. Still working on his consistency.
In his case, I put him in the cub for a few hours, then the 7ECA, and then into the 235 hp. M-7.
I have found the J-3 is great for helping the student find his confidence, and see the ugly side of taildraggers without scaring them too bad. Once they feel great in the J-3 they seem to take that "can-do" confidence up the ladder to the bigger tailwheel types.

That's some good stuff right there, Ryan. My favorite time flying to date is about thirty minutes on the stick of a 1946 Champ. Getting my tail wheel endorsement is my top priority after getting my ticket which should be early spring.

Cheers, and congratulations to both of you.

Yes you sound like a "real" tailwheel instructor.A lot of CFI's get the tailwheel endorsement, but it takes many hundreds of landings to get the instincts to be able to teach people. It's easier to be an Instrument Instructor than a tailwheel instructor!