Got Doused

[Dave Hadfield]

Andy, that's terrific! Congratulations!

Absolutely nothing like it, right?, after 3 years of rebuild and work and prep and training. Way to go!

And flying a stock, English A-model Tiger, with no brakes or tailwheel or electrics, is akin to an art form.

Photos???

Dave

[Dave Hadfield]

Chris actually chased me (and our Dad) around a couple of years ago... (Peter Handley photo)

Dave

[Dave Hadfield]

Thanks for the congrats, guys.

As for what-path-to-take-to-get-to-a-P51, I find obsession helps....

Any museum will first want to find out about your character. That means putting in the time. And sweeping the floors even when no one is looking. And giving tours, and later doing the Experience-Flights in the trainers -- for years. I re-started vintage flying in 1999, and first flew the P-40 in 2009. The P-51 took 15 years of steady contribution.

As for flying, never cease to expand your experience and qualifications. Getting a Commercial license is a good start. But it's mostly about tailwheel time, at least 200 hours of it -- gained somewhere else, probably. That's what I'd be looking for in a candidate, if I was a Chief Pilot. And even then there won't be a fighter. Trainers, doing the biplane rides, for years perhaps.

One very good form of learning experience is to fly the Champ/Citabria series from the backseat. That hones your peripheral vision, and seat of the pants, to a very fine edge. You're flying blind, and with no instruments. Excellent training.

But the classic WWII progression is the best: a Stearman or Tiger Moth, followed by the T-6/Harvard. The fighters are easier to handle on the ground than the Harvard. I had to demonstrate competency in the back seat of the Harvard before moving to the fighter.

A lot of outfits will scoff at airline pilots. This is nonsense. Sure, airline flying does not hone hands-and-feet-skills anymore, but it sure does polish an aviator's judgement. Airline pilots have just naturally experienced a lot, and in many places, and their daily exercise of judgement ("Nope, I'm not doing that. Period.) is directly transferable. Same with the Air Force. Flying a fast jet fighter is useless training for a Stearman or Harvard in terms of hands and feet, but the judgement aspect applies.

Short version: keep showing up, smile a lot, and make yourself competent and useful.

Dave

[tacoope]

Thanks for the congrats, guys.

As for what-path-to-take-to-get-to-a-P51, I find obsession helps....

Any museum will first want to find out about your character. That means putting in the time. And sweeping the floors even when no one is looking. And giving tours, and later doing the Experience-Flights in the trainers -- for years. I re-started vintage flying in 1999, and first flew the P-40 in 2009. The P-51 took 15 years of steady contribution.

As for flying, never cease to expand your experience and qualifications. Getting a Commercial license is a good start. But it's mostly about tailwheel time, at least 200 hours of it -- gained somewhere else, probably. That's what I'd be looking for in a candidate, if I was a Chief Pilot. And even then there won't be a fighter. Trainers, doing the biplane rides, for years perhaps.

One very good form of learning experience is to fly the Champ/Citabria series from the backseat. That hones your peripheral vision, and seat of the pants, to a very fine edge. You're flying blind, and with no instruments. Excellent training.

But the classic WWII progression is the best: a Stearman or Tiger Moth, followed by the T-6/Harvard. The fighters are easier to handle on the ground than the Harvard. I had to demonstrate competency in the back seat of the Harvard before moving to the fighter.

A lot of outfits will scoff at airline pilots. This is nonsense. Sure, airline flying does not hone hands-and-feet-skills anymore, but it sure does polish an aviator's judgement. Airline pilots have just naturally experienced a lot, and in many places, and their daily exercise of judgement ("Nope, I'm not doing that. Period.) is directly transferable. Same with the Air Force. Flying a fast jet fighter is useless training for a Stearman or Harvard in terms of hands and feet, but the judgement aspect applies.

Short version: keep showing up, smile a lot, and make yourself competent and useful.

Dave

I didn't ask the question originally but...

I suspect that the Comanche will have to go for me to get the tail dragger time. It is really hard to pay for a plane to sit parked while you rent/beg/borrow/steal time in other ones. It's not so bad on the beg/borrow part, but the rental is a bit hard to justify, and the stealling part just isn't on.

I don't really expect to fly any of the fighters, certainly at this point in time it isn't a responsability that I'd take on. I'm happy to have the opportunity to help keep them flying at this stage. Maybe in years to come my view will change, but my goal at the moment is to be able to fly the Harvard and maybe the small yellow wings, if I can also drop a bit of excess baggage.

Terry

[Ken]

IMHO, the Citabria/Decathlon are excellent machines for tw training, even better than a Cub. In addition, a pilot who can fly nice aerobatics in a fixed pitch Citabria (because of the fat wing, adverse yaw & throttle management) would be almost bored rolling/looping something like an RV-8 or Extra.

I also wouldn't discount an L-19/O-1 if you have access. Again, just my opinion, but even though the O-1's quirks may not exactly mirror the T-6, the skill set required to fly the O-1 well would easily transfer to the T-6.

Ken

[Michel Lemieux]

Congrads Dave......

Prety sure your bro is also very proud of you!!!! Different thrill.....but still a very noteworthy one HEHE......

Tks for making the obvious statement here. Nothing beats dedication, hard and honest work.

Dave Hadfield wrote:
Thanks for the congrats, guys.

As for what-path-to-take-to-get-to-a-P51, I find obsession helps....

Any museum will first want to find out about your character. That means putting in the time. And sweeping the floors even when no one is looking. And giving tours, and later doing the Experience-Flights in the trainers -- for years. I re-started vintage flying in 1999, and first flew the P-40 in 2009. The P-51 took 15 years of steady contribution.

As for flying, never cease to expand your experience and qualifications. Getting a Commercial license is a good start. But it's mostly about tailwheel time, at least 200 hours of it -- gained somewhere else, probably. That's what I'd be looking for in a candidate, if I was a Chief Pilot. And even then there won't be a fighter. Trainers, doing the biplane rides, for years perhaps.

One very good form of learning experience is to fly the Champ/Citabria series from the backseat. That hones your peripheral vision, and seat of the pants, to a very fine edge. You're flying blind, and with no instruments. Excellent training.

But the classic WWII progression is the best: a Stearman or Tiger Moth, followed by the T-6/Harvard. The fighters are easier to handle on the ground than the Harvard. I had to demonstrate competency in the back seat of the Harvard before moving to the fighter.

A lot of outfits will scoff at airline pilots. This is nonsense. Sure, airline flying does not hone hands-and-feet-skills anymore, but it sure does polish an aviator's judgement. Airline pilots have just naturally experienced a lot, and in many places, and their daily exercise of judgement ("Nope, I'm not doing that. Period.) is directly transferable. Same with the Air Force. Flying a fast jet fighter is useless training for a Stearman or Harvard in terms of hands and feet, but the judgement aspect applies.

Short version: keep showing up, smile a lot, and make yourself competent and useful.

Dave

[SPANNERmkV]

Congratulations Dave and Andy!!!