ETLB Squawk Forums — Archive

Passed my check-ride today. Added  "airplane, single engine land,  private pilot"  to my commercial/instrument helicopter ticket.

Finally,  the monkey is off my back.  

Congratulations

Very good.  I thought if you could fly a helicopter you could fly anything.  Now you can go for the big one, a blimp or lighter than air. LOL  Congratulations on your new rating.
BobN

Thanks for sharing , well done.

regards Arthur

Kool!
Now for the Tailwheel endorsement!

Congratulations!

Bravo!

Very well done, congratulations!

YIPPIE, congratulations. Now while your on a roll go get that seaplane rating. Lots of fun!

Congratulations !!

Congratulations! Ready for Tilt-Rotor?

Quoted from Phil Ready for Tilt-Rotor?   

Hey,

I'm former US Army/National Guard,  not one of Uncle Sam's Misguided Children......

Good to see you flying something with wings on it, just in case you need them. LOL

Congratulations on the new endorsement.

congrats....

Glad that's done!
How's the bird coming?

Quoted from PUFF How's the bird coming?

I'm kind of in a holding pattern at the moment,  waiting on parts.  George should be done with the gear spring in a couple of weeks.  
Beaver Borne of Air-Tech is getting the axles end-bored & threaded so that wheel pants can be attached in the future.  

When I get the spring in,  I'll probably drive it down to Reserve(maybe fly?; be a nice cross-country flight in the 172) and put the axles, brakes, & hubs/bearings on it.  Might even put the wheels on it.
Bring everything home, then mount the assembly on the Himax. George has instructions, a parts list,  and pics on how to do it on his website. I've already purchased the hardware to mount the landing gear assembly, except for bolts.

BTW,  does anyone have any specs on setting/adjusting the trim tab?  What should it look like in the "neutral" position? I want "neutral" to be mid-point on the trim adjustment lever.....I think.

Got my tail-dragger endorsement today.  In a PA-18 Super Cub, that had 29" tundra tires, working off a grass crop-duster strip.

I don't quite get it why some people think tail-draggers are so hard.  I flew a total of 1.3 hrs,  did wheel landings and 3-pointers, and short field landings.  Just keep the nose pointed in the direction of travel, stick controls attitude & speed, throttle controls rate of descent. Slip it if you're high, add power if you're low. Compared to a C-172,  you have to FLY a Super Cub, much like a helicopter.

Only thing we didn't do was serious crosswind landings, and that's because the wind was less than 8 kts.

The only real trouble I had was going  back at 2L0 and landing on the tarmac strip.  29" tundra tires DO NOT like asphalt; stickier than fly-paper.  I had to really work to keep the nose pointed down the runway.

I'm not gonna lie, I had a hard time getting my tailwheel. Although I was on concrete and had a direct crosswind, I was ready to throw in the towel. Then it finally clicked. Glad I didn't give up. Congrats on getting yours!

Congrats, Termite! Enjoy!

Lynn

Quoted from KenL I'm not gonna lie, I had a hard time getting my tail-wheel. Although I was on concrete.....

Point #1.  I probably have a big advantage with 750+ hours of helicopter time.
Point #2.  Big soft tires and concrete/asphalt are not a good combination.  Stickier than wheat paste, unforgiving of poor rudder control.    I noticed it big-time.
Point #3.  C-152s/172s are gentle, friendly, forgiving airplanes.  I know 2 CFIIs who can land them without touching the yoke, just using pedals, throttle, and trim wheel.

Quoted from The Termite
Point #1.  I probably have a big advantage with 750+ hours of helicopter time.
Point #2.  Big soft tires and concrete/asphalt are not a good combination.  Stickier than wheat paste, unforgiving of poor rudder control.    I noticed it big-time.
Point #3.  C-152s/172s are gentle, friendly, forgiving airplanes.  I know 2 CFIIs who can land them without touching the yoke, just using pedals, throttle, and trim wheel.

1. Yes
2. OK
3. Not sure where you're going with that. I got my tailwheel training in a 170 and a Pitts.

Ok well done Termite...yes to all..I agee, however the learning is just starting NOW. I Love Piper Cubs...a great aeroplane, such a wonderful aircraft to fly.

You have the monkey off your back..... So did I .....

and I thought I knew all there was to know about tail draggers until one day my concentration was down, a different strip, cross wind, rain, open cockpit freezing cold, and I was wet through ( probably due to overconfidence and another factor was fatigue)...and I ground looped...I dragged my wingtip for 30 feet ( seemed like 3000 feet)....so I became a passenger in my own plane..!!..and time slowed.....so you know that feelling....LOL

so now....110% concentration for landing...every flight..as taildraggers can bite..and the Max is so easy an aeroplane to fly.

again well done..!

regards Arthur

Never heard of anyone ground looping a tricycle gear airplane, a taildragger --almost everyone I know at some point in time. I think the bookies in Vegas could bet it would happen sooner or later and have the odds in their favor. Nothing to fear but like Arthur says the concentration factor is much higher. In addition, not all ground loops are created equal.

Quoted from KenL 3. Not sure where you're going with that. I got my tailwheel training in a 170 and a Pitts.

What I am talking about is not your taildragger training,  but what most folks get their PP in.  C-152s/172s are very safe and comfortable aircraft to fly.
Nothing wrong with that,  but it tends to create pilots who wait for something to happen before correcting, rather than anticipating what is ABOUT to happen.

I started my flight training in a Hughes 269/300,  aka US Army TH-55.  Most small helicopters are rather squirrelly,  and unforgiving.  Since you trained in a Pitts,  I bet you know exactly what I mean.

Ok, I follow you now. You're very correct. Trainer aircraft are good for primary training, but won't make a pilot out of anybody. What training in a Pitts taught me, very likely saved my life a few years ago. I strongly recommend to anybody that has a chance, to get some aerobatic training in an unforgiving aircraft.

Being a former rc heli pilot and knowing how much rudder (paddle) is involved in that, I'm not surprised you took to tailwheel aircraft so quickly lol.

Quoted from The Termite

I'm former US Army/National Guard  

And thanks for that btw.

Quoted from KenL I strongly recommend to anybody that has a chance, to get some aerobatic training in an unforgiving aircraft.

Absolutely.   I would love to spend 10-12 hrs in a Decathalon with IP doing hammerheads, spins, etc.